The Port Gibson reveille., 1905-11-30

!. last week ana discussed the slkua
ton. though the suggestion 0
) President Jordan to hold for I!
, cents was not endorsed. Presiden
] clark's idea is to sell as you nees
; the money, holding the surplus a.
long as possible. or until better
prices are paid.
National Committeeman ]. McC,
Martin Of Port Gibson was the
principal speaker, and the gist Of
! his talk is thus given by the daily
press:
Mr. Martin spoke at considerable
length. and was given close atten-
tion from beginning to end. Among
other things he declared there is not
man in the South, or the world,
who issposted. aud who believes
that the cotton crop of the South is
going to amount to 10. 100, 600
bales. If under ten millions ii
means better prices than are being
received now. During the past
day or two he knew that IL cents
had been declined for short staple
cotton in his town OF Port Gibson,
and he also knew that there had
not been single bale of cotton sold
in that market yesterday. the brok-
ers walking about tile streets doing
nothing.
Mr.. Martin declared that the Cot
ton Association stood for the iudus-
trial development of the South. and
for its absolute industrial suprema-
Icy, and he believed that it was
coming in due course Of time. The
4
first thing necessary was organiza-
ton; second, education third,
modification and improvement Of
business methods, and fourth, larg-
er markets.
The most important demand
made by Mr. Martin was that the
State of Mississippi should have a
department of agriculture, and he
expected to see it secured through
the instrumentality of the Cotton
Association. Governor Vardaman
was going to be requested to incor-
porate a request for such depart
mcnt in his message to the Legisla-
ture. and $50, 900 was going to be
demanded for its support and main
tenance. Mississippi is the only
one of the Southern States that has
no department of agriculture. and
for one Mr.. Martin was tired of
having that said about his State.
The farmers belonging to the Cot
ton Association had SO far put up
the money necessary to gather ag-
ricultural statistics, but that was a
matter that should be looked after
by the State. He knew that Gov
ernor Vardaman was in hearty &C
cord with the movement, and be-
lieved that he would make the sug-
gestions as requested, and that the
department of agriculture would
soon be an accomplished fact, with
means and men to get statistics on
crops and conditions that could be
relied on.
The speaker gave his hearty ap-
proval of the suggestion of Presi-
dent Roosevelt to send commits
sion to China and Japan to work up
a greater cotton trade with the Far
East, and hoped that the next Con-
gress would attend to that matter
as it should be done, appropriating |
the $500. 900 heretofore suggested |
and defeated. The time was COM
ing when the Panama Canal would |
be completed and the gateway to
the East opened through the States
bordering on the Gulf Coast. The
great railroad systems of the coun-
try are even now getting ready for
the immense business that is going |
to pass through this territory. and
the sooner the State of Mississippi |
takes cognizance of the fact that
new business is to be had, the bet
ter for all her people.
Mr.. Martin urged all the men,
bers of the Association to diversity |
their crops more and more every
year, 50 as to live at home and
board at the same place, and al
ways to have something to sell
- 4xx~~~ -.<. A. s&&.~.m wYM -