The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-03-03
STATE JOINS IN MOVEMENT Convict Farms to Reduce
 Cotton Acreage. REQUEST OF GOVERNOR Cunningham Writes Letter to President Carmichael. President Seymour of Alabama Cotton Association Prepares Some In-
 teresting Figures As to Con-
 dition of Farmera.

The New Orleans convention plan for reducing cotton acreage and fertilizer this year. yesterday received the off, ficial sanction of Acting Governor Cum ningham who requested Judge J. M. Carmichael. President of the State Board of Convict Inspectors to make these curtailments h the cultivation of the States farms.
 There can be no doubt that President Carmichael will follow this suggestion as he has already expressed a per- sonal and oflcial indorsement of the cotton reduction movement which Is sweeping the South.
 The convict farms last year raised about 200 bales of cotton at Speigner and No. {. farm. The State is spinning this cotton now in the convict mill at speigner which has been in operation few weeks.
 The saiutary effect of the State of Alabama thus subscribing to the great movement for more equitable cotton prices Is appreciated by the Alabama Cotton Association.
 Letter From the Governor.
 The communication of the Governor sent yesterday to President Carmichael Is as follows:
 Montgomery, March 3. 1905
 Hon. J. M. Carmichael,
 President Board of Convict Inspectors,
 Montgomery, Alabama.
 My Dear Sir-The efforts of the southern cotton planters through their organizations to reduce the. cotton acre. age and to employ part of the acreage, heretofore planted in cotton, in the cultivation of food and other crops in order to diminish the amount ol cot ton produced, thereby raising the price or cotton. are very commendable, and certainly conform to the economies of the question. and if successfully carried out will undoubtedly result to the best interest of the people of the South.
 As the State Is engaged in the cul- ture of cotton with convict labor at certain points, I write to respectfully suggest that you reduce the acreage this year and theamount of fertilizer used 25 per cent, and employ this re- duced acreage in the culture of other crops.
 Very respectfully,
 R. M. Cunningham,
 Lieutenant and Acting Governor"
 As the State Convict Board intends to consume It's own cotton the example or the Department Is reducing this years acreage furnishes a novel asset to the southern Cotton Growers As- sociation of which the Alabama As sociations is a part. It but symbolizes the fact, however, that the spinners all over the country are as rule in sympa thy with the curtailment movement.
 MT. seymour's Statement.
 President W. H. Seymour, of the Ala bama Cotton Association. yesterday completed some interesting hypotheti- cal statistics about the growing of cot ton. and the prices during the last ten years.
 It is shown in these conclusions which will be presented to all the far mers of the State that if, in the last ten years the staple had brought the uniform price of 10 cents Alabama would have received $1o0, ,0o0, 900 more than 1t did. This would have sufficed 10 macadamize every mile of public roads in the State of Alabama.
 The statement by Mir. Seymour is as follows:
 Tt costs an average from at least Szo to $3O to produce a bale of cotton ana put 1t on the market. It requires year to produce a crop. The average crop is about six bales to the nnuis Land rent. mule rent, feed for mule rood and clothing for family, a small proportion of which is produced in our country, must be paid out of the pro- ceeds. A common laborer today can command a wage at best S1 a day at sawmills or other public works.
 All the cotton produced during the ten years prior to this year has been spun It's price has ranged from 5 to l7 cents, depending upon the suppiv ana demand. Ten cents would have been fair and reasonable price for It, and that price would have paid A iair and reasonable return on the investment and labor necessary for its production.
 With organization looking to sys- tematic marketing of cotton, 10 cents could have been obtained for all cotton sold during the last ten years, and the farmers Of the South would have re- ceived one billion dollars more for their cotton than they did receive. Alabama's snare would have been $lO0,0Oo. 900, enough to have given Montgomery, Bir- mlngham ard Mobile each, three s1.- oe0.ooO cotton mills; Anniston, Hunts Vile and Selma each. two s1,ooo, ,oe0 cot