The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-11-23
COTTON PLANTERS
ENDORSE JORDAN
Tilt Between Mill Man
and the Growers.
ON is CENT STAPLE
Mr.. Alt A. Thompson Thinks Cotton at
This Price Would be Disastrous
to the South. To Elect
"a Permanent Secre-
tary.

Representative cotton growers u
Wake county met yesterday i'll the
mayors office, and plans were made
To pledge Wake countyS proportion
of the 1000, 900 bales of cotton which
President Harvie Jordan has asked
The farmers of the South to hold for
ninety days, or until they receive 10
cents per pound for their staple. MI.
Jordan was warmly endorsed, ana
Wake county will stand by HIM Loyalty.
After calling the meeting to order
President A. {. Green stated that its
object was to ascertain what action
The county division would take in re-
gard To Mr.. Jordan's request. There
were not sufficient funds in the treas
ury. he said, 10 employ a secretary,
and as immediate action was impera-
tive he had called the meeting. lie
did not fear the consequences which
might be brought upon the South as
the skeptics GAINED would come, he
said and thought that if the farmers
had no better sense than TO plant an
Overwhelming crop next year, tney
should deserve low prices.
Mr.. All A. Thompson, president of
the Raleigh Cotton Mills, was present
and called upon for speech. Mr..
Thompson said that Wake was rep
resentative county. and that the entire
South could be judged by what this
county does. He thought that Presl-
dent HarVie Jordan was acting With
out the authority of the Southern Cot
ton Association in calling upon the
South TO tie up 100000 bales of cot
ton for - cents the pound. The inter-
ests of the producer and the manufac-
tllrer. he said. We're equal and de-
cltred that ID cents was a price too
high for the manufacturer, forcing
him to pay more for the raw materlai
than he could ger for the finished pro-
duct. 1T is possible to secure 10
cents for your cotton, he said, but
no power on earth can prevent large
crop next year if you run the price up
To that high figure. / have seen Jor-
dams statement that the mills have
been operating upon the basis OF i 5
to 10 IL cent cotton. and assuming
that to be true. which it is not. 1t
would be exceedingly unfair 10 re-
dliire the mills To pay from TO : IL
cents per pound for cotton more than
they can get back for the manufsic
tured goods. What the nanufactur-
ers want is TO- IL or even - cent
cotton. which will allow them to get
;; fair profit for their goods. There
was never a more perfect piece OF
fallacy than the belief some have that
the Southern milling people are bears.
Cotton does not go cut of our hands.
are reasonable. help us as well as
the farmer. | am interested iii this
movements but repeat that | belleNe
Jordan has acted without the author
ity of the Southern Cotton Association.
So far as Is cent cotton is concerned
il does not offset me, as | now nave
enough to last my mill ninety days.
My warehouses are full.
In conclusion Mr.. Thompson SAID
he would be glad TO see cotton bring
II cents from September to Septem-
Der He said Southern mills, almost
without exception. make coarse goods,
and that as New England mills manu-
facture only fine goods TO the larger
extent the high prices would ttIfect
The Southern mills most He said he
hoped the association would be SLOW
To adopt Mr. Jordan-s policy, for when
the price is put beyond the figure al
which either home consumers or eN-
DorterS can use the cotton, then the
farmers will take hold of sharp
edged tool capable of doing more in
Jury than good. Fifteen cent cotton.
he said, will bring ruin TO the South
The result of Il 1-2 cent cotton was
q $4,000. 900 bales crop, and brought
& cent cotton and except for the or
ganization of the farmers would nave
brought ) cent cotton. FIFTEEN cent
cotton will be disastrous to the enure
South. ruinOuS to Dotn the FARMERS
and manufacturers.
DIR. j. NJ Templeton, in answering
Mr. Thompsons remarks took the eX-
IRENE view, and declared there We're
no community of interests between
the mills and the planters. and never
will pe until the mills own the farms
or the farms own the mills. He thougn'
that defective organization was the
cause of the trouble, said that IL the
organization had been perfect, the nan
would have been crowded, the farm
ers would have paid the cents tax
per bale levied by the association and
Wake county would already nave
pledged its proportion of the 3,00O,00u
bales to be held. He moved that each
member present pay $500 for the
employment of a secretary to canvass
the county. and the motion was Sec
onded by Mr.. r. II. Jones' but was
defeated by small majority.
Capt. c. y. Allen in reply to Mr.
Thompson said that the mill presi-
dent had taken a position not ten
able. 1T would be neither a calam-
ity nor an affiliation, as Mr.. Thomp-
son said it would be, if the farmers
should obtain Is cents for their cot
ton. once got that price. and il
was anything else but desolation t6
me. Mr.. Thompson said that it would
not be fair TO make the manufactur-