The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-02-22
ALABAMA COTTON GROWERS
 PERFECT AN ORGANIZATION

Ch0ctaW-J. L.. Brown, Coffee--M. S. Carmichael and W. c. Smith.
 coibert-Dr. c. T. Mcwhorter. Conecuh--G. R. Farnham. Covington--J. J. Thames. Crenshaw-H. Y. Brooke. Culiman-C. A. Stiefelmeyer. Dale-H. M. Sessions and W. P. Bowling.
 Dallas-John F. Burns and D. B. Edwards.
 Eimore-w. L. Lancaster and J. D. Fay.
 Escambia-w. J. Holland and J. W. Terry.
 Etowah-R. B. Kyle.
 Fayette-Dr. J. s. Hollis. Henry-John B. Ward. Houston-J. A. Culbreth.
 Jackson-G. P. Bauldin. Lowndes-w. D. McCurdy. Lee--N. P. Renfroe. Professor J. F. Duggar and w. T. wier. Limestone-M. K. Clements. Madison--Clarendon Davis. Macon-W. J. Bridges. Marengo-Q. s. Adams. Monroe--J. H. McCreary. Marshall-W. W. Curry. Montgomery-W. H. Lawson and Louis B. Farley. Morgan-H. A. Skeggs Perry-J. c. Lee and B. L. Gayle. Pike--J. P. Wood and J. T. Ramage. SheIby-H. Pierson and J. s. Jackson.
 Sumter--W. H. Seymour.
 Talladega-H. M. Burt, J. A. Edwards,
 c. T. McEldery and J. E. Camp. Tallapoosa--J. P. Oliver and R. s.
 Nolan.
 Tuscaloosa-Frank s. Moody. Wilcox-R. E. L. Thomas and J. N. Standford.
 Mir. Poole Convened Delegates. Commissioner of Agriculture R. R.
 Poole called the convention to order at
 12 o'clock. In doing so. he said he was acting by request of President Harvie Jordan of the Southern Cotton Asso- citation.
 The Commissioner of Agriculture ex- pressed the hope that he was address ing representatives of a majority of the
 counties in the State.
 '1n accordance with the plan of the
 recent New Orleans convention" said Commissioner Poole, there seems to
 have been held beat and county meet
 ings all over the South. l am pleased
 to say that there is good response to
 the call of delegates here. "I am aware that not all the counties are thoroughly organized. Yet the or-
 ganizations that you have, have ex- ceeded the most sanguine expectations.
 Sometime ago I had the honor of
 being a delegate to the Boil Weevil
 Convention In Shreveport, La. It was
 there that the idea of such gathering as the New Orleans convention Was born. It was in the back room of a
 theatre at Shreveport that arrange ments were made for calling the New
 Orleans convention.
 "The work of preparing for the great
 convention was begun then and there
 in earnest. The success of the conven-
 tion was remarkable. Every cotton growing State and Territory in the
 United States was represented at New Orleans. The farmers were not alone in assembling there. There were present , also merchants. bankers and represen-
 tatives of the spinning interests. That convention, the most memor-
 able in the history of the cotton States,
 met at New Orleans to register their
 declarations against the confiscation of
 their properties. The people of the
 South had seen rapid decline in the
 price of their cotton, but they found
 the trouble. They knew that the bear speculator was behind the disastrous
 movement. They determined to meet the enemy on common ground.
 The convention was composed of the leading men in the South. They form
 ulated plans and adopted resolutions
 with which most of you, or all of you, are acquainted. You are here today to put into effect what was planned at New Orleans. Let us put Alabama in | the foremost ranks of this great move
 ment.
 The prime determinations of that Southern Convention were to reduce the acreage of cotton 25 per cent and faiI If cent for 1905. Ever since and long be- fore that gathering the necessity for these reductions had been preached far ! and wide. It will necessitate a diver | sity of crops and would mean the emancipation of the farmers of the country. We are wisely told to raise thIa year not is 100000 bales of cotton
 but 11.0oO,0OO bales. If you raise an-
 other 13.O00.0O0 bales it will place the South in certain bankruptcy, sending cotton down to or 4 cents. We will
 be able to command 10 cents per pound l for our cotton if we follow the plans
 laid down by the leaders at New Or leans.
 Tt is a plain business proposition. gentlemen. As business men you cam not fail to see the wisdom of the plan
 before us. This is not to be a speech | making gathering We are here to act ana now, as memDer, or the Con-
 vention, declare the body duly assem-
 bled and ready for proceeding. Commissioner PColes speech was vigorously applauded. Following a resolution of 1T. Y Brooke of Luverne, all visitors who are
 not accredited delegates but who were interested in the objects of the conven-
 tion were seated. Mr. Ward, Temporary Chairman. Nominated by Commissioner Poole Hon. John B. Ward of Henry County.
 was unanimously elected as temporary Chairman. He was called to the chair and was introduced by the Commis- l sioner of Agriculture. MT. Ward was introduced as a leader most suitably equipped to perform the offices of the chair. He was a member of the Legis- lature and has gracefully presided over
 the House of Representatives as Speak, CT pro tempore.
 | Chairman Ward in accepting the | chair spoke as follows: T am. indeed, grateful for the kind l introduction of the Commissioner of | Agriculture. I shall not attempt to
 make a speech on this occasion, but I do desire to impress upon you, broth
 CT farmers. the importance of this meeting. It has been my honor on l several occasions to stand here and | preside over the House of Representa-
 tives. I was also honored to be the