The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-05-21
WON.
Should Farmers Control
and Regulate the Price
of Cotton.

The annual debate of the Tenerian
Literary Society of the A. & M. Col
lege was held last night in Pullen
Auditorium. The query was: Re
solved, That farmers should maintain
an Organization to regulate and con
troll the price of cotton. me de-
baters were: Affirmative, Joe p. Bly,
ems and Charles F. Niyen; negative, H.
Lester Hamilton and r. Henry Till-
man. The judges were: Mr.. r. N.
Simms. Prof. Massey, and Mr.. Bowen
President Lafayette Koonce presided.
The debaters were exceptionally
we'll prepared and not one exhibited
temerity or faltered in his discourse,
and they spoke with a definiteness, di-
rectness and enthusiasm that showed
them to be possessed of the qualities
that can make of them able speak
ers and orators.
The judges We're in retirement
quarter of an hour before the decis-
ion was reached and they experienced
great difficulty in determining who
were the successful participants. They
finally agreed that the award for bet
ter logical and consistent argument
should belong to the affirmative and
the medal was hardly Won by Mr.. Till
man.
Mr.. Bvens. first speaker for the af
7rmative, said that the only enemy to
the organization of cotton growers wal
Wall street, and cotton gamblers
should not be permitted to regulate
the prices of cotton The possibility
of one years prices being cents and
next years 16 cents The truckers of
North Carolina organized and the re-
suit was their salvation. The truck
ers now regulate prices and the COM
mission merchants fees are eliminat-
ed. ALI good and no evil comes from
organization, he said. He urged that
by organization alone could there be
a reduction Of crops.
Mr.. Niven, first speaker for the neg
alive, said that there is no plant, aside
from wheat and corn, of SO much use
to man as cotton. In the South II Is
the life blood of commerce. The far
mers he said, depend upon the sue
cess of the Southern Cotton AsSocia
ton and it fixes the area to be planted
i'm cotton. The acreage has already
been reduced, but it does not plan
higher price, and if the curtailment is
continued, France, Germany ana Eng
land will excite competition with
American cotton by increasing the
growth of the production of the staple
in South Africa, India and Egypt and
the result would inevitably mean low
prices If the warehouse principle is
adopted the insurance shrinkage ana
rents will cost so vastly that the cot
ton combine would force, in the end
TO farmers. lower prices than now pre-
vail. What meat is to the stomach,
cotton is to the back. 1T is a neces>
sity and its production should be re-
stricted Organization of growers is
not the proper solution of the ques-
ton, but the widening the markets,
and when these have been extended
the problem viii be solved by wise,
economic principle and not by the ar
tificial one of restricting the produc-
ton.
At the conclusion of his speech Mr..
Niven was presented with DeautlIul
bouquet of red roses.
Nj. Hamilton, concluding for the
negative, declared that every other in
dustry had been organized, and the
time had come when it was necessary
that the cotton growers for their pro
lection to organize. There is now n
cotton crises and a united and deter
mined effort by the growers must be
made, or they will be ruined. If these
conditions continue next year, instead
of six cents. the price will be five.
The farmers have the power of their
solution i'm their own hands, and when
they come together in one strong or
ganization they can accomplish their
desire. a safe and sure future. This
movement is not only necessary to the
Southern farmer, but to the whole
world. If fair prices had been given
for cotton this agitation would not eX-
ist. Eighty-two per cent. of the
Southern citizens are farmers, and UNI
less they are protected and they must
protect themselves, the South Will be
irreparahly ruined. With justice given
them farm life will be made more
comfortable, the homes of farmers
made more beautiful, and their farm
ing industry mare more prohtaple'.
which will insure the prosperity of the
South. Organization is the only means
to accomplish these ends. In 1t the
best methods of farming will become
to be generally discussed and the
Southern schools will be made more
efficient and the children of farmers
will then attend them. Under the
present system the young ones must
dig their living out of the SOIL TO the
detriment of their minds The time
has come when the South must decide
whether it will be willing slaves or q
healthy, wealthy people, ana It's most
valuable agricultural products-cot-
ton-peculiar to its soil alone, must
be saved to the South. There is no
other country that can grow II 50
well and so protitably, but its growers
must not be allowed to starve IN pro-
ducing it. Religion, manufacturing
and commerce, are dependent upon
| organization, and the farmers must
unite if they shall continue to live on
| agriculture
Mr.. Tillman was the last speaker
He said it is not advisable for farmers
| to organize, as it is not question or
expediency only, and the farmers ~
their enthusiasm and zeal, having alb
| solute control of the prices OF cotton,
might adopt measures that would de-
stroy them and their interests, ana
win the South It would be an abso,
lutte monopoly, contrary TO law. me
farmers of the South are not IN a con-
dition to carry an organization to sue
cess. They are wasteful TO an eXorpi-
/ tant degree. and this is evident in the
foolish use and consumption of ferti-
lizers There is no protection OF the
people if this organization should car