Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-01-12
COTTON GROWERS
Of South in Convention
at New Orleans.
Pres. Jordan Talks Of Il and
Even IS Cent Cotton.
Others Discuss Value Of Negro Labor and
The Need Of Other.

New Orleans, Jan. 11.-With large
attendance from the cotton growing
states, the Southern Cotton Growers
Association, which was organized Il
year ago, opened a three days session
here today.
Important matters are to come be-
fore the convention. There VIII be Il
PROPOSITION to hold the balance of this
years crop until cotton goes to u cents.
A decision as to acreage for the year IS
To lie made. Congress will be urged 10
provide for Il commission to visit the
cotton markets of the world to ind
new fields for the surplus product. The
question of permanent headquarters
for the association is to be discussed.
Officers will be chosen and President
Harvie Jordan of Georgia will be 4
candidate for reelection.
The hall was crowded when Presi-
dent Jordan called the convention to
order. A feature was the presence OF
a negro delegation from Kinds county,
Miss. President Jordan was given an
ovation when he assembled the platform
Ex-Iresident John NJ. Parker of the
New Orleans Cotton Exchange, deiiV-
cred an address of welcome. in which
he counscllcd the farmer to not kill
the golden goose by putting up prices
so high that we will soon have active
Conluetition from other countries.
President Jordan then delivered his
address on 1.-The Southern Farmers.
Pre- sidcnt Jordan began with congrat-
ulations 10 the association on its rec
ord during the first year of its exist
ence. He referred to the crop report
scandals in the department of agricul-
ture and then discussed the reasons
for the demand made by the association
IL cents for cotton.
1T has been ascertained by investi-
CATION" he said, "and has not yet been
denied, that at the prevailing prices OF
manufactured products this season.
sIinners could easily have paid II cents
for the entire crop to the growers and
declared good dividends on their invest
ments. On this basis, crop Of 10O00,-
600 bales should have brought the pro-
ducers 5000. 100000. If we demand and
receive Is cents for the balance of the
unSold portion of the crop, basis mid
ding at interior points. we still will be
unable to average the whole crop at
II cents a pound, due to the unwar-
ranted low prices at which more than
one-half the crop has been Sold The
proposition to hold the balance of the
crop at a maximum figure of 10 cents
is therefore. based upon conservative
reasoning and is justified by ali con-
ditions surrounding the present l1giti-
mate laws OF demand and supply"
The speaker then referred to the Cnor-
Mi IF American
and added:
1.-THE area planted in cotton each year
must be confined within such bounds as
will bring production of the staple within
the limits of legitimate consumption.
1.-THE proper solution Of marketing our
cotton crop lies in moving the crop slow
~ so as tc regulate the supply to meet
the legitimate demands of the spinners.
To do this, adequate storage facilities
must be provided. With standard built
warehouses and the issuance of receipts,
guaranteeing grades and weights and I'M
derwritten so as to make such receipts
absolutely safe collateral. cheap money
can be secured at any financial centers
a., whenever needed. The receipts can be
sold direct to the buyers or spinners and
the present primitive and costly system
to the growers entirely obviated.'
Concluding his address, President Jor-
dan urged the wisdom and necessity for
compact organization among the growers
IN every cotton producing country in the
South
At the afternoon session TT. S. Scott Of
Mississippi declared the conclusion could
not be avoided that the negro laborer in
the South had finally become a general
woeful failure. 1t would not be many
years, he thought, when the negro in the
South would become a thing of the past.
Mr.. Scott gave the results Of three
months study in Europe last year in an
effort to find a solution for the labor sit
uation in his own state. TIe gave reasons