The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-01-13
GROWERS DEMAND
 FIFTEEN CENTS
Continued from First Paee.)


 ton to stand by the proposition that the southern farmers will hold their cotton for 10 cents. Further, he said, it was decided to ask the committee on acreage to join it in a recommendation for 10 per cent reduction in acreage in the form of diver sihcation, and 10 per cent reduction of fertilizers in the older states.
 The enthusiasm with which the an- nouncement was received left little doubt of the sentiment of the convention
 Chairman Walker of Sparta, who pre- sided over the meeting of the bankers today, then announced that the bankers had enthusiastically adopted the following resolutions:
 "rhe southern bankers in convention congratulate the Southern Cotton associa- tlon on the success which it has already attained in it's efforts to maintain a fair and equitable price for the south's staple crop and recognizing that the interests of the farmers. bankers and business men of the south are inseparable, therefore, be it
 Resolved, first, that we, the representa- tives of southern banks hereby renew our pledge of moral and financial support to the Southern Cotton association. in their efforts to carry out this purpose; and second. we urge the importance of bet ter and more complete system of ware housing and caring for cotton"
 . arding Is Introduced.
 President w. P. c. Harding of the First National Bank of Birmingham, was intro- duced and spoke on "rhe Farmer, Ban ker and Warehouseman.' MT. Harding said:
 MT. President, and Gentlemen of the
 Southern Cotton associations
 Tt is indeed an honor to be invited to address this distinguished body, repre- sentlng as it does the best clements of American citizenship-the farmers mer- chants, manufacturers and bankers of the south.
 "The farmer is named first for the req son that he occupies the highest place in the creation of our national wealth. He Is the keystone in the arch of progress, and upon his prosperity depends that of all other classes, who can only de- velop what he produces. He also is the worlds greatest consumer, and upon his ability to purchase, depends, when it comes to a final analysis, the quantity of the output of the mills, the earnings of the railroads, and the volume of bus mess of the merchants and the banks. This purchasing power is dependent en- tirely upon the balance of money remain ing in his hands each year after his crops are marketed and his obligations satis- fled.
 Endowed With Magnificent Heritage.
 "The southern states have been endow- ed by nature with a magnificent heritage in climate and soil, and have been given a practical monopoly in the production of cotton-the king of all commodities. In a recent issue the Manufacturer s Record says edltorially; What it means for the south to hold a practical monop- oly of the worlds cotton production is not generally appreciated nor the poten- tiality of this fully grasped Destroy corn, and you could find substitute; destroy wheat, and other grains would furnish bread for man.A4nd; but cut short the south's cotton crop by one-half, and the financial and commercial world would stagger; destroy cotton, and civilization would be halted. Earth has no substitute for cotton Cotton, the souths crown Of glory, is the basis of the greatest in- dustry in the world it Is the one staple which enters into every civilized life; 1t is needed in the palace of the King as well as in the humblest hut of the peas ant; it is the glistening sail alike of the royal yacht and the ship of commerce; 1t is as essential in the hospital, where it makes possible the surgery of the day as 1t is on the tented battle field; 1t Is the basis of the greatest manufacturing industry in the world, employing more than $2O0O, ,OoOO0O of capital and annually producing of manufactured goods an equal amount or more than iron and steel; it is the dominant power in commerce; 1t brings to the south from Europe an average of over $l,0O0,OOO day for every day in the year. It follows, then, that the welfare of this important and rap idly developing section of the United States depends upon the ability of the producers of this great staple to sell their