Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-05-02

manufactures would be only too Biad 70
deal direct. as had been suggested.
MIR. w. 8. Miller OF Texas. g representa-
tive OF the Farmers Educational Union,
spoke at length and extended hearty IN
south and observe how the cotton was
grown and handled
Speaking for Texas and think for all
the rest ct the south. he SAID. Il can sea.
car fare to come and see US and stay as
long as you like. II won't cost you any
thing to stop. and II won't cost you any
thing to go out into the country and see
the crop handled. You may be able to ten
US some simple things about the way you
want the cotton handled and packed that
trouble. We are going TO grade and ware
house this cotton and we are going 10
hold 1t for q proper market We VIII tag
each bale that goes out OF s the wareno snS
handled II, and than IL there La any trouble
about the condition In which IT arrives 81
the mill you can send Il back and we VIII
place the responsibility where 1t belongs
we want to give you cotton at q fair price,
but must say that the price AT which we
sell our cotton never seems to have any
taller for the goods that come back to the
store. Cotton may be 10 cents or may
be 10. but it never makes enough differ
ence for US to notice when u gets INTO tne
shirt we have to put on our BACKS
Back Grade with Guarantees.
Mr. E D. Smith OF South Carolina mem
toned that in the south they were willing
to establish chains Of warehouses In each
state and back the grade Of cotton with
tae guarantee OF the whole association when
they were filling orders. He was in favor
OF sending the agent Of the association to
England and to the other spinning mar
kets OF the world and dealing directly with
the consumer In that way.
Mr. Mccall said that as a spinner he was
saf ha Ia MS
forward for the better Handling ana mar
keting of the crop. but he did not see shat
the plans as already outlined Wouia ennIi-
nate speculation. He asked II there was
G shortage would the cotton growers oe
willing to deliver cotton at the lower prices
that might previously have been hxeds
Several growers insisted tnat they woutn
1--we I'D to their contracts and Mr. Mccall
said he mad no doubt OF that, but wanted
to know what would be done after the con-
tracts expired. He thought, though, tnat
as IN all probability the period OF the COR
truefs would be about year 1t would be
sufficient to hall speculation In the mean
time --------.
a resolution was offered by J. A Brown
of North Carolina providing for the APP
point,nent of committee to consider the
afvisability of making the organization
Dermane,,t and of naming the next place
Of meeting 1t met with opposition from the
English delegates, but was adopted.
Afternoon Session Yesterday.
The afternoon session yesterday WAS pre-
sided over by Harvie Jordan president OF
the Southern Cotton Association. VINO ao-
dressed the conference on the cotton IN
dustry generally. He gave credit to the
spinners and manufacturers for initiating
the conference and said that in onsidertns
the relations between the growers ano SPIN
ners whatever affected the cotton produc-
ton would react disastrously upon the
spinning industry and vice versa The grow
ers and spinners, he added. hao peen
strangers too long Divided. they have
been the prey of and have had to submit
to the dominating and disastrous effects
of the buying and specutating innuence
Of the world" This unsatisfactory condl-
ton, he declared. would continue SO long
as 1T was permitted.
The south, he said. was rapidly waking
I'D to the realization that at present, and
indeed for all time 1t controlled ana can
continue to control the practical monopoly
of the worlds cotton production. with
only one-tenth Of its cotton area under
cultivation, he argued, the southern people
can under an Intelligent ntensihea sysl en-
of culture annually produce 3oo.ooo, eoo
bales OF cotton should the worlds require
meTts demand that amount, and, he IN
sisted this could be held successfully
against competition Of other countries, ow-
ing to the peculiar climatic conditions OF
the south influenced by the waters OF the
Gulf of Mexico. He emphasized the fact,
however that there was no disposition to
abuse lQiS monopoly oI uti tSHtCouSiy edhS
advantage of so splendid an endowment.
But he asserted that the cotton growers
Of the south would henceforth insist upon
and enforce the payment OF a fair and
profitable price for cotton
1.-The day of producing cheap raw cotton,
he declared, "at from to cents per
pound Is passed"
II, he said, through the cooperation Of
the growers and the spinners the future
prices of cotton can be maintained on
stable basis, showing fair profit to the
growers and manufacturers as well, the
south was prepared to guarantee the pro-
duction of a sufficient quantity of Ameri-
can cotton to amply supply every demand
from every source.
Question Of Labor.
Taking UP the question OF labor. he said
that that heretofore employed In the south
was fast moving away to industrial centers
where higher wages were offered and paid
but he maintained that no foreign labor
could be brought here which would work
even as cheaply as the negro farm laborer
Hence" he said, 1.-THE price of cotton must
be maintained at a figure that Will permit
its growers to compete in the employment
of labor, or the industry must go back
ward instead Of forward" Any combined
effort to force down prices of raw cotton
to the present cost or below the cost OF
production will result in serious conse-
uuences that will react with telling effect
upon the future cotton trade OF, the world
Paper contracts and chalk markets. he de-
clared, must not be the future guide to
prices He believed that there could be
effective cooperation with the spinners and
manufacturers.
Specializing in cotton futures he regarded
as the greatest leading evil OF modern
times ut oyerrides." he said, the VIII
of the manufacturers and subJugates the
growers to a condition of helpless seryltnoe
well nigh bordering upon slavery" He
pleaded for active concert between the
growers and spinners and all line of leglti-
mate business affected until the exchanges
where cotton is handled are placed on a
safe legitimate basis. Speculation should
be restricted and mininized, he contended
and he said it was the duty OF the federal
and state governments to enact sueh iesis-
Ia ion as would give the needed reforms.
The balance of the session was taken up
with a discussion regarding the necessity
for standard square bales ana FOR more
carefiIl ginning.