East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1906-01-11

New orleans, Jan. 11.-Figuratively
speaking, the eyes of the entire cotton
growing south are upon the Washing
ton Artillery building in this city,
where the second annual convention
OF the Southern Cotton association
will open its three days convention
this afternoon.
For weeks the subject of the con-
Vention has been before the people
of the cotton states; first, when the
parish and township delegates were
elected, then, when the county dele
gates were chosen and finally, when
the delegates to the various state con-
yentions were selected. At the state
conventions the members of the ex-
ecutive committee of the orga aniza ton
were chosen, to represent their states
at the national convention which opens
here today.
At the big meeting about one year
ago. when the organization was
launched, about 5000 cotton growers,
farmers, bankers and other represen-
1ative citizens of the cotton growing
states were present. 1t is expected
that fully 5000 delegates will attend
the meeting. which opens in the large
auditorium of the Washington Artil-
lery building today
The first informal meeting of the
convention was held this morning.
The convention was called to order by
President Harvie Jordan at 10 o'clock.
After prayer by one of the local minis
ters, the Hon. John Parker delivered
an address of welcome on behalf of
-'The Progressive Union and the city
Of New Orleans" Mr.. w. L. Foster,
of Shreveport, La, responded. Then
President Harvis Jordan delivered an
address on THE Southern Farmer"
which was afterwards informally dis
cussed. f. A. Calvin, president of the
Farmers Educational and Co-opera-
tive Union, followed with an address
on Corporation of Farmers" which
was also briefly discussed. After the
appointment of committees the con-
vention adjourned until afternoon,
when the first business session will
be held.
In the afternoon session Hon. Chas.
Scott, of Rosedale, Mo-, will speak on
Foreign Labor i'm the Cotton Fields;
Hon. y. A. Tompkins, of Charlotte. n.
g, on Value of Manufactured Cotton
Compared to the Raw Product" and
John d. Walker, president Of the First
National Bank, Sparta, Ga, on CLOSER
Relations Between Bankers and Farm
ers.' There will be an evening ses-
1t urh ~
iiyered by Hon. ]. A. Brown, of Chad
bourne, y. c.; Walter Clark. president
of the Mississippi Division of the
Southern Cotton association, and Hon.
II. VI. Jacoby. Of Dardanelle, Ark.
The discussion will cover the i'm
portance of holding the balance of the
Gusold crop for Is cents, so as to bring
the average Of prices for the season
as near y cents as possible; extending
the organization of the Southern Cot
Ton association; the Importance Of
speedily bringing about direct trade
relations between the spinners of the
world and the cotton producers; the
imperative need of securing facilities
for handling the crop south by the
erection of standard built warehouses
whore cOnton may be weighed and
classified by expert managers and the
receipts underwritten so as to make
them negotiable in any financial CEN
ter or where they can be bought by
exporter or spinner and rendered for
delivery Of cotton at such time as it
may be needed for consumption. In
this way it would be possible to mar
ket the crop slowly and to regulate the
supply so as to meet the legitimate
demand Of the spinners. This plan
would tend to limit the range Of spec
ulation, avoiding the present wide
fluctuations that are injurious both to
the producer and spinner and place
the future handling Of cotton on a
sound and conservative basis.
Another suggestion which will be
considered is 70 secure from congress
an appropriation for the immediate
purpose Of sending out properly Sc
lected commissioners to foreign coun-
tries in the interest of extending to
such foreign countries the use of
American cotton and cotton goods