The commonwealth., 1906-09-27
A GREAT RALLY.
Several Hun dr. ed Farmer S
Come Together.
TWO ABLE SPEECHES.
A Good Day For The Southern
Cotton Association.

Southern Cotton Association on Sep
tember 9th planned three great rally
days in the county. The first OF these
rallies was held at Scotland Neck
Thursday, September Goth, and it was
grand success in every way.
From the beginning the merchants
OF the town felt and took lively in
terest in the affair, and through their
association heartily co-operated with
the farmers, and at the hour for speak
ing they closed their stores until the
speaking and dinner were over.
MR.. HoRNE's ADDRESS.
At IL 80 O'Clock the great crowd
had gathered in the DR.. Wood grove
around an ample platform provided for
the speakers. Captain w. T. jenkins,
president of the Halifax county branch
of the Association, called the meeting
to order. He stated in a brief but
pleasing way the object of the meeting
and asked that Rev. J. E. Holden offer
prayer. In appropriate sentences Mr..
Holden offered well-timed invocation,
and Captain Jenkins said that Hon.
Claude Kitchin would introduce the
first speaker of the day. Mr.. Kitchin
In graceful manner and fluent words
introduced Hon. Ashley Horne, OF
Clayton, n. G.
Mr.. Horne received a pleasing greet
ing by the audience OF seven or eight
hundred persons, and in happy style
acknowledged the compliment in be-
| ing invited to address such an inteli-
gent gathering of farmers and busi-
ness men. He said it was his first ap-
pearance on the platform to deliver a
public address but his audience would
not have known 1t had he not said SO,
for be spoke with the ease and grace
OF one accustomed to such work. He
said that he is farmer himself and
expects to remain one. Said he, "Thls
gathering means interest in the South
ern Cotton Association. 1t means bet
ter and greater things"
He reviewed the financial condition
OF the Southern Cotton Association in
North Carolina, and said that it is not
good. The members Of the Associa-
ton have not been altogether loyal.
Mr.. Horne said that there were two
questions he wished to discuss for the
benefit of the farmers; namely, the
levy OF ten cents per bale TOR the sup
port OF the Association, and the regu-
lation of the price o. cotton. He
pleaded for Intelligence on the part OF
farmers-said they must read some
things and should read right things
He reclted statistics to show that it is
reasonable for the farmers to demand
10 cents for cotton this season.
Among other statistics he said that
the visibly supply OF cotton is ZOO
bales less than at this time in 1905
and the worlds supply is a million
bales less than in 1905. He said that
the worlds consumption to Septem Der
1st, was halt million bales more than
the crop of 1905. He showed also by
statistics that the number of cotton
mills has largely increased within a
year, and with other strong statistics
recited, he said in most positive and
emphatic terms, ''Stand by 10 cent
cotton %
The speaker then discussed the OBJ
jects of the Southern Cotton Associa
ton and its great work and declared
that the Association has done more fol
the farmers in two years than Congress
has done for them since the war. In
eloquent tones the speaker declared tc
the farmers, "You have been in bon
dage forty years. Stand by the South
ern Cotton Association and it Will be
the Moses to lead you out of bondag Q
1 believe you will do it,"
Answering the charge that some
make that the Southern Cotton Asso
citation is sort Of trust. the speaker
with good effect, said that it is trns
of the whole people-not a private
trust that crushes the poor, but trus
to build up the whole of the South
Said he, "Stand By this peoples trus
aud stand for 10 cent cotton. Farmer;
ought to assert themselves and thei
manhood. You have been laborine
forty years to make somebody els,
rich"
Mr.. Horne closed his strong address
with an appeal to farmers to raia'
home supplies. "You must do IT,
said he, cor you will belong to th'
merchants and the bankers. How cal
farmers afford to buy and hay corr
from the West7 Make home supple
and let the West go. You own th
lands that are the paradise of th
world"
Mr.. Horne's address was strong ant
logical and forceful throughout and b.
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