Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1906-12-01
Broadening the Market for Cotton
and Cotton Manufactured Goods

The following paper on the subject Of
Broadening the Market for Cotton and
Cotton Manufactured Goods was read
by II. Z. Blakeslee, commissioner of
Agriculture and Commerce for Mississip
pi before the Southern States Associa-
ton OF Commissioners of Agriculture in
the eighth annual meeting at Jack
sonyille, Fla, November goth:
1t is a pleasure indeed for me To meet
with the Southern States Commissioners
Of Agriculture in this their regular an
nual meeting, and esteem it great
privilege to be allowed to speak upon
the important subject Of broadening the
field for the consumption of cotton and
cotton manufactured goods, a subject
that should be ami is Of vital import
ance to the people Of the South Cot
ton is king down here and its import
ance as a money crop of the world en-
titles it to that distinction. Millions of
people have been taught the necessity
for this great staple in clothing the ma
| tions of the earth, and others that could
yoars demand oron of twenty. five
million haIos to srnnlv their wants
Our especial interest lies principally
in the monopoly we enjoy in its pro
ducton. Standard Oil would gladly
cvcbgngo todov its immense oil interests
for tbe cotton mononolv of fine south.
With its incomnorobln nnssibilitics in the
future That tbis state of affairs will
continue to oyist ia a matter about
which there can he no difference Of opin.
ion Tho failure of other countries to
devotion cotton RAISING in the past few
Years Greatly strengthens this conclu-
Sion and tbcro is little iEelihood that
comnotition worthy the name will ever
he dovoloned
win tbosa irc,ntrovnrtiblo facts he
fore rs. II bcbooyes our people to grasp
fhe situotion firmly and in an intelli-
cent manner and profit bv the possibin.
eios tbat liz nj our door 10 handle the
rrononoIv tbo+ i onrs in sucb manner
that the greatest boneGt will be derived
to tho producer A comprehensive and
careful studv of the matter will reveal
Tho fact tbot wo have slept upon our
riuhts and allowed outside parties to
roam benefits from this stapIe crop that
riohtfullv bclonoed to our people. The
imnortan+ item nj manufacture has been
neglected. and the wide difference in
nrce of the raw material and the manu-.
foct,,rod article has been going to New
Fnoland and ENGLAND Statistics re.
confIv made nublic reveal the fact that
q change is taliinu pIacp and that the
South Is beginning to manufacture thi.
crop at home and reap corresponding
share Of the profits So far SO good.
The subject of this paper is one OF
even more importance than that Just
mentioned, the broadening Of the mar
ket for our staple crop, both in the crude
state and the manufactured article lhl,
is matter that has received little Oh
no attention at the hands of those who
should have been more interested, Sub
sides and donations without number
special legislation to foster infant indus
tries of gigantic proportions eXemp
tions and privileges have been granted
other interests until the enumeration
has become tircsome while the cottor
planter has been neglected and only al
lowed to raise as much of the taPle as
he could and become the prey Of specu
lators and other designing parties oi
corporations, He sells his products il
an open market and is forced to buy
whatever goods he needs in protected
= market.
Ill