The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1906-09-16
SEYMOUR ISSUES ADDRESS !
TO FARMERS OF ALABAMA
President of Cotton Association Stresses Impor
lance Of Organization and Calls Meeting
in Montgomery September Is.

The policy and principles of the
Southern Cotton Association have TAX
en- deep root in the minds of those who
have studied them. The cause is a
Just one. 1t will win. These declara-
tions are made by w. II Seymour
president of the Alabama Division OF
the Southern Cotton Association, in an
address issued yesterday to the peo-
pie of Alabama
Mr.. Seymour believes II Is only q
question of time when victory will be
complete, and II Is his opinion that
nothing short of victory will quiet the
minds that have been brought to APP
preciate the opportunity.
Seymour's Address.
Following is the address issued by
Mr.. Seymour yesterday:
Headquarters Alabama Division,
southern Cotton Association.
Montgomery. Ala, Sept. Is, 1906
"To the People OF Alabama:
"At the recent meeting of the CEN
tral committee of the Southern Cotton
Association at Hot Springs. Ark, or
September 6-sth. the minimum price
for cotton was fixed at ten cents. This
price was named, not because the COM
mittee believed that 1t represented the
value of cotton. but because of its be-
ing the lowest price that would yield
the producer the smallest return that
he should be willing to accept for his
labor and the lowest price that the
South could afford to allow her sta
pie to be sold and be true to her best
interests.
The price above ten cents at which
the producer, who is able to do so,
should hold his cotton is one to be de-
termined. by himself. and the only
way in which he can intelligently de-
termine 1t is by the consideration OF
the conditions that now obtain as
compared with those of former years.
According to Hester's report. the
consumption of American cotton for
the year ending August 81, 1906, was
1876, 900 bales, of which 11.346,00O
bales was the entire crop produced
during last year. and the balance s40,-
900 bales, was cotton that had been
carried over from the previous year.
The price of cotton fuctuated during
the year from IL is cents New Or
j leans market). the price paid on De-
cember 7th. to 5-16 cents, the price
on August goth; the average price
being about eleven cents.
at is known that the demand for
cotton goods during the year was so
great as to enable mill men to sell
many of their products on fourteen
cent basis, which means that III the
cotton from which the goods were
made had cost the spinners fourteen
cents they still would >have been able
to have made a good manufacture. s
profit. There is little doubt that mill
men last year could have paid an av-
erage price of twelve and a half cents,
instead of eleven cents as was PAID
and still have made good pront'
Attention Is not called to the above
in a spirit of jealousy or envy, or Tor
the purpose of provoking hostiiity
against the mills. 1t is realized that
thew must prosper If we prosper ana
~ It were In our power to do so. 1t
would be poor business policy Tor us
as individuals or as an association 10
Heprive them of their just profits Iney
are entitled to good pront, ana IL
Is to the interest of the producer that
thew should make 1t, but IL Is rlulcu
ious that he should sell his cotton at
ten cents per pound when cohol'io1s
sell their products on much hlgher
basis. sorthern
ro+ton Association would adjust THIS
ss n would enable the producer to as
certain the value of his cotton and IN
sure to him a price commensurate with
lie value. AS 1t IS now, the people
other civilized countries, have a
higher appreciation of the value or
cotton than the people who grow 1t and
whose happiness and prosperity are so
dependent upon the price 1t brings.
Present Conditions.
ct has been attempted above 20 show
the conditions that prevailed last year
with respect TO crop, consumption,
price and demand for cotton goods. 1t
is now in order to consider the condi-
lions that now obtain, and the follow
ing recent statement from Latham.