Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1907-08-20

committee OF the southern COtlOn dS-
sociation will meet at Jackson, Miss,
to canvass the situation and fix the
price for which this organization will
| stand for the present cotton crop. l
have issued a call for a meeting Of all
of the county presidents in Columbia
on August 30th, to get the opinion OF
the South Carolina division as to what
price, in their judgment, will be prop
er. 1t Is needless to say that the out
look for remunerative prices Is bright.
However, ii makes no difference, how
| fiattering the statistical position OF
cotton may be to producer, 1t will avail
| little IL he individually and collective
Ily does not cooperate with conditions
to obtain the best results promised by
| favorable conditions. II there Is not an
,agreement amongst the men interested
in high priced cotton as to what price
they will stand for; IL there are not
means devised by which this agreement
can be carried into effect, then condi-
tions will avail little. The critical
time, as l have constantly urged, for
determining the price Of cotton, Is to
refuse to market 1t, under any circum-
stances, in September, October and
November, unless the price Is that as
fixed by the association. These are the
months when the greatest necessity is
placed upon the producer by virtue OF
his obligations, and these are months
wherein the buyer and spinner get In a
sufficient supply to control the market
for a period Of from three to four
months subsequent. Therefore, the
work Of the association, in order to
benefit themselves and to benefit those
who stand most in need Of it, is by all
Legitimate means to prevent the rush
of the cotton on the market at other
than our price in these debt-paying
months.
"The condition Of the organization
throughout the south was never so
fiattering as now; business men,
including both the farmers and
others, are coming to full ap-
probation of the work being done by
the association and the benefit that has
been and Is being derived from 1t. The
world at large has recognized and Is
acknowledging the power Of the South
ern Cotton association, as evidenced by
the very f1attering reception given the
delegates at the great conference held
in Vienna, Austria, last May. Surely
those who have not given their sup
port to this organization, after the
three years Of our work and the unde-
niable success Of 1t, will now co-ope-
rate In maintaining an organization
which has been instrumental in bring
ing about condition In the south that
has been of benefit to every man,
woman and child, regardless OF their
occupation in life. The Southern Cot
ton association, recognizing that the
cotton Is the currency Of the south and
that the volume of that currency de-
pends upon the price and the price de-
pends upon the intelligent action OF the
southern people, has made its platform
| n
ern man, and every southern man
should be included.
81 have covered the larger part OF
the cotton belt since the growing sea
SOP; and, in my judgment, the outlook
Is not 1attering for large yield: the
demand is certainly for a large yield
The dry goods trade and the manufac-
Iturer Of cotton goods, appreciating the
fact that the demand for cotton pro-
ducts Is increasing faster than the
supply, and also that there Is being
some intelligence used in the sale OF
the crop, have raised the price OF man
ufactured articles to that point that
justifies them in giving a much higher
price for the raw material, and still
save to them a fine dividend. l am
creditably informed that within the
last Few years all bleached goods,
prints and the finer manufactured ar
ticles have advanced at a rate far IN
excess Of the advance in the price OF
cotton.
Recent advices from Texas, Arkan-
sas, Mississippi, Louisiana and Ala
Ibama are to the effect that the crop In
these states Is far below the condition
existing at this date last year. and that
from now on may repair it. Last year
the reverse was the case; the states
east of the Mississippi had poor
prospect, while the western states had
lcomparatively fine one. Information is
being received by me to the erect that
these western states are determined
to stand for higher price because the
cost Of making this crop has been
very heavy and the yield will be llght,
and unless a fair price Is obtained the
obligations incurred cannot be met; SO
we nave the promise this year, by a
necessity of circumstances. that Texas
will not sell her cotton so fast.
81 hope this year will be one In
which those who have disregarded the
principles involved in our struggle for
naming and maintaining a price Tor
cotton and have sold ahead for future
delivery around 10 cents per pound,
will be taught such a practical lesson
that hereafter we will be rid OF this
one element Of opposition to our WORK
In the south. I am fully aware OF the
temptation that any cotton planter
feels to sell his cotton when the price
offered seems to promise him some
thing Of a profit; and 1 am also aware
of the necessity for manhood sufficient
to withstand this temptation and to
make the fight with all parties inter-
ested in the price Of cotton.
II have visited twenty-one counties
during the months Of July and Au-
gust, and in practically every county
there was manifested a spirit OF deter
mination and enthusiasm which was
Extremely gratifying, and reports since
our meeting are coming into this Of
flee indicating renewed interest and a
greater determination to make the as
ISOLATION a practical, perpetual busi-
mess organization. / hope before the
year Is over to visit every county In
the state as the work Is one that has
to be continued so long as the south
produces and sells raw cotton. l hope
every county in the state Will not wait
for a visit from the officers Of the CEN
tral office, but will at once inaugurate
an active campaign for increased
membership and the providing Of ia
cilities for storing and financing the
crop Of their counties.
"I am asking the presidents Of each
county to have the members OF the
Southern Cotton association sign the
following agreement and to furnish
this office a list Of all the members In
their counties so signing. 1t Is SIM
pie agreement, and one that every man
in the south can sign. and Is an cpl
tome Of the constitution Of the asso-
citation:
1--WE, the undersigned. as members
Of the Southern Cotton association,
holding certificates of membership,
with dues paid for the current year
--. hereby pledge ourselves to
maintain by mutual cooperation and
personal effort for the minimum price
as fixed by the association: to use all
legitimate means to keep all cotton
possible from the market when the
price offered Is below that fixed by the
association: to cooperate when possi-
BILE and necessary. in building ware
houses and forming building compa-
nies: to use all possible means in &C
cord with business principles In help
ing each other as members in protect
ing ourselves in insurance, storage and
| Rpopnipp O,,r cotton