Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1907-02-01
THE FARMER CORPORATIONS.

We reproduce here clipping from the
New York World on the Cotton Growers
Union Of the South, the purpose of which is
90 similar TO that of the Tobacco Growers AS.
ISOLATION OF Maryland and other States that
it readily illustrates he ggeod TO be accom-
plished by the periecting Of the latter. This
country has grown 30 eminently corpora
ton nation that the farmers, in sell.defence,
are compelled TO get in the swim If they in
tend 10 keep afloat. Their combinations are
no longer q matter of speculation, 1t has be-
come possibility and farmers of every class
are now perfecting plans for combination,
they organizing for the protection of their
industries as other great capitalists have
done and in this and this only lies their
salvation. The idea of what Is TO be thus
gained is well set forth in the article above
referred to and it is as follows:
The Farmers Union Of Texas, in con-
junction with the unions in other cotton
producing States of the Union, is preparing
to control the cotton market Of the country.
This involves cutting out Of the middle man,
or Spectator, altogether, and the dealing Of
the producer direct with the manufacturer,
and all this is to be accomplished through
the warehouse system.
A string Of warehouses has already been
stretched across the State, embracing every
incorporated city and many OF the smaller
towns. BY this means the cotton of Texas
farmers may be tied up, or removed from
the MARKET until the prices come within
the figures that have been fixed by the
union as those at which they are willing 10
let their product sell.
The head of this system, which is being
rapidly extended, is in Houston, and E. A.
Calvin, of the Texas State Union, is the
president. The Houston warehouse is equip
ped to take care OF about 10000 bales Of
cotton, and is carrying at present an aver
age Of about 1000 bales. Several times dur
ing the present season the market has touch.
ed the figure demanded,by the union, and
from all the union warehouses of the State
big consignments have been turned loose on
the market.
Once, about two months ago. the price of
cotton on the market reached III cents, and
the Houston warehouse alone promptly
turned loose 1000 bales that had been stored
waiting for just such an opportunity.
The price now being demanded by the
union is II cents. The head of the ware
house system arranged In advance for the
farmers to get all the money they needed on
their stored cotton, bankers agreeing TO
furnish all funds necessary, and it has been
found from the experience Of the past sea-
son that the new plan works like q charm.
There are more than 100000 members of
the Farmers' Union In Texas, and tits pretty
safe proposition to assert that 90 per cent Of
the Texas membership is composed of cot
ton growers, and these men have produced
the past season about one-third OF the total
cotton crop OF the United States.
The effort to have fraud order issued by
i, the Postal Department against the New
York Cotton Exchange is but an incident
of the fight the farmers are making against
the Spectator, and this is to be followed up
by movement for State and National legis.
lation against gambling in cotton futures.
The resignation of Theodore p. Shonts
as chairman Of the Isthmian Canal Commits.
sion was received by the President last Fri.
day, and that night 1t was announced at the
White House that II had been accepted.
The resignation is to take effect March 4th
next.
simultaneously with the announcement
that Mr.. Shonts had severed bis connection
with the great canal project, 1t was given
out in New York that he had been elected
president Of the marlborough. Metropolitan
Company, owned by the Ryan Belmont
combination, which controls the rapid tran
sit lines and many Of the surface lines Of
New York City. In his new position he
will have control Of the contemplated build
Ing of new subways.
The determination of Chairman Shonts
TO retire from the commission was reached
after the conference with the President, and
the rendering of his resignation was with
the full knowledge and approval OF the
Chief Executive.
In an interview nuhliahed in Sundavis