Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1907-06-01

drlners Union TO hold a school thi,
summer for the purpose of educating
all who desire it, along the lines of the
proper grading of cotton, the following
from an exchange is offered to show
something OF the necessity for such a
work.
The Farmers Union has a member.
ship of 10000 in Mississippi, S0,750 in
Arkansas and $1,000 in Tennessee. now
has State organizations in every cotton
State, where they have a thousand
warehouses for the purpose Of storing
cotton until the market will Justify the
minimum fixed annually by the Ma.
tional Union. In view of the fact that
the farmers who produce the staple are
absolutely unacquainted with The diff.
ferent grades and are yet at the mercy
OF the cotton buyers, the great neces-
sity OF the cotton grading school in
various sections of the South is appar-
ent. Last year was the first time that
a school of this character was ever at
tempted, which was taught at Dallas,
Texas. In that State the membership
of the Farmers Union Is over 500, 900.
They are now prepared to keep off the
fall market over million bales by the
system Of Farmers Union warehouses,
and the cotton graded by producers
who have been trained in the Farmers
Union cotton grading schools. In dis
cussing the question, Mr.. Higgs stated
to a reporter that there would probably
be over 100 farmers attending the Tri-
State Farmers Union Cotton Grading
School in Memphis which opens about
July l, and that the tuition and ex-
penses would be about $50 per pupil.
Headquarters for study, sampling and
grading has been arranged by Mr..
Montgomery, who has the matter In
charge"
Under the old system of handling cot
ton and allowing outside parties to de-
termine the price, the cry,of over-pro-
duction was worked at will to the detri-
ment OF the planter For instance, the
crop of 1904 was little more than nine
and half million bales and brought,
exclusive of seed, s6l7, 50l ,54S. The next
! year, although there was great decrease
In the cotton on hand and available
i for use at the beginning OF the picking
season, the price was hammered by a
crop Of thirteen and half million
bales to receipts of S628, 1874 1859. The
less than ten million crop of the year
before brought practically as much as
the big crop of 1905. The following
year, 1906, produced a crop of nearly
eleven million bales that brought S64l, :
720,435. The stock on hand for the
year closing May |, 1906, and on which
the price is predicated for the year
closing May |, 1907, as we'll as the indi-
cations for yield, was hardly larger
than for the beginning of the year with
the bumper yield, but we do know that
the price suffered thereby. 1t is up to
the farmers to arrange warehouses for
their cotton so that the price cannot be
made to suit the fellows who have for
80 long profted at the expense OF the
producer.
The Mississippi Fair Association
was organized at the Office of the Com
missioner of Agriculture and Com
4 merce in Jackson on the 20th, repre-
sentatives of majority of the fairs of
the State being present The object of
the organization is to bring the secre-
taries OF the fairs together at least
once year, discuss ways and means of
making the fairs better, securing cred
table exhibits, advertising the events,
fixing dates to prevent conflict, etc.
After formation of temporary organ
ization and thorough discussion of
the matter permanent organization
was effected under the name as indi-
cnted above. H. E. Blakeslee was
elected president and d. Wollerstein of
lsfazoo City secretary, the secretaries
Epf the various county fairs joining the
body being ice-presidents, said vice.
presidents, together with the president
md secretary, to be the governing
Board. 1t is to be hoped that every
cOunty fair will come into the organiza-
ton. There is no more active force for
the Improvement of agricultural, hor-
tionltural and stock-raising conditions
inthe State than fairs, and every coun-
gty should hold an annual event of some
character.
superintendent Smith of Holmes is
pNhing the corn clubs organized in his
sponnty some time since. The list of
premiums published last week in the
local papers is evidence of his good
york as we'll as the liberality Of the
bueiness men OF the county. This corn
club idea is one that deserves the sup
pert of every one interested in the
lAtnre welfare OF Mississippi, and
aQlmes is naturally looked to as the
ls7der OF the movement.
lzauderdale is still pushing the prop
9leton to improve the public roads,
eQd the good citizens are showing q
xQnmendable interest in the PROPOSE
tioA The mass meetings recently held
hKxe been largely attended by people
1rum every section of the county and
Ae plans adopted are being worked
out before attempting to put them into
op4ration. Lauderdale is not alone in
tn&sneed Of better roads, and the inter-
shown everywhere will cause the
experiment in that county to be watch
\ "a With interest.
1Azoo county has gone into the fair
profosition in the right way, and will
eursly meet with success. A canvass OF
th4 entire county was made and the aid
z4lIQ co-operation Of good citizens in
4X@sy beat secured. Ground has been
6cHEht, buildings arranged for and the |
a1ncement made that Yazoo will |
&{r at. L 4 /