Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1907-05-30
BIT II. Y. BLAKEsLEE. JACKSON

Farmers Union to hold a school this
summer for the purpose Of e,lucating
all who desire il. 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 member
ship OF $1,000 in Mississippi. sO.75o 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 il appar-
ent. Last year was the first time that
a school of this character was ever at
tempted, which was taught at Dallas,
OF the Farmers Union i over 800 COO
They are now prepared to keep of the
fall market over a 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 reporter that there would probably
he 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 so 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 a little more than nine
and half million bales and brought.
exclusive of seed, s6I1, sol. ..4s. The next
year, although there was a great decrease
in the cotton on hand and available
for use at the beginning OF the picking
season, the price was hammered by a
crop of thirteen and a half million
bales to receipts OF s62s, l9i 1853. The
less than ten million crop of the year
before brought practically as much as
the big crop of 1905. The following
year, 1905. produced a crop OF nearly
eleven million bales that brought s6il,-
20,435. The stock on hand for the
year closing May l, 1906, and on which
the price is predicated for the year
closing May l, 1907, as well 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
so long profited at the expense of the
producer.
The Mississippi Fair Association
was organized at the Office OF the Com
missioner of Agriculture and Com
merce in jackson on the Goth, 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 a thorough discussion OF
the matter permanent organization
was effected under the name as indi-
Gated above. II. E. Blakeslee was
elected president and d. Wollerstein OF
Yazoo City secretary, the secretaries
of the various county fairs joining the
body being vice-presidents, said vice.
presidents, together with the president
and secretary, to be the governing
board. 1t is to be hoped that every
county fair will come into the organiza-
tion. There Is no more active force for
the improvement Of agricultur al, nor
ticultural and stock-raising conditions
in the State than fairs, and every coun-
~ should hold an annual event of some
character.
Superintendent Smith of Holmes is
pushing the corn clubs organized in his
county some time since. The list OF
premiums published last week in the
local papers is evidence of his good
work as well as the liberality of the
business men OF the county. This corn
club idea Is one that deserves the sup
port Of every one interested in the
future welfare of Mississippi, and
Holmes is naturally looked to as the
leader of the movement.
Lsuderdale is still pushing the prop
osition to improve the public roads,
and the good citizens are showing a
commendsble interest in the PROPOSE
tion. The mass meetings recently held
have been largely attended by people
from every section of the county and
the plans adopted are being worked
out before attempting to put them into
operation. Lauderdale is not alone in
the need OF better roads, and the inter-
est shown everywhere will cause the
experiment in that county to be watch
ed with interest.
Yazoo county has gone into the fair
proposition in the right way, and will
surely meet with success. A canvass OF
the entire county was made and the aid
and cooperation of good citizens in
every beat secured. Ground has beeL
bought, buildings arranged for and the
annouurem mant mada thar Xaznn sill