The Tupelo journal., 1907-05-31
BY H. e. BLAKESLEE, JACKSON.

| n 0cpdTtuleut OI ABFlCulIuTe anu COMmerCS. L
IL BY H. E. BLAKESLEE, JACKSON. /
Anent the proposition made by the
Farmers Union to hold a school this
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 $4,000 in Mississippi, so, $50 in
Arkansas and $4,000 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 800 900.
They are now prepared to keep off the
| foil norlyaf Dy.an ,pi11iNn ho1ne h, thu
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 CT handling cot
ton and allowing outside parties to de-
termine the price, the cry of over-pro-
duction vas worked at will to the detri-
ment of the planter. For instance, the
crop OF 1904 was a little more than nine
and q half million bales and brought,
exclusive of seed, S6l7, sol ,548. 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, 1914. 359. 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 SOIL
T20,435. 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 a 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 a 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 a year, discuss ways and means of
making the fairs better, securing cred
liable exhibits, advertising the events,
fixing dates to prevent conflict, etc.
After formation of a temporary organ
ization and a thorough discussion of
the matter a permanent organization
was effected under the name as indi-
Gated above. H. E. Blakeslee was
elected president and D. Wollerstein of
4azoo 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-
ton. There is no more active force for
the improvement of agricultural, hor-
ticultural and stock-raising conditions
in the State than fairs, and every coun-
ty 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.
Lauderdale is still pushing the prop
ositiOn to improve the public roads,
and the good citizens are showing a
commendable 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 attemntino to nut them into