The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1907-08-28

Columbia. S. c., August IL, lNI.
Hon. /. A. Keller, President, AbbeVllle,S SO
Dear Sir: On September 5th, the national
Executive Committee will meet IN Jackson.
Mississippi, for the purpase OF discussing the
cotton situation in general, and n1lng the
price OF cotton for this season. Each state ls
urgently requested to recommend price lot
which II will stand; Therefore l. as fIesident
ing OF the County Presidents. together with
the State Executive Committee, TO meet at
twelV We O'Clock, Friday, August 0th. to discuss
the situation OF the Southern Cotton Associa.
price, in our judgment, should be nxed. In
this connection, also, 1 urge you TO call q
meeting Of your County Association, asking
each township 10 send as many delegates az
possible 10 your Court House TO meet on Au-
gust oath. so that you. as president, may come
with IN full report from your county as possi.
BILE. Please do not negleot TINS al lmportant
matter, as other matters OF vital Importance
and interest will be discussed on that occa'
sion also.
In case you. as president, cannot come
which ! hope will not be the case, please send
a representative In your stead:
Very sincerely,
Pres. 8. c. Div. 8. c. A.
The above letter explains itself. III south
ern Cotton Association ia about to fix the
price of cotton for the coming Crops. 1t Ia q
matter tina should DO thoroughly weighed
before attempting to fix a price. 1t Is 30 easy
To make q mistake that might cost much
money to the South.
The Cotton ssOclation should first consult
the Farmers Union before fixing q price and
see II It Is not possible to get a price fixed thai
will be agreeable 10 both Institutions. Fol
the Association to fix a price at one figure
aud the Union at another means CONFUSION
worse confounded. Let the two organizations
get together and fix a minimum price at, say.
l2L cents per pound, which Is under the pres
emit price. II would be far better to ask at
least l2H cents and get 1t than TO ask Is cents
and not get 1t.
Let the farmers make q reasonable demand
and then let them stick to their figures 10 the
end. Fix a price and stay by 1t. This would
only mean that you will not sell q pound OF
cotton below 12h cents or such price as you
may fix, and you should get az much more as
the market will warrant. 4
1t ia true that cotton Ia now selling at from
1871 TO 1917 cents per pound, but this Is based
on the old crop and Is due to the ~inadequacy
Of the supply. II It develops later that re-
ports are true which indicate a short crop for
Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi, the mini
mum price can be raised accordingly to IA or
Is cents. II, on the contrary. the crop In
these States is found 10 be about normal, and
the splendid condition here is unchanged,
there is danger Of a slump, and these differ
ent organizations will be powerless TO sustain
q price all out Of proportion with the size OF
the crop. Better to fix a rate that can be sus,
tanned even II there is a large crop. than to
nx a price too high and lose prestige in the
failure to make good.
There is demand for thirteen million bales
American cotton. This last crop has demon.
strated that fact, and the further fact that l2h
to Is cents is q fair price for q crop OF this size.
Let the Cotton Association ard the Union
keep In touch with the outside world, and II
IL Is concluded that the crop will not exceed
thirteen million bales, let them and for l2i
or 10 cents cotton.