The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1907-09-20
STAND BY THE FARMERS.
Necessity for Keeping up Pay for
Cotton as Fixed by Both Or
ganizations.
The State. 18th.

Lu0 OOulu CdlO11ud COICoA o3eoeA1'' 'Ao1A'
Yesterday issued an important state
ment regarding the cotton situation.
Mr.. Weston calls upon all cotton
growers to stand pat on the price fix
ed by the Southern Cotton association
and the Farmers union for Is cents
and emphasizes the necessity for mer-
chants and bankers and all classes in
the south to support the cotton plan
ters in this move.
His statement is as follows:
Mr.. Weston, in speaking Of the sit
uation, yesterday said:
E'In view of the decline Of cotton
for the last few weeks, deem It nee
essary to issue this appeal to the far
mers, merchants and bankers Of
South Carolina.
ssThe national executive commit
tee Of the Southern Cotton associa-
ton, which met at Jackson, Miss, on
September 5, after canvassing the cot
ton situation thoroughly recommend
ed and fixed the minimum price of
cotton at Is cents.
"At this meeting Of the national
executive committee all of the cotton
producing states were Represented,
except Oklahoma and the Indian Ter
ritory. The men who composed the
executive committee which met at
Jackson, were men Of the highest
character and fully Informed as to
the crop conditions in their respective
states. Our own state was represent
ed by President E. D. Smith, Execu-
tive Committeeman E. L. Archer and
Dr.. ". W. Ray. DR.. Ray was request
ed by the writer to ascertain by IL
quiry and observation, the condition
of the cotton crop in the several
states through which he passed; his
report embodied in an interview,
which he gave out few days after
his return, was certainly not indica-
tive Of large crop.
''We know at this season Of the
year that many Of the growers Of cot
ton, who have in many Instances
pledged their cotton by mortgage or
lien for supplies furnished them to
make it, are compelled by necessity
to put their cotton on the market, ir-
respective Of prices, unless aided by
their local merchants or bankers. Of
course the cotton buyers are aware
Of this and will continue to put the
price of cotton down as long as
growers are found who are willing to
sell. The losses that result to this
debt burdened individual affect man,
woman and child in the south: it can
not be measured by hundreds of dol
lars, but runs up into millions. Every
time cotton goes down means that
much less money for the nome, the
school house, the merchant, the
banks and the development of the re-
sources of the south.
.s|There can be no reason assigned
for this material decline in the price
Of cotton: every man who has had an
opportunity to observe, will cheerful
ly bear testimony to the fact that
cotton has deteriorated in the last two
or three weeks: heavy rains having
fallen. followed by extremely high
Temperature. I was Informed by a
reliable cotton manufacturer that
while the visible supply Of cotton
according to the estimate Of the sta
'tisticians-is greater thar it was last
year. vet the quality is so poor that
only about IS per cent Ct each bale
can be spun. The consumers, with the
cotton on hand and the farmers who
have sold in advance, are making ev-
ery effort to force the market down.
There is but one remedy for this con-
dition, and that is for the holders of
cotton to withdraw it from the market
cutting off the supply.
CT am confident that the thought
full people all over the south realize
the fact that their destiny, and that
of their country is wrapped up in
cotton: it behooves each and ev-
erv man. whatever may be his voca-
ton or profession, to come to the aid
of the farmers in their effort to stem
this unreasonable and unjustiflable
- .1or 4ho r,-;oo of oottOn