The Kemper herald. (Scooba, Miss.) 1875-1908, 1907-01-17

| the recent Convention OF Ine Miosie-
sippi Division Of the Southern Cot
lton Association, has been sent out
to the press and the public.
To the People of Mississippi.
The Mississippi Division Of the
Southern Association, in convention
assembled, issues the following ad-
dress to the people Of Mississippi:
In January, 1905, in the city OF
New Orleans, the Southern Cotton
Association was first organized, and
without boastfulness and undue pride
lit is pointed out that the benefcent
results that have marked It's brief ex-'
istence of two years completely VIM
dicate It's title to the respect and
grateful support of every person
whose welfare is favorably affected
| by the increased price of cotton. AT
the time Of its formation, cotton was
selling at and below six cents per
pound; its mere successful organlza-
tion was sufficient to greatly affect
the price, and since then cotton has
never fallen below eight cents. The
Association is just entering what
should be the years of its greatest
power and usefulness; it has what at
| first it lacked-STRENGTH, PRES
lTIGE, and EXPERIENCE. The off
spring Of hard times and depressing
conditions, it is now a young giant
full Of power, and famous In every
lend where cotton is grown, worn or
manufactured.
Tie work OF the Mississippi Divls-
ion has just been reviewed. The re
ports of its officers show DILIGENT
and INTELLIGENT work and an
HONEST performance of public du-
| ty. Nearly every cotton growing
County in the State has been visited
by the President or Secretary, and
| through these means, and by cooper
ion with farmers institutes, and d.
sersifed farming special trains, a
fampaign of agricultural education
has been conducted. That the or
eanization has already paid hand
son1e dividend to the public who have
supported it, is evidenced in many
wigs besides the increase in the price
of cotton. A notable instance is the
"ffeet Of a single letter from President
Walter Clark to the Mayor Of Mem
phis in regard to the abuses sometimes
practiced by the warehousamen in the
sto9ing of cotton in that city. From
an individual, such letter would
have had no effect; but from an off
cial from the Association it brought
about instantly valuable reform.
The work of the General Associa-
| tlon in specific matters has been of
immense value, and promises to be
of even greater Importance in the
future. 1t was through its officers
that the leak in the National Depart
ment of Agriculture, whereby GER
tain spectators were enabled to prof
1t greatly at the expense Of this sec
ton, was discovered and stopped, and
the guilty parties forced out of Of
flee. At this moment active steps are
being taken to weaken, if not destroy
the archenemy Of cotton interests
The New York Cotton Exchange, and
work inspired and supported by the
Cotton Association. The METHODS
Of that HUGE SWINDLING INSTI-
TUITION have been essentially char
acteristic of BLACK-LEG GAM
BLERS. The price of cotton-has been
depressed by open aG>i gross fraud. 1t
has accumulated and maintained a
stock Of bales of old and rotten cot
/ ton, unfit for any useful purpose, but
which by the rules of the Exchange
could be delivered 10 a buyer in full
| tilment of a contract of purchase and
sale on it's exchange. The tendency
of this practice has been to bring the
price of all cotton down to this fraud
ulent level; and yet for years that in
stitution decided The price at which
we had to sell the greatest product of
our fields. If the Postal Department
of the National Government is induc-
ia to issue a fraud order against the
New York Cotton Exchange, it will
be brought about largely through The
support of the Association, and an
other great service to the South will
be recorded to its credit.
Legislation in various States pro-
hibiting bucket shops and dealings in
futures, whereby cotton may be freed
frora those artificial fluctuations in
prls $ which work to the injury
of the producers and legitimate deal
ers in cotton, who have followed
the exertions of the Association, and
national law prescribing and pun
ishing such establishments and prac-
tices is at present pending in Con-
gress.
The great service performed by the
Association in bringing into action
among the Southern people the power
full influence of concerted and united
action is of itself a high recommends
tion to high public favor.
1t would seem logical to expect that
the ocular and financially substantial
proof given them in the last two years
would convince the most skeptical Of
the value and necessity Of a hearty