Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1908-11-04
COTTON CONVENTION
To Be Held in New Orleans
Beginning November I 1th
PRESENT PRICES ARE TOO LOW
Meeting Called to Plan for Better
Prices for the South's Great Sta
pie.

Union City, Ga, Special.-Chas..as
S. Barrett, national president of the
Farmers Union, has issued the fol-
lowing statement regarding the in
dustrial congress he has called to
meet at New Orleans, November 11th,
FOR the purpose cf formulating a
campaign for advancing the price of
cotton in the south:
"As the executive head of an or
ganization of more than 100000
farmers in the southern states, con-
trolling approximately 60 per cent of
the cotton grown in the United
States, I feel that is incumbent up
on me to take the initiative in prac-
teal steps looking to stopping the
downward tread Of tie price for this
staple, and restoring it to figure
warranted by the cost of its produc-
ton and its value to civilization.
cit is needless for me to state
that the prosperity of every business
interest between Mason and Dixon g
line and the Rio Grande river is large
ly dependent upon the return the cot
ton crop is bringing to this section.
GA proper return for cotton means
prosperity to the farmer, the country
and town merchant, the city business
man, the manufacturer, the wage
worker, the salary-earner, every rail
road and corporation in the southern
states.
"Today spot cotton is selling in
the neighborhood of 21-2 cents per
pound less than one year ago. In
many instances, this means that the
producer is called upon to dispose OF
his output below cost.
eff this price-level prevails
throughout the sellong season Of
19OS-9, the south will sustain loss
approaching $150,O00,O0O.
"The. significance of such"a devel-
opment would be sluggishness in
every southern commercial circle con.
striction of money in every business
a stoppage of construction and devel.
opment in each direction, and fail
ure to recuperate from the panic OF
last fall as rapidly as we have right
to expect.
"There is no logical or necessary
reason for this slump in the price OF
cotton. The output Of the south will
be infinitely smaller than last year,
when prices ranged to higher level.
American and European spinners
admit that they expect to book the
usual volume of advance orders at
the nrices obtaining in 1907.
"The sole excuse now standing
between fair prices ard the south Is
cotton. is the belief of spinners that
they will be able to ohtain the staple
at their own figure. In this belief
they have been aided by exchange
manipulato1s. whose efforts have been
to show that the cotton belt would
make record-breaking yield. As a
matter of fact, we who are in most
intimate touch with the situation
know there is not the slightest
ground for such an opinion.
t:The members of the Farmers
Union. as I have said, control in the
neighborhood of 60 per cent of the
south's staple crop.
"With the cooperation of the bus
mess interests, large and small, OF
every southern state, they will under
take to secure for this crop its in
| trinsic value in the markets of the
world.
"We are determined to win this
fight, regardless of the temporary
sacrifice it may entail upon us. ]
serve this notice freely and frankly
upon every business man Of the south.
"They can aid US materially and
they can shorten the time of waiting
by active cooperation in this effort,
"We are battling not alone for
ourselves, but for the prosperity and
the freedom from debt of everv man.
woman and child in the southern
states.
"We have a right to expect their
assistance under these conditions.
"To the end of arriving at def
mite plans, I have summoned dele
gates from every southern state to
meet in New Orleans on November
18th. I will answer for large at
tendance of these men, each thorough
" familiar with the cotton and the
financial situation in his community.
"I invite the cooperation of bis
mess man, manufacturer, profession
al man, banker and wage-earner in
the south. I urge them to be present
personally. I urge on commercial
bodies, chambers of commerce, boards
of trade and labor organizations to
send representatives to this conven'
ton.
"We are going to adopt extraordi-
nar5 measures to meet extraordinary
conditions. That fact is settled.
With the active help and counsel OF
the busincss mon Of the south, the
success of our plans, and the pros
perity of the entire section is as,
sured beyond peradventure: