The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1908-11-19

COTTON-GROWERS
HAVE CONFERENCE

The Meeting. Stirred Over the sigl,
Rider Business, Threatens to Rreal
Up I'm a Row, But Order Is FINAL
Restored by President Jordan
Farmers Urged Also to Continu
Agitation for More Cotton Fac
tories and to Fight the BoI
weevii.
Memphis. Tenn, Nov. 12.-Denun
citation OF "night-riding." and a fer,
defense OF the night riders threw tn,
convention of the Southern Cottor
Growers and Ginners' Association
into disorder today. and nearly ter
minated the session before the pro
gram had fairly begun. While ex
cited delegates hurled charges and
counter charges, T. U. Sisson. of Mis-.
sississippi. moved that the conven.
ton adjourn sine die.
President Jordan finally brought a
semblance of quiet and made a plea
for order
Walter Clark, of Clarksdale, Miss,
precipitated the trouble by wander
ing from the subjectof the Better
Baling and Handling of cotton" and
bitterly denouncing might riding"
He called the night riders "curs" and
men who shot people in the back.
A. S. Roane, a resident of northeast
Mississippi, jumped on his chair and
called Mr.. Clark to order. He said
the night riders were al oppressed
people, fighting for what they be-
lieved to be right, working against
overwhelming odds, but always from
the best motives. His words created
a sensation. Men stood on their
chairs and the greatest confusion pre-
vailed. President Jordan refused to
entertain the motion of Mr.. Sisson
to adjourn, and requested Mr.. Clark
to proceed. This he did.
Ten Cents as Minimum.
The general committee on reso-
lutions presented their report, which
was unanimously adopted, recon-
mending that so far as possible in
each individual case, none of the
crop of 1908, still in the ownership
Of the producer, be sold below ten
cents per pound for short staple cot
ton, and urging growers to hold the
crop SO as to prevent selling in ex-
cess of one-tenth per month of the
remaining crop of 1908. The cotton
growers are urged to apply to the
local banks for loans secured by
warehouse receipts representing cot
ton to be held for the purpose of
being marketed only when demanded
for actual consumption. The sug-
gestions offered toward organizing OF
a holding corporation are referred
to the permanent committee, consist
ing of Chairman Jordan, Charles Gay
and DR.. Pierson. They recommend to
the immediate attention of Southern
bankers and financiers the Inaugural
ton of great cotton bank at some
banking centre in the South, for the
purpose of establishing a clearing
house to aid in financing and mar
keting the cotton crop each season.
More Cotton Factories.
The report also urges continue
tion of the agitation for cotton fac
tories enough in the South to manu-
facture our cotton" and commends
the efforts by the States of Georgia,
Texas and Mississippi in the estab
lishment Of textile departments in
their agricultural colleges. The re-
ports recommends diversification of
crops, claiming that this can only be
brought about by scientific prepara-
tion of the soil and practical rota-
tion of crops. The extension of ware
house facilities at local market points
and all large interior cotton mar
kets and ports, and especially COM
mending and endorsing the building
of the proposed warehouse at the
port of New Orleans; that the Con-
gress of the United-Sta and State
Legislatures enact laws requiring
that the cotton exchanges revise their
contracts, making contracts fair and
just, and that the cotton delivered
on the same be restricted to not
more than five grades and that none
below middling be deliverable; con-
demns speculation and gambling in
futures as encouraged and practiced
through all exchanges; approves Of
the continuation of the United States
cotton statistical reports when based
upon tangible facts, but we do not
approve Of reports based upon cal
culation and guess work"
Must Fight Boil Weevil.
The report recommends that the
farmers in States now threatened
with the boil weevil prepare them
selves in advance for the coming of
the weevi1, and asks for continua-
ton of government and State aid in
combating the weevil.
On night riding the report says:
"The meeting condemns in un-
measured terms the recent lawless-
ness throughout number of our
Southern States, known as night
riding and we urge that the govern
menu of the various States where
this evil is threatening the welfare
of the people to take immediate and
decisive action for effectualIy SUD-