The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-09-06
HELP IS ASKED FOR
 HOLDING COTTON

and determination of the club was ex- pressed in the following resolutions, which were enthusiastically adopted;
 Resolutions:--
 Whereas. to this club 1t is clearly evident that there is a determined ef- fort being made by the interests both foreign and domestic. that grows fat and prosperous on cheap raw cottor. to secure the crop of 190s-09 at prices destructive to every Interest of the South: and
 Whereas, the interests of the mem bers of the club are naturally bound up in the cotton crop from It's plant ings to it's final departure from the hands of the farmers; and
 Whereas to us there appears to be no good reason why this crop of cot- on the farms, in view of the follow ing facts: First. 1t is to be mod crate crop; second. the world took and consumed the 13,500,000 bale crop of 1906-7 at and above ten cents; third, tho t1.500.000 bale crop of f907-S. fol- lowing the large crop of the previous year. was taken by the world and consumed in a panic year. at. an aver age price at or near twelve cents, fourth, that one year ago as the coun- try was entering upon a financial panic and following one of the three largest cotton crops ever grown spin ners were paying twelve and one-halt cents for that which they seek now to claim at eight and one-half cents. and the panic over; fifth. many spindles during the latter part of the season of 190T-S were forced to stand idle for the lack of raw cotton: sixth, the national election will be off our hands in sixty days; seventh, the financial panic has passed away and money is l.. fA.s~ @f the country on the very best terms. and at very low rates of interest; eighth, the world by reason of It's in- creased consumption power needs one half million bales more cotton this year tnan ever before: ninth. the mills are khown to be bare of raw cotton, and the whole consuming world is bare of manufactured cotton; and.
 Whereas, if the South permits the present cotton crop, which has been grown and must be gathered. at very great expense to at and below the cost of production, along with 1t will go the hope of and the prospect for further prosperity in this section of the country: and,
 Strong and Earnest Fight.
 whereas. the farmers of the Soutl, are making a strong and earnest fight to avert the disaster that ia bound to follow the wake of eights cent cotton, and need only the active, substantial aid and cooperation Of the bankers. mercnants and business men uf the South in their great struggle to guarantee victory to them and the future prosperity of the South, there. fore,
 Be 1t resolved. by the Commercial Club of Opelika. that this club does here and now pleuge to the farmers of the South the loyal, active and earnest cooperation of its members and the fight for ten cents or more
 Resolved. further, that this club pledges the support of its member ship to the farmers in their determi nation to hold their cotton on the market until the .spinners will pay ten cents or more for it on the farms: and to the full extent of their re- spective abilities will aid the farmers to carry out their resolve not to sell their cotton for less than. a reason ably profitable price.
 Resolved further, that the club here and now appeals to the business and commercial organizations of every town and city in Alabama to hold meetings promptly and take steps to make 1t known to the world that the organized business interests of the South are standing and will continue to stand with and by the farmers of the South in the fight against the cotton bears. who to swell their own bank accounts would destroy the prosperity of the South and impover- ish its people.
 Be 1t further resolved, Int the president of this club Is hereby au- thorized and directed to communicate at once with the organizations of this character throughout the State, and urge the holding of a State conven- tfon of the commercial and business organizations of the State in the city of Montgomery at an early date. with the view to a thorough organization of the business interests of the State to aid the farmers in the fight for bet ter prices for cotton;
 Resolved further, That every town or city in the State that has no or ganization of the kind be appealed to to organize at once and send repre. sentatives to a State convention;
 Resolved further, That the press of the State be and the same Is hereby appealed to. to take this matter up promptly and lend a helping hand and make known to the world as speedily as possible the fact that the bankers, merchants and business men of the South are in the light standing shoulder to shoulder with the farmers of the. South for a req