The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1908-09-22
PRESIDENT HARRIS
ISSUES AN ADDRESS

The great .money-producing crop Of
the South-cotton--is now being
harvested. The farmers should inves-
tigate conditions and use good judg-
ment in selling this great money crop
of the South
BY so doing many million dollars
will be added to her wealth.
First, we will look into conditions.
The supply of cotton is less today
than it has been in twenty-five years.
The merchants shelves are scant of
goods. The population of the world
is increasing every day, and they have
to be clothed. Again, the output Of
manufactured goods has greatly de-
creased this year from the fact the
1907 crop was 100000 bales short.
This shortage will have to bo made
good, as the world needs the goods.
AS to the condition of the 1908 crop.
We have heard nothing for the last
eight weeks but a bumper crop. Who
is it that circulates these reports9 I
see in Europe 5000 miles away, sta
tisticians are freely predicting a crop
OF American cotton this year Of 49,
100000 bales, while many of the
knowing ones on this side are scnd-
ing ont literature forecasting the
crop at 14,000,O00 bales.
nhe South is now being flooded
with circulars of bear dope by spec
ulators and manipulators who are try
ing to sell the market down under
the influence of these bearish argu-
ments.
The wholesale johber in the cotton
trade is demanding concessions from
tho manufacturer in the price of
goods, while the spinner is holding
back as long as possible in order to
be able to lay in their supply as low
as possible.
Never before have so many inter-
ests combined to hammer down the
price Of spot cotton. There never was
a time that the growers will be call
eel upon to exercise tile full limit of
their strength in resisting the efforts
to depress prices as at the present
time.
There was never a time that Coop
Grafton was needed as badly as it is
today.
Our annual meeting of "Thc Farm
ers' Educational and Cooperative
Union of America" met at Fort
Worth, Tex, OH the first and was in
session four days. The attendance
was large, all the cotton-growine
States were we'll represented by del
egates.
The unanimous consent Of the dele
gates was to keep the minimum price
a secret within the membership.
A national cotton committee was
formed, with delegate from each
State for the purpose of handling
cotton.
President Barrett will call meet
ing the first of January. as by that
time we will know the true condition
of the crop.
AS to the condition of the growing
crop. Every cotton-producing State
was represented and there we had the
opportunity Of getting true report
as to the condition Of the growing
crop. Not single State reported
anything like an average crop. Some
reported 10 per cent. off. some 80 per
cent, some 20 per cent, some Is per
cent.
1t will be impossible for us to make
an accurate report at this time TO
begin with, we had floods and wet
weather up to the lst of July, then
hot, dry weather. Rust and blight and
dozen other pests we had never
heard Of before.
East Of the Mississippi river You
hear that Texas and Louisiana are
going to make a bumper crop. When
You get wcst of the Mississippi they
tell you: Mississippi, Alabama and
Georgia are going to make bumper
crops. When YOU investigate it yo.
find it false. In the last three weeks
I have been in seven Of the leading
cotton belt States, and in no place did
I find anything like an average crop.
From the time [ left home until
reached the clone Starr State dill
not sec single field Of .;;tton that
did not have blight, either rust or
black rot, and was poorly fruited
II I