The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-05-18
Most Important Meet
ing in Trades History
Begins To-Day.
SOME SEE CRISIS
IN SIT U A TON.
President Of New York Cotton
Exchange to Speak This After
noon Members Discuss Cur
tailment Of Product or
Broader Market-Others tai
Optimistic.

Cotton was king at the jefferson
Hotel last night. Manufacturers OF
OF the United States. and several rep
resentatives offoreign countries. were
assembled in oa;icina tIon or the ar
teenth annual convention of tie Amer
lean Cotton Manufacturers Assoria-
tion which opens in the Jefferson au-'
quorum this morning at $50 o'clock.
from the advance attendance. and
from statements OF officers and COM
mittee chairmen, ii would appear that
the meeting Will prove the largest eyer
held In attendance and the most i'm VA
portant In business transacted
several matters Or great Importance.
Including relations with the Cotton
Exchanges of New York and New Or
leans, the problems OF overproduction
and curtatlmcnt. of charging hoius
and Foreign markets OF freish ( rates
and tariff are to be discussed. while
aauresses are TO be made not only by
The leaders OF the textile trade ,ritb,n%
the association, but by mon or nr,Ill,
hence. Including the president 8 theA
New York Cotton Exchange. eS,erss
on trade conditions In China and the
far East and authorities on mill n,a.-s
asement and factory methods.
President Coopcr's Dinner.
rreiiminary to the convention Pres
~ ,ueht y, T. Cooper, of Henderson, \
H. ~, So $50 d dihner IN the palm rooms OF
.he JEFFERSON last night to the offlcaril
board OF governors and a nun,hor-inf
invited guests, covers being laid fnr
about fifty, 80 t'fi
among the after-dinner spea kers
Were franklin w Hobbs, president OF
Ms ms Nutional Association of Cotton
Alanutacturers, a New England orpa,,il
ia ton affiliated With the Ame,lc,r ~
soclation Arthur III. Lowe. president
Oh inc Lowe Manufncturinc t,omnnn,.lf
u ~ un tsville, Ala, and or tho pa IL
FIJI Manufacturing Company. Fitch
nurs, Mass, w. a. Erwin. chairman or
the board Of governors, and secretary
. si,,, treasurer OF the Erwin Cotton
NILS Company, Of Durham. X. a. JohnS
shelton Williams. OF Richmond Ellili.
son y. Smyth, president of the Pelzer
notwithstanding Company and OF the
belton Mills. GreenvilIe. S. e.. and
Mayor D. c. Richardson OF Richmond 4
PRESIDENT Cooper presided. the dinner
being In every way an elaborate and
enjoyable AFFAIR. tE 5--',Il3.
Honrd of Governors Meet.
Following the dinner. a brief n,ae+
Ing OF the board of governors was held.
when the final revision of the program
was had s1i'J
Secretary c. B. Bryant said last
night That there was every prosnect
OF the largest attendance in the hts
tory OF the organization. there being
Liz active and associate members en-
rolled In the association aof whom +
more than 500 will probably be
Richmond before the opening of the
convention this morning. A notab bile
matter said Secretary Bryant, was the
large enrolment for this convention
OF members from the New England
~, 1,,t r
present this morning. Many have al-
ready arrived. while the early trains
from every direction this morning will
bring in those who have already wired
Tor reservations and advised the sec
rotary OF their intention to attend.
LIS Well Known Here.
President Cooper. a North Carolinlan, N
VINO VINO mas Tor years been we'll known N :
Richmond both as a tobacco dealer
and cotton manufacturer. and as large
~ interested in Richmond banking
ventures. last night expressed his
pleasure that the convent on should for
the third time in four years meet IN
Richmond He praised the ample ac-
commodations and excellent arrange
ments Tor the convention. and the
courtesies of the reception committee
and members OF the Chamber of Com
merce. many of whom were at the
hotel to welcome visitors last night TEL
Among arrangements for the con-
venience of delega ties during their stay
1 in Richmond is plan for having cot
ton market quotations posted hourly
on board In the convention hall,
showing the condition OF the principal
cotton markets of the world
Serious Problems. al ia
Members of the convention were In
earnest consultation In many groups
about the hotel last night, comforting
on pressing problems of the textile
industry which have been agitated tor e
the past three or four years, In some
lines 1t is realized that the cotton
manufacturing business OF America has (
reached crisis. and that steps must
he taken To either secure further cur
tnilment OF product or to broaden the
market. In fact. conditions have been
more or less unsettled in the MILL In
dustry since the depression OF 1907
1905. Steadily advancing prices Of raw
cotton, due. 1t is believed, to smaller
production and more diversified farm
ing in the South, enabling growers to B
secure better prices has put Upon the +
lowering prices OF the raw material or
educating the consuming public to pay
a higher price for finished goods
Success of Southern Mills.
Members of the association who have
studied the economic problems In s.
volved assert that Southern mills have
enjoyed remarkable record for the &
past quarter OF a century. because OF 4
abnormal economic facts in their To- i;
cation In section favorable to n a.