The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1911-09-20

hundred farmers. and as many bank
kers. congressman. United tSates
Senators and business men. repre-
senting every cotton growing State in
America, declared In Convention to-
day that the farmers cotton is worth
is cents a pound. and resolved that
the farmer should hold his cotton for
that price. The resolution followed
. committee report that the crop In
America would not exceed l2,5o0, 900
baleA
For financing the crop of this
year. a resolution was adopted to the
effect that the farmer should deposit
MIS- cotton In a warehouse and use
his receipt as collateral until he could
soil his cotton at not less than is
cents There was also resolution
urging that the several state Legisla.
lures should provide for system of
bonded warehouses.
Declaring that organization among
the farmers. and cooperation among
them with the bankers and financiers,
vas the solution Of the problem. the
Convention resolved itself into a per-
manent organization. to be nkown Q,
the Southern Cotton Congress. and
adjourned TO meet In Atlanta at the
call Of the president. z. j. Watson.
commissioner OF agriculture Of South
Carolina
The meeting In Montgomery Is to
DO followed by a similar Conven-
ton In every Southern State, to be
called by the commissioner of agrl-
culture Of each State. BY these
conventions the action Of the Congress
10 to be ratified and reinforced by
further steps toward securing a bet.
ter price for cotton.
Among the speakers at the Con-
vention today were Senator z. d.
Smith Of South Carolina. who receiv-
cd the thanks OF the Congress for
his attitude In Congress toward the
Government cotton report: Congress
man Thomas J. Hefiin. Of Alabama:
Congressman Henry d. Clayton, of
Alabama. and Dudley M. Hughes.
Congressman from the Cd district Of
Georgia: Oscar w. Underwood. ma
tority leader OF the House Of Repre-
pensatives. and chairman Of the ways
and means committee. sat In the
audience.
IL was Senator Smith who perhaps
made the speech which decided the
Congress In Its naming the price of
cotton at is cents for Congressman
Hsfiin wanted to make the price IA
or Is cents. with Ia cents as the
minimum. Congressman Clayton. In
his speech. declared his belief that
In ten years time the world would
be using $4,000 900 or 10000. 900
bales Of American cotton.
President c. s. Barrett. OF the
Farmers Educational and Cooper
atlve Union. delivered an address on
cooperation. He denounced az
baseless the reports OF bumper
cotton crop. denied the charge that
the Farmers Union was a combine to
hold up cultivation. and asserted that
there Is combination for the pur-
pose OF hammering down the price
Of cotton.
w. @. Harden. president of the
First National Bank OF Birmingham.
spoke on Financing the Cotton
Crop.T During his speech ne de-
clared that the present crop could ut
best be only an average one He ad-
vised against fixing a minimum price
at which cotton should be sold but
slowly and gradually.
DR.. w. r. Hinds. State entomolo-
gist. delivered very instructive ad-
dress on the destructive work done
BY the cotton caterplllars.
The Government was severely
criticised at the committee session this
morning for alleged inaccuracies In
crop estimates and ginning reports.
IL was the opinion Of the committee
that the South no longer should re-
~ on the National Government Cor
Its crop reports. but make them out
at home.
Commissioner OF Agriculture Wat
son OF South Carolina. and President
Daloos OF the South Carolina Farm
ers Union. were severe In their ar
raiIsnment OF the United States de-
partmen, of agriculture In gathering
cotton statistics Commissioner Wat
stalaA 49,