Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1911-10-31


state. thus relieving the poorer farmers
of the necessity of marketing their cotton
at such ridlculously low prices as now
obtain.
AS a result of the ravages of the boil
weevil the production of cotton in
louisiana had teen reduced from one and
a quarter million bales to approximately
a quarter million bales. This. he said. had
been a blessing in disguise as it served
to. teach the farmers of the state that
they can produc- other crops and today
cotton in Louisiana Is the surplus money
crop as her farmers have learned the
valuable lesson that they must raise their
food supplies.
He favored the adoption of perma-
.nent plan for the marketing of cotton
which viii give to the cotton farmer
voice in fixing the price of the staple.
Under present conditions the cotton
producer is forced to accept price fixed
by the buyer and speculator; whereas
he is compelled to pay the sellers price
for any article which he buys.
Governor Colquitt spoke briefly OF the
purpose in calling the congress. He said
while the Federal goye rnment for years
had been collecting and publishing statis-
ties relating to the production Of cotton it
had done nothing to give to the farmers
information as 10 the consumption OF
cotton
DOUBTS ESTIMATE.
He expressed the belief that the DEPART
ment Of agriculturess estimate OF crop
of Is, $4,000 bales this season is excessive,
this, he said. he had Sc
cured statistics to show that the world s
demand for cotton this season would APP
proximate 100000 ba es. against a
worlds supply OF approximately 100000
bales. These figures. he. SAID. had been
secured through foreign consu's and 9TH
er reliable sources and. he added. re
is no reason why every remaining bale OF
the present cotton crop should not sell
for at least Il cents per pound.
At the conclusion OF Mr.. Ousley's adj
dress a permanent organization was eff
fected by the election of Governor COL
Quit as chairman and NJ. b. Trezevant'
OF New Orleans. as secretary.
Governor O'Neal. OF Alabama, was the
next speaker He said he could not un-
lerstand on what system of economics
the southern planters received less
money for a crop larger by million
bales than some preceding crop. be
said a demand should be NADIA rpon
ongress to supply the public with relia-
lie information as to the consumption
cotton and the needs of the mills
/ throughout the world. Governor ONeai
aid that even conceding that the pres
mt cotton crop viii total 13,SO0,OOo no
statistics had been published to show
that the farmer has produced more cot
ton than the world demands.
w p G. Harding, president of the
First National bank, Of Birmingham,
Ala, was next introduced. His bank
takes care of Is per cent OF the Ala
hama cotton crop The great need in
the cotton world today. he said, Is the
need of proper distributor of the cot
ton crcp. II requires almost II months
TO grow this crop, he said. yet il is
marketed-the bulk of it-in 80 days.
This Is different from the marketing con-
ditions that apply 20 any other COM
modify or industry and must be reme-
died He indorsed the Louisiana plan
of state-owned and state-eontrolled cot
ton warehouses and described it as the
panaeea of the farmers Ills.