The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1911-09-30
HIGHER PRICES
State Cotton Convention Tshs Acli0n
looking to That End.

LOOKING ~ Ildt LHu'
WILL CANVASS TIE STATE
Farmers, Bankers, Merchants and
Other Business Men Of State At.
tend Meeting, Discuss the Situation
Generally and Formulate Plans to
Aid Cotton Sellers.
The State cotton convention, call
ed by E. J. Watson and E. w. Dabbs
president of the State Farmers un:
ion, in response to the action of the
Southern Cotton congress, recently
held at Montgomery, Ala, was held
in Columbia Thursday in the hall OF
the House of Representatives. It was
one of the most largely attended COL
ventions ever held in the hall, and
the personnel was such as to cause
many to remark that seldom had
there been seen gathered together for
conference a more representative
body.
The convention was composed or
Farmers union men, farmers, mer-
chants, bankers, and business and
professional men from all parts of the
State ,and throughout the proceed /
ings there was perfect harmony OF
thought and action and unity of
purpose was manifested with a de-
gree of determination indicating the
character of the fight that the people
Of this State propose TO make
throughout for a higher price for
cotton.
The action Of the convention in the
end provided machinery extending in
to the vigorous prosecution of the
holding, warehousing and financing
movements, with the object in view
of causing a substantial cessation Of
the rush of cotton to market.
Action was taken on almost every
phase of the cotton situation and
considerable work was cut out for
this States representatives in con-
gress to undertake. Along this line
the plain intimation was given by the
convention that the time had come
for some kind of national legislation
to be insisted upon in regard to the
marketing OF the cotton crop, now
representing nearly $1,000,C00.OOO.
In calling the convention to order
Commissioner Watson, who Is also
the president of the Southern Cotton
congress and a member of the nat
ional cotton campaign committee,
along with President Barrett of the
National Farmers union and Con-
gressman Heflin of Alabama, declar-
ed that he was glad the hour had
come in South Carolina when the pro-
ducer, the business interests and the
banking interests Of the State could
meet to discuss a situation involving
the welfare OF every material inter-
est in the State and indeed the very
life-blood of every man, woman and
child in South Carolina.
He said that the hour had arrived
at last for intelligence to hold sway,
for the thinking men of the South to
realize the value of their cotton. He
felt thankful to the bears that they
had hammered cotton down to 10
cents in the face of this convention
for, perhaps 10 cents cotton would
stiffen the backbone of some people
why, if cotton were above 10 cents,
were likely to rush it on the market.
The conference was convened in
the hall Of the house Of representa-
tives at 1880 o'clock. The meeting
was called to order by K. ]. Watson,
commissioner of agriculture. ]. Whit
ner Reid was named as secretary.
Following the roll call of the dele
gates present a permanent organiza-
ton was perfected and Commissioner
Watson was named as president.
Mr.. Barrett had asked him to say
to the convention that negotiations
were under way but had not yet been
concluded, that he hoped, however,
they would be completed at an early
day. A message from Mr.. Barrett
was also conveyed to the effect that
there was every indication of reac-
tion in New York almost Immediate
" in the rice of cotton, and he urg-
ed the convention to do everything in
it's power to hold every possible bale
of cotton off the market.
Commissioner Watson further an
nounced that the national committee
members had about determined upon
a whirlwind campaign through the
cotton belt with a series of monster
meetings and that United States Sem
ator Smith of this State and United
States Senator John Sharp Williams
of Mississippi had been requested to
take part in this campaign. This will
give five men, posted on cotton, to
conduct the meetings, the committee
men being Messrs. Barrett, Heflin and
Watson.
Mr.. Heflin in his remarks at the
opening of the night meeting pre-
sented a number Of essential facts
bearing upon the marketing and han.