Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1911-11-03
HOLD BACK THE COTTON.
Such Is the Advice of Governors
Conference.
REDUCE ACREAGE ABOUT Is Per CENT

Staple Is to Diversity Crops, Live at
Homo and Get More Money for
Enough Than the World Will Pay
, for Too Much.
The farmers of the south must with
hold from the market every remaining
hale Of the present seasons crop Of
cotton and follow this with a concert
ed and binding agreement to reduce
next seasons cotton acreage at least
| 25 per cent If they hope to restore the
south's great money staple to nor
NAL price level and retrieve the losses
sustained by reason Of the present low
prices.
This is the plan which the confer
ence of southern governors adopted
at its concluding session in New Or
leans last Tuesday. to secure imme-
diate relief from the depression in the
price Of the staple.
AS a means OF securing permanent
relief from such changes and to guar
antee cotton farmers in the future
against the necessity Of Cutting the
market with his supplies in the open
| ing of the season, the conference
adopted resolutions favoring the es-
tablishment in every cotton growing
state of state-controlled warehouses,
and the collection and periodical pub
lication of statistics bearing upon the
worlds demand for and consumption
of American cotton.
The proposal of foreign banking in
terests to finance a holding movement
covering 100000 bales Of the present
crop, was referred to a special COM
mittee for further action.
The recommendations of the confer
ence follow:
I'VE earnestly recommend to the
planters of the southern states to fol-
low the example of Louisiana and so
diversity their crops as to produce ev-
erything necessary for consumption
on the farm. and let cotton be the sur
plus crop even If the quantity raised
shall be 25 per cent less than the
present crop as then they will get just
as much in return for much less la
bor than this years crop will yield at
present prices, will soon free them
selves from debt and be In condition
without any financial aid, to sell their
crops gradually as the demand shall
exist, and not market the work Of a
year in sixty or ninety days as they
have been accustomed to do.
I'VE call upon our representatives
in congress to have the present crop
reporting system so amended to report
the periodical publication of reliable
statistics of cotton consumption, man.
ufacturing and trade --- Information
gathered from all cotton consuming
countries and we recommend also, and
for ourselves agree, that the commits
sioners of agriculture in the cotton
states gather and publish like infor-
nation and we suggest to the legisla-
lures of the cotton states adequate ap-
preparations to this end and uniform
legislation enabling the agricultural
constitute a bureau Of cotton manu-
featuring, cotton trade and cotton con-
suming information to the end that
with the estimates of production which
are now furnished by the Federal
government, there may also be esti-
mates of demand and thus put the
planter in position to fix fair price
for his product.
The members of the conference
have been reliably informed that bulls
on the cotton exchanges have been
indicted in the United States courts
under the Sherman act for conspiring
to buy cotton and advance the price
and If this be in accordance with the
provisions of that act then we re-
spectfully insist that the bears in the
exchanges who conspire to sell cotton
which thev do not possess with the
expe cation of a decline in price, or
for the purpose Of effecting a decline,
be >likew 'se prosecuted.
"A fair and comprehensive system
Of future trading is accepted by the
commercial world as essential to the
proper and advantageous movement
and distribution Of the crop, but 1t Is
urgently recommended that congress
shall pass such laws as will abate
abuses and regulate future contract
trading in exchanges to the end that
it discharge it's function as a trade
utility, fair alike to both buyer and
seller and to the commodity which is
the subject of the future transactions.
1T is earnestly recommended that
the several state governments shall
take appropriate action to bring about
such warehousing system, or systems,
as will best serve the interests of the
producer of cotton.
In view of the apparent demand
for cotton during the next thirteen
months, we recommend that the un-
sold cotton of the present crop be
withdrawn from the market and dis
posed of by a system of gradual mar
keting. We urge bankers and busi-
ness men to cooperate with farmers
in this undertaking.
I'VE report to the cotton farmers
that tentative and attractive PROPOSE
tions have been made by responsible
financial interests for purchasing g.
900 900 bales of the present crop. This
negotiation is referred for develop
ment into practical form to commit
tee.
Reduction Of acreage in 1912 Is
urged as a necessary part of any plan
of holding and financing the present
crop. We recommend and for our
selves agree that the governor of each
cotton state proceed at once to ap-
point a representative in each county,
who in turn will appoint a representa-
| tive in each school district or voting
precinct, to secure from every farmer
binding written pledge to reduce his