The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1914-10-03
CONVENTION FAILS TO ACT,
COTTON ASSOCIATION UNABLE
TO AGREE ON REDUCTION,
committee Report Against Planting
Cotton Next Year Opposed by Texas
DelcgatiOn-F'ifty Per Cent Rcduc.
tiOn Urged by Some States.

SSA'6 SOStOn tCTeaSe reQuCtlOn In
1919 during the most of today and
tiuntil late tonight, delegates to the
|Southern Cotton convention became
hopelessly deadlocked on the question
land adjourned until tomorrow without
taking action. Tho whole matter was
given back to the resolutions commit
tee with instructions to report tomor-
row.
| A majority report of the resolutions
committee favoring no planting at all
next year and requesting State legis-
latures to enact lsws prohibiting
4 planting, came to grief at the hands
of the Texas delegation. The Texas
convention had instructed for volun-
tary reduction of SO per cent and the
Texans firmly supported a minority
, report providing for this plan. They
/ were helped by part Of the Louis
lana delegates.
4 several compromise measures were
I offered, but all were rejected. Wal
1 ter Park, chairman of the Mississippi
! delegates, and one of the principal
advocates Of no cotton planting next
year. during the debate on the resolu-
i ton committee report declared it was
i useless to agree on any plan that
4 Texas would not sanction and sug-
4 gested that q committee be sent to the
4 Texas legislature, now in session, to
urge upon that body what he termed
y the necessity for no planting next
4 year.
i Under suspension OF rules the
convention tonight passed a resolu-
ton requesting uniform system of
warehouses. Besides the reduction
resolution the resolutions committee
had ready to report only one other
measure. That also favored the ware
house plan and included sanctioning
the buy bale movement.
q The minority report on the reduc.
z tsoE plan e.lvoftt Ist.unt&ry. yedue..
ton which it was proposed to bring
about by a system or organized coun-
ty work. 1t was proposed to have
meetings in each school district and
have as many farmers as would sign
a pledge to reduce acreage one-half
Of what he planted in 1914. Those
opposing this plan argued that sys-
tenn such as this had been tried before
and failed.
The fight on the resolutions tonight
came after many ideas had been ex-
pressed on what speakers thought
should be done to relieve the present
situation. The wide differences of
opinion and the varied suggestions Of
fered caused comment among those
observing the deliberations.
Sol WeXler, president of the Whit
ney Central bank of New Orleans, ad-
dressed the convention. He told the
convention "if you do not help your
selves you do not deserve help from
the government, the banks or any one
else." He said that the problem was
simple if the farmer wouldt only re-
duce his acreage and help himself. He
favored reduction Of the crop next
year. but not through the medium of
State laws
The convention today got an out
side viewpoint Of the situation from
T.. r. Gore, representing the Chicago
Association of Commerce. He said
Chicago banks held credits to the
amount Of $7.OOO,OOO with South
erners. The Chicago banks were will
ing to extend this time to Southerners
under present condition but it was his
opinion that the bankers did not eX-
pect the farmers to plant cotton again
next year when the prospects seemed
so poor.
GRAND JURY HEARS MELLEN.