The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-10-01
ELIMINATION OF
 COTTON FAVORED
 BY CONFERENCE
Southern Cotton Convention Urges Drastic Measures to Meet Present Situation
 and Protect Planter

New Orleans. September sO.-Arousins public sentiment in favor of greatly re- dueed acreage or total elimina tion of cot ton planting next year through the med ium of county organizations, with the ultimate aim of having state legislators enact laws regulating planting, was the decision of the Southern Cotton conven- ton today as the best method of meeting the situation caused by the European war. The measure was a compromise and was adopted unanimously.
 The plan is to have county organiza- tions of the Farmers Protective union and the Southern Cotton association ob- tain pledges from planters signifying that they will reduce acreage at least 50 per cent and, where possible, to have them pledge not to plant at all in 1915.
 Then the county organizations are re- quested to petition the governor of the state to call a special session of the leg islature to enact laws either prohibiting planting at all or providing for acreage reduction of at least 50 per cent.
 The resolution follows:
 Be it resolved That it is the sense of this convention that it would be greatly to the interest of the cotton growers, as well as of every commercial, indus trial and agricultural interest, not only of the south, but of the whole country, that the planting of cotton be entirely eliminated or reduced to minimum dur ing the year 1915.
 Be it further resolved, That for this purpose the growers of cotton, bankers, merchants and other allied interests in each county, including the Farmers union and the Southern Cotton congress. be requested to meet and organize at once. if no such organization exists. in order to give immediate consideration to the foregoing resolution and especially tor the purpose of signing binding pledges to reduce their respective planting of cotton 50 per cent more, or to pledge themselves to omit the planting thereof entirely for. the year 1915,
 Be it further resolved, That in order to assure that no cotton be planted, or not more than 50 per cent, during 1915. the said associations and organizations request the governors of the various cot ton states to convene the legislatures for the purpose of passing uniform laws prohibiting the planting of cotton, or of reducing the acreage to such point as to eliminate all future damage from boil weevils and other cotton pests, as well as to accomplish the many desirable re- suits above enumerated.
 Be it further resolved, That this con- vention recommends and advises all cot ton producers, bankers and merchants to cooperate in withholding from sale as much cotton as possible until it can be sold at a price that will give a fair return to the producer"
 The majority report of the resolutions committed. submitted by ex-Governor Noel of Mississippi proposed that the governors of all cotton growing states are urgently requested to convene the legislatures of their states in special session to enact legislation in pursuance of their undoubted police power prohibit ing the growing of cotton in 1915 in all of the cotton states, and to authorize state boards to represent their respective states in making such legislation effec- tive, and of thus destroying cotton pests and also of producing by such elimina- tion of the crop of 1915 a profitable de- mand for the crop of 19ld."
 The minority report, proposing the Texas plan, was presented by H. O. O'Neal of Texas It provided for organ ization in each school district, the school trustees to call meetings to elect dele gations to county conventions; the county conventions to appoint committees to ob- tain signatures to the 90 Ter cent acre. age reduction pledge.