The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1915-08-01
FARMERS CALLED
FOR CONVENTION
AT MONTGOMERY
Cotton Growers to Organize
to Protect Crop From
Ruinous Prices
TO MAINTAIN PRICES
BY UNITED ACTION
Convention Will be August 16, IL and
Is and All Cotton Growers
Are Urged to Send
Delegates

Joseph o. Thompson, together with a
number OF other prominent cotton growers
of Alabama. has called a meeting of Ala
bama farmers in Montgomery. August Is.
II and Is, to take united action for the
protection of this years cotton crop.
In the address, sent out to cotton grow
ers, attention is called to conditions and
the conclusion is drawn that If arrange
ments can be made to hold the crop for
rev months the largest price will be
obtained next year that has been exper-
fenced since the civil war The call for
the convention is as follows:
TO the Cotton Growers of Alabama:
| Lest we approach the marketing sea-
son of 1915 without some organization
looking to the creation of a sentiment for
the holding of our 1915 crop until the Eng
llsh embargo is raised, we deem it i'm
portant for the farmers of Alabama to
come together in the hall of the house
| OF representatives at the state capitol. in
the city of Montgomery, at noon on Au-
gust 16, and to remain In session for two
days thereafter, the 18th and 18th, for
the purpose of perfecting farmers state
organization.
Important to Bind Together
Never in the history of agriculture of
the south has it been so important as nov
to bind ourselves together for the pur-
pose of mutual helpfulness In unity
there is strength and if we can perfect
a proper organization in Alabama II will
be followed by other states, and in a lit
tie while We will have an organization
| of ba hall
Will bring about results which will mean
| many millions of dollars to the farmers
or the south in handling our cotton, cot
ton seed and other crops, in creating bet
ter marketing facilities and in calling at
tention of state and federal law making
bodies to such local requirements as will
be necessary to protect the highest and
best interests of the cotton grower Last
year several million bales of cotton were
marketed before 1t was known what to do
| or which way to turn The cotton was
thrown on the market in a panicky yay
and much of it was sold for less than 5
cents per pound, about one-half the cost
| OF production, thereby bankrupting many
thousands of large and small farmers
alike.
| II we farmers will do our duty to our
| selves in helping to cripple the bears by
withholding our surplus cotton from the
| New England and English spinners until
they are willing at least to pay us the
| cost of production, we will protect thereby
| ourselves, our families, our creditors and
the highest interests of the south. 1t is
incumbent upon us to get busy at once
Claims of the Bears
THE bears claim an accumulation In
| the visible supply of about 2,50O0O0 bales
more than normal; an accumulation in
producers hands of about LOCO, coo bales of
last years crop unmarketed: absence of
spinners' demand for forward shipment;
decline of cotton manufacturing in Ger
many and Austria, due to insufficient sup
plies of raw materials and the fear of the
shutting off of all exports
1T may be remarked that the last three
arguments were also made when last
years crop began to be marketed and
while it was freely predicted that less
than 100000 bales would be exported dur
ing the cotton year ending August 81, 1915,
the figures at hand indicate that there
will be an excess of. S,500,000 bales; and
that while it was asserted that takings by
mills could not possibly exceed 5000 900
bales, the total will reach 10, 900, 900 bales
Attention is called to the fact that
the high price of cotton now prevailing
in Germany and Russia, about 30 cents
per pound will attract cotton to those
countries in spite of apparently insur-
mountable obstacles; just as high prices
paid for cotton abroad during the civil
war made blockade running steady bust
ness. There seems to be no question that
ample funds can be obtained to finance
In normal way, a much larger volume
of cotton than was taken care of last
year, and that even If Germany and Aus
tria-H Hungary should be forced to suspend
cotton manufacturing entirely statistics
show that the mills of the United States,
Great Britain, Spain, Italy, Japan, China
and India have spindles sufficient to alb
serb every bale of cotton that 10 likely to
be grown.
Reduction in Production
There has been reduction Of 5,Ss1 900
acres in America. and If the lint secured
per acre is based on the last 10 years av-
erage, 1872 pounds, it will be seen that the
acreage planted to cotton this year. 3D.
$4,000 acres. will produce 11,47S,740 bales;
and Egypt and India have also made radi- |
cal reductions in cotton acreage. 1t lis
possible that the worlds cotton crop,
based on an average yield per acre. will be
about 100000 bales les sthan last year. |
This does not take into account the adj |
ditional shortage that may be occasoned
by the so per cent reduction In the use of |
fertilizers, and the inferior plant food |
bought in the fertilizers would reduce it |
another Is per cent, thereby reducing the |
cotton crop at least 20 per cent more than |
the estimate above.
ton at the present moment is $3.50, 694 |
bales. This is the carry-over from the |
greatest crop on record, but the carry-o lover |
from the previous crop, a much smaller |
one was 2,014,715.
THE particular thing we desire to call |
attention to is that the carry-over from |
the previous crop to last year was g. |
014.715 bales; added to 1900 COO makes |
total of 19.014,715 bales. The carry-over |
from this year is 3,S10,694 bales added to |
the government estimate of 1.47S,7 bales, |
makes total of 10. POST a difference of |
3,724,9S1 bales less for us to handle this |
year than last year.
II. is statistical fact, as shown by the |
department of commerce and labor. that |
on July ! this year, as compared with |
July last year. all foreign countries, ex-
cept England. have less cotton goods and |
cotton on hand. amounting to several mil !
lions of bales less, than they had last |