The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1919-05-24
The Fight for Cotton
Mr.. B. F. Mcleod Reviews Plans
Formulated at the New Or
leans Convention

x gtiie f-OitOrS.Ol the News dHt
Courier: A great many people
throughout the State seem to be anx
ious to ascertain Just what was ac
! conn plished at the cotton convention
in New Orleans last week. There
fore it is probable resume Of wha
was done at the convention will bt
Of interest to many of your readers
l have attended a great many con.
ventiors, but | have never seer
groups Of men further apart than al
ton, neither have | ever seen mer
more earnestly desirous Of anlalgamat-
ing the views and Of doing the thing
that was best for the cotton belt: and
before the convention adjourned. the
delegates We're a uni, on every ques-
ton.
The reports Of the several commit
tees were adopted without a dissent
ing voice The permanent organiza-
ton Of the American or Central Cot
ton Association was effected. The
plans for launching the hundred mil
lion dollar exporting and financing
corporation We're worked out and
adopted by the convention. The plans
submitted by the committee on bank
chairman. was adopted by the conven-
ton and referred to the American
Cotton Association TO work out the
details The Board OF Directors OF
the American Cotton Association re-
ferred it to a very strong committee
consisting Of Mr.. Kemp of Texas, MI
Rhett Of Charleston, the president OF
the association and two others This
committee Will work out the details
and prepare the terms to he lncorpo-
rated in the charter and submit same
to the executive committee for It's
approval Plans were prepared Tor
more thoroughly organizing the State
cotton association.
The committee on crop report made
q mos, excellent report, and l am
thoroughly convinced that the report
OF ;his committee is as accurate, or
more accurate, than any report that
has ever been submitted on cotton
The membership Of the centra! as
sociation will consist Of the state cot
ton associations. The central asso-
citation will be maintained by the dues
received from the State associations,
based on cotton production in each
State: probably one and a half cents
per bale will be the dues to January
!, 1921, and one cent per bale per
annum thereafter.
The association will be controlled
or managed by board Of directors
elected by the State organizations; 4
director at large from each cotton
State and one for every 100000 bales
Ind majority fraction. OF cotton pro-
iuced. The board Of directors elects
officers and an executive committee.
Tho executive committee will have
he powers Of the board when the
BOARD is in recess. The central or
sanization will have the power to es-
.ablish Offices in all Of the cotton
countries Of the world for
he purpose Of ascer1aininS the sup
ply and demand for cotton. probable
number OF spindles in
operation. and number OF Spindles
idle. etc The Offices will be in
charge Of experts in that line. The
cleaned will be sent to
the central organization, and the CEN
trail organization will send out bull
letins TO the State associations. who
will send bulletins TO every member.
The State organizations will make
to the central organiZa ton
as to number of acres planted in cot
ton and condition of crops during
growing season. The central asso-
citation will tabulate the reports from
all the States. send a bulletin to each
State organization as the report Of
the entire cotton belt. This infor-
nation will be furnished every men,
wise the State association as to
whether the apparent supply is great
er than the apparent demand, and if
it appears that the supply is greater
an estimate will be made Of the
amount necessary to reduce produc-
ton. and if the demand appears to be
greater than the supply. the members
VIII DC dQNlSeQ DIS 10 lllc per CSIil VI
increase the trade will stand
All of the cotton producing States
will, in short time. launch mem
bership campaigns. 1t is necessary
to have every cotton producing State
thoroughly organized The central as
sociation cannot be made stronger
than the weakest organization in one
of the larger cotton producing States.
"A chain is no stronger than its weak
est link
The present State organization will
appoint the county and township Of
ficials, OF the county branches, to
serve the balance OF 1919. In January,
1920. the members Of the Stale asso-
citation, in each township. community.
or subdivision Of the county that is
used, will elect three members Of the
county board of control. al least one
of whom shall be :, farmer. The county
board of control elected by the town
ships. viii elect county board OF
directors consisting OF fifteen at
least, five of whom shall be farmers.
i,-ti, of