Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-02-12
COTTON ACREAGE
CERTAIN TO BE
REDUCED, CLAIM

That there is no doubt but what
the entire south will reduce cotton
than ever before, was the declaration
made in Atlanta Wednesday by
Thomas B. King, director Of the cot
ton acreage committee of the Mem
phis cotton conference held on De-
| cember z and g.
Mr.. King is a prominent business
man Of Memphis who was drafted
by the Memphis conference to take
personal charge Of the acreage re-
duction movement then and there
| launched. He has spent a week or
more in every state in the cotton
belt except the Carolinas, has con-
ferred with farmers, bankers and
merchants throughout the belt, has
attended score sof farmers mass
meetings, has interviewed COVER
nors and commissioners of agricul-
ture. has discussed the situation with
editors and others, and may be fair
ly considered a well-informed au-
thority on the subject of cotton
acreage reduction.
Mr.. King Wednesday paid a visit
In the state capitol to the offices of
Governor Dorsey, Commissioner
Brown, Of the department of agri-
culture; Director Jackson, of the
state bureau of markets, and other
state officials. He planned to in
terview also, while in the city, a
number of prominent bankers. He;
"ill go from Atlanta to the Caro-.
)inas.
1t is mistake to suppose, as So
often claimed, that cotton acreage
reduction movements have accom-
plished no results in the past, de-
pointed by the Memphis conference
has carefully investigated U. S. gov
eminent reports covering a long
period Of years, and has found that
systematic reduction movements
have accomplished actual reduction
ranging from 12 to IA ga per
cent, according to Mr.. King.
Reviews the Situation
He gave out statement while in
Atlanta in which he said:
mere IS no doubt but what the
entire south will reduce the cotton
acreage more drastically than ever
IN Its history, and he who says that
the farmers will not stick to their
promises is not familiar with the
tacts of history. 1t is borne out by
the records that every time there
has been a systematic Campaign for
cotton acreage reduction it has been
reduced from 1-2 to IA "a per cent
as compared to the previous year.
IL IS also fact of history that
crease in price each year following
the acreage reduction and that has
been the cause of the over-produc-
ton the year following.
The state of Texas is carrying
on systematic campaign to reduce
the cotton acreage so per cent in
1921 compared to 1920. There is
more winter grain growing in that
state than has ever been known and
they are now sowing and preparing
oat crop. which shows very clearly
that the Texans appreciate the condi-
tons that confront them and are
preparing to feed themselves. The
financial condition of Texas is as
PAD as any other state growing out
| crop OF 1920 at anything like the cost
| of production. There are at least
100000 bales of cotton in that
state in the hands of the farmers
unsold. 1t is also reported from re-
liable sources that many thousand
not be cultivated because the land
| lord and tenant cannot get the mon
ey with which to supply themselves
to make the crop
Oklahoma has adopted the unique
| plan for acreage reduction which is
to plant only the amount of cotton
that the individual farmer can gath
| er with his own hands. While that
state as general proposition is not
so dependent upon cotton, yet it is
as others on account Of the folly of
| planting more in 1920 than could
be gathered by the hands on each
arm. There are thousands of bales
of cotton yet ungathered besides
several hundred thousand Of bales
unsold in the hands Of the farmer.
The plan for reduction in Oklahoma,
1t is thought, will produce about one
half the number of bales compared
with 1920.
Arkansas. Organized
Arkansas, at a large state con-
vention held the seventeenth and
eighteenth of January, adopted the
plan as set forth at the Memphis con-
vention, and it is being enthusiasts
tically and Systematically carried out
The counties that produce the larg-
est yield per acre and usually plant
the greatest number Of acres are
more rigidly observing the plans
adopted by the Memphis convention
farmers are not so much affected by
the change as are the large ones.
mississippi, Louisiana and Ten
nessee are all being organized rig
idly according to the Memphis plan
and county conventions are being
held by the people pledging them
selves to observe it in their farm
operations and in the loans that they
are to make upon the growing crop.
The Mississippi delta, the richest
and most productive part of the cot
ton belt, is lining up with the whole
plan and they are making their ar
engagements to first produce food and
feed for their own plantations before
they arrange for the planting of cot
ton.
cat a large convention held in
Montgomery, Ala, two weeks ago in
the interest of cotton acreage Eeduc-
ton, resolution was unanimously
passed .pledging the farmers to plant
only six acres of cotton to the mule
or to the pillow. This is the most
drastic reduction of any state that