66 PROCEEDINGS OF THE BOLL WEEVIL CONVENTION. 



we have in the Mississippi river valley, that is, the negro. It is a hard 

 proposition for us people in the Mississippi river valley to undertake this 

 scientific method that he spoke of here yesterday, which our friend, Pro- 

 fessor Knapp, stated he had introduced into Texas. We are bound to 

 stop and consider a little before we undertake it. Every man who has 

 been a planter in the Mississippi river valley for the last thirty years 

 knows how difficult, and how much trouble we have, with the labor that 

 we have, to introduce these scientific measures, and to act promptly and 

 quickly as we would have to do in that case. 



Mr. Williams, my friend the cotton seed man, gave me some hope this 

 morning, in his letter from Mexico. I am glad that there is at least a 

 remedy to combat the boll weevil in the bottom land, that we can readily 

 adopt. We can drown him out. We have plenty of water in the Mis- 

 sissippi river at our disposal. 



But I think we should take every means and every precaution in fight- 

 ing from the start to keep him out just as long as we possibly can; and 

 when he does come, everybody go to fight him. Let us fight him in 

 every way, poison him, drown him, but kill him we must, and kill him we 

 will. 



Gentlemen, I do not know of anything else that I can say to you here 

 on this subject. It is a new subject to me. I have not been studying it 

 very long. I have been watching the papers and reading upon it as much 

 as I could. It is a subject that every man in Louisiana, whether he is 

 a planter or not, is interested in. 



There is no doubt but what the Governor will respond and call the 

 Legislature at once. Then, I think it would probably be a good idea 

 for some of our planters that are interested in this thing to go to Baton 

 Rouge and stimulate the representatives by their presence, and to see 

 that every law necessary is enacted that will aid us in every possible way 

 to combat this pest I just make that as a suggestion. 



Now, if there is anyone that would like to ask any questions, I would be 

 pleased to answer them. 



Thanking you for your attention. 



Being called upon, and invited to speak, Mr. W. L. Foster ascended the 

 platform and spoke as follows: 



MR. W. L. FOSTER'S SPEECH. 



Mr. Chairman and Gentlemen of the Convention: This is un- 

 expected, I assure you. It sort o' takes my breath away. I came 

 here, as most everyone else did, to see and to listen. I have been very 

 much edified, and very greatly instructed, and I feel that the two days 

 which shall have been spent here at this Convention, shall have been 

 worth more to the cotton planters of this State than any other two days 



