The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1866-07-29
COLUMBIA.
Sunday Morning, July 20. 1866.
Cotton-Thc Crops and Prices
Planters Take Heed.


that city, basing *heir calculations on
the statements made by the leading
papers of the South, and from cor
rect statistics gathered from district
and county officers in every cotton
growing State, estimated the growing
crop of cotton at 1, 100, 900 bales. In
the Phenic, of the 7th inst, will be
found this estimate made by the New
York Dry Goods Exchange, which
corroborated the other estimates.
Now, before month has elapsed,
the Independent comes out with new
estimate and puts down the crop at
5000, 900 bales. Where, or from
what source throughout the Southern
States, this sapient statician has
gained the information upon which
he doubles his former estimate, would
be difficult to say. On the contrary,
if the estimate heretofore made
should not be lessened, there is no
ground whatever to increase. Such
is the import of all the information
we CLEAN from our Southern ex-
changes.
But we imagine that we can dis
cover the cause of this sudden in
crease of figures. In the same article
OF the Independent, the writer states,
as fact, that cotton agents hare con-
tracted for The de1ivery Of crops at
Southern ports, at ttcenty.fce cents
currency; and further, that they have
contracted with planters In Georgia
and Alabama for the product of their
fields at eighteen cents, and adds, that
planters are desirous of selling their
growing crops, deliverable in Novem-
Der, at prices much lower than the
present rates.
We do not know how much truth
there may be in these statements of
Yankee @'cotton agents." but we do
hope that the planters in Georgia and
Alabama have not been so easily
gulled by these itinerant drummers of
Northern cotton spectators and New
England manufacturers. This is only
part of that cunningly concocted
schemes of which the three cents tax
is part, to keep the staple in this
country for the benefit of these har
pies of the loom and spindle. The
exaggerated estimate and these state
mcnts all tend to the same object, and
are put forth for the same purpose,
viz: to frighten the Southern planter
into either contracting for his crop
before hand at about half the prices
it will in all probability command, or
into rushing it forward to market
for the benefit of these unscrupulous
traders.
We would earnestly urge upon the
attention of the planters throughout
the Southern States these facts, as
they must know, in every cotton
producing State of the South, that
this latest estimate of the dry goods
organ is wildly exaggerated. There
has been no improvement in ana of Me
agencies and iash.unae,atalihes which
combine to produce our great staple,
within the past month, and their ex-
perienoe in dealing with Northern
agents, should have taught them
by this time that the very anxiety
they now manifest to secure the crops
IN TINS early stage of their growth, is
the most convincing proof that they
are apprehensive of serious advance
IN prices. The planter is blind to his
own interests who fails to perceive
this and to guide his action in the
premises.
Our first and last word of advice to
the producers of cotton is, to keen
Me control Of the staple in yo,o. o,c,,
lands. The moment you contract to
deliver it, you lose that control, as
we'll as the ability to have any part
in regulating the price. Be not de-
ceived by false and exaggerated esti-
mates, or by the statements of inter