The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1869-10-07
The Decline in Cotton.

"We do not regard it is by any means
certain says the Columbus Enquirer, and
We fully agree with it in opinion, " that
the great decline that has been brought
about recently, is based upon conditions
ring the season. The staple has been
hurried to market, and the receipts to
date are far ahead of receipts to cor
responding dates of late previous years.
But is there as much cotton remain
ing to be gathered as usual at this
time of the year? We are sure that there
is not in Georgia and Alabama, and we
doubt much whether there is in other
States. Not only has rust destroyed a
considerable portion of the plant in many
localities, but the severe drought has pre-
vented the formation OF the later bells,
and there is now literally no "top crop y
on cotton TINT with more favorable sea-
sons would now be full of young forms
and bolls. The state Of the weather that
has prevented this later growth has hur-
ried the maturity of the earlier cotton,
and planters have taken advantage Of it
and of the high price to get all the cotton
they could to market There will soon
be check to this, for the lack Of stop
CROP" and then we will see receipts fall
ing off, at least in this part of the cotton
region. We do not advise planters to
hold on to their cotton-when they can
get remunerative prices. But it is to
their interest so to regulate the supply on
the market as not to give rise to errone-
Gus estimates of large crop"
There is no doubt, says the Savannah
Republican, but that our Columbus CO.
temporary is correct in his diagnosis of
the present true state Of the cotton
market. The planters themselves are
the cause of it, in hurrying their crops,
many of which are already more than
half gathered, into market in advance
of the business season. The extraordin-
ary dry and hot weather Of the past six
weeks has caused premature develop
ment of the crop, and the price being
high, the planters strained every nerve
to get it into market, and the conse-
ouence is unparalleled receipts. This
fact has alarmed only the ignorant deal
ers in cotton. Nobody else dreams of a
large crop, or one reaching even three
million of bales. 1t is the premature
movement of the staple, rushing in large
quantities into the ports of the South
tefore the principal purchasers have en-
tered it or even made their financial ar
rangements for the seasons work. Nor
would they buy now if they werc here,
at n fair price to any great extent, for
there is no shipping TO enable them to
send it forward. Under these adverse
circumstances, while cotton has almost
stood still in Liverpool, having declined
but an eighth Of IL penny, or half cent
since the 10th instant, we have the re-
markable exhibit of q decline of FIVE
cents for the same period in New York,
and about the same in Savannah and
other southern markets.
In view of these facts, and the short
supply in Liverpool and Manchester, it
is evident that the planters have the
remedy in their own hands. We think
they have nothing to fear from delay,
and can we'll afford to swat for the
wagon" Let them cease to press their
crops upon the market before it is ready
to receive and forward them. The prin-
cipal buyers in all the Southern markets
have not yet returned to their posts
from the summer vacation, and when
they do, money and ships will come
along with them, prepared to enter upon
tho seasons work: