The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1870-06-07
SUPPLY IND CONSUMPTION OF
COTTON.
Influences Affecting the Trade.
From the Boston Advertiser.


The daily and weekly reports of the market
have for many months SHOWN an unsatlslac-
tory condition OF the cotton goods trade and
manufacture. The greater part OF tine produc-
ton leaves no profit tO the manufacturer,
while the declining tendency OF prices has dc.
tered dealers from making purchases beyond
the immediate want Of consumers. The mar
ket will not take the full production in some
ofthe largest lines of goods except at prices
which leave an uncomfortable loss 10 the man.
ufacturer upon the cost of the raw cotton
worked into them. There are some cXcep-
tons, as in the case OF special fabrics and fine
goods. having an established reputation in
market. the whole of which are readily taken
at fair and steady prices. But these are chief
ly consumed by people who need not ec0no-
mize closely, who can always ouy as they
want; while the larger production OF coarse
and medium goods find consumption among
Upon these the influence OF the great foil In
the price of grain and other agricultural pro-
duce is seriously felt, as Is tue effect of every
check to the well-paid employment Of labor.
+. There is, however, more important or far
reaching reason for the depression in this
trade. Every dealer in cotton goods, from the
heaviest iobber in New York to the most re-
mote Of retail distributors, Watches tIe COTTON
market closely, and Is as keen and often a
more correct observer OF the main facts in the
market for raw cotton which determines It's
rise or fall, than the cotton Spectator or man.
ufacturer who studies mainly such points In
the relation of supply and demand as the spec
ulator LAYS before him. Tile principal dry
goods houses have agents travelling through
every district in The South |nere cotton IS
crown. and through them learned the truth Of
the shortened crop grown in 1868, and OF the
greatly heightened crop OF 1869. For long
time the trade rs body have pursued con-
seryatiye course, and during the last year have
taken from week TO week. with rare eXcep-
tions. only such quantities of goods as they
could quickly and without loss distribute.
They have known that cotton was too high,
and they inferred that cotton goods were too
facilities for transportation also fuvors frequent
replenshing, and relieves them from the
danger in carrying heavy stocks.
This conservatism by the trade, and the
economy of the people, whether OF choice or
necessity, have concllrred TO reduce the de-
mand for cotton fabrics below the needful sup
ply to the people, and lately below the produc-
lion Of the mills, until it has come about that
in the last twe'vemonth our whole population
has taken but little if any more ,ccight OF cot
ton cloth than in the year 1860. when its num-
bers were so much less. Before the war, every
well-to-dO family had its store OF cotton art-
ces for domestic and personal use. beyond the
immediate want. and this surplus was used up
by and during the war. Because OF the higher
prices since, very little Of it has been replaced,
and the purchases of each year since 1865
have nearly measured the current needs. 1t
follows that the country has no surplus Of cot
ton goods. Those in wear must soon be re-
placed. This necessity is aggravated BY an eX-
tensire substitution Of light fabrics for the
heavier cloths in common use prior to 1851.
Many more yards are now made from the same
weight of cotton and their cheapness has Civ