The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1872-09-12
Cotton Still King,

Cotton is now admitted by all parties to be
aproduct indispensable to the welfare of the
human race, occupying as the result of hu-
man industry the spirit place after corn and
wheat. Every day the telegraph brings US
from three to five times the slightest fluctuA
atoms Of the staple from the markets of the
world. Everybody has become acquainted
with the terms of "uplands' and New Orleans
Sea Island, Dholbrah and Surat, even if they
do not know in what part of the world the
different qualities of cotton are raised. Tex.
as is as much interested as any other cotton
State to be we'll posted as to the probabilities
of the growing crop, the average prices and
the chances of rise or fall for the fieecy
staple for which our planters and farmers
have worked hard and invested large amounts
of money. And unfortunately the prospects
this year are not as good as we all had
wished, neither for the farmer or the mer
chant, nor for the community at large. About
six weeks ago our merchants took to the
North the glad tidings chat oar people are
going to harvest the finest crop of cotton ever
raised. Expectations were excited on all
hands, spectators rubbed their hands at the
chances of strong differences 10 prices; man
ufacturers lowered their goods trIfe in view
of the prospective beautiful supply of raw
material; merchants bought more goods in
expectation of more extended fall trade;
farmers figured on more moneI; though they
| might have to accept lower figures for their
cotton, what they lost by quality they
would make up by quantity.
| The report spread that the cotton States
would make a crop of 100000 bales and
the telegraph brought the welcome news to
! the Lancashire spinLers who Ind been suf-
fering from a dearth OF American cotton.
| The effect was Immediately felt in Liverpool,
| and prices for American spot cotton b, gan to
decline, and the trade in Manchester took
| larger proportions than what it had done for
some time. India Cotton, our most formi-
dable rival, fell still lower, and spinners used
it with the greatest reluctance. Shipments
! from Bombay via the Suez Canal began to
slscken, because prices had fallen to heavy
! loosinR point. Then came series of unfore-
seen casualties which threw a shadow on the
| bright picture. The drouth in some States,
! the unreasonable rains in others and the
! food in Alabama cut the prospects shorter
| and shorter as The time passed on.
Our own State suffered, and sufer5 now
| from drouth; the cotton ade plenty of weed
but the bolls would not fill nor mature; they
fell off in such quantities as to sbortsn the
crop very materially, We may safely say one
halt, although some sections report loss of
two. thirds. Such are unfortunately the
| facts.
How will prices be affected, and what Is a
fair estimate Of the growing crop in the
! United States? Alter carefully collecting the
reports, as far ss known, from the different
states, and taking into consideration the
area, more planted in cotton this year than
| last, we come to the conclusion that the crop
will not exceed 5 5000 bales. Should tie
picking season, however, be extended Tar into
/ December or January by the absence Of early
| frostS, apd should We have no Task 10 labor,