The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1875-07-08
VOLUME X.---NO. 81.
What o Big Cotton Crop would Do.

Cotton fuctuates and languishes in the for.
eign and domestic markets, with largely
diminished supply and the certainty that the
last crop is three to four hundred thousand
bales short. The market has no back bone and
is not likely to have any. The trouble now is
apprehension of an increased crop next fall.
A half million bales excess over the incoming
crop would undoubtedly diminish the money
value of the whole crop to producers, even
below that of the present crop.
The practical value of propitious weather to
the cotton producer, therefore, will not inure
to him, but to buyers and manufacturers. And
he is, moreover, in the situation of defendant
prejudged to be guilty until he has time and
opportunity to prove his innocence.
The world of cotton purchasers assume an
outside limit of production until it is apparent
that this limit has not been attained. Thus
the shadow of the big forthcoming crop of
| -76-though the substance does not exist,
and it is as yet only creation of fond imagi-
nation-is thrown darkly on the little remnant
of the incoming crop, and shuts out all sun
light from the market.
Such is the situation, and the whole argu.
ment would be for short cotton crop, provided
the loss of product could be equally distribu-
ted among producers. The effect of increase
in product is simply to impose on the grower
the task of more picking, baling and hauling,
without remuneration, and indeed, as we be-
lieve, at even less than diminished product
would bring to the planter.
The interest of the planter in heavy crop
is, therefore, purely Individual and not col
lective interest. 1t is an interest merely to
secure his personal share in the sum total of
crop money, which he believes will be endan.
gered by small yield on his particular farm.
| If he could be assured that three bales of his
short crop would bring him just as much money
as five bales of heavy crop, he would say
give me the three bales all the time. do not
wish to raise and send two bales to market at
nv own cost.
But as the cotton crop covers q vast region
and embraces variety of climatic conditions,
no vicinage of the planting interest, and no
region of country feels that it has any material
power in controlling the grand volume of pro.
duct. If such power could possibly be
brought into existence and wisely exercised,
the whole planting interest could be secured a
profitable product by at once regulating the
production to meet the demand of consumers,
and establishing fairly remunerative price,
and condition of affairs in which propitious
seasons should not work positive injury to the
planter.
The inability of the planting interest to es-
tablsh and maintain any control of cotton
production among themselves (which would
be the simplest and most direct remedy for the
evils under which they labor,) makes it clear
enough to our mind that all projected combi-
nations to control the markets and shipments
of cotton in the same interest, will be equally
impracticable and futile, and the chances are
that they will prove disastrous. Men should
not venture beyond their legitimate business
business which they have been trained to and
understand in all its parts and bearings. If
they do they will blunder and learn expert
ence at cost of loss and failure.
We see no possible chance of controlling the
cotton trade by any combinations among pro-
ducers, especially in the light of the fact that
combinations to regulate cotton production
have been found impracticable. The only
remedy we can see in the premises is a personal
one, and very partial at that. 1t is for every
cotton producer to gain q pecuniary condition
in which he will not be forced to hurry his
crop forward at the opening of the market, but
can choose his own time for selling.
This will be some vantage ground gained,
though perhaps not a very important one in
respect to mere prices. 1t would have made
no very material difference the current cotton
year; but next fall, if the market opens under
the depressing effects of extravagant estimates
of the maturing crop, and the cramp of gene
raj dull times, we can see it would make a
great difference, should the crop afterwards
prove light, and business revive Macon 7sle.
graph and Messenger.