The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1877-03-20
THE GREAT STAPLE,
THE COTTON PLANTERS OUTLOOK

THE COTTON PLANTERS OUTLOOK
The Crop Of the p st vo Years--What
to Expoct this Yccr--aood Advice to
Farmers.
The cotton crop of 1875 was
1860, 900 bales. On the 1st of Jan
uary last the crop Of 1876 was esti-
mated by the knowing ones to be at
least 100000 bales less than tho
crop of 1875. During january
thelo was q short receipt which
seemed to confirm their view, and
cotton stiffened a little in price. But
in February there were ii 200 bales
moro forwarded to our ports than in
January, and hence tho rcckoners
tell us that that in all probability
the crop Of 1876 will prove fully as
large, ifnot larger than that of 1876.
From September l, 1875, to
February %, 1876, there were for
warded 3,4O5,000 bales. From 1st
September, 1876, to February 20,
1877, there were received at our
ports 3,491.000 bales. During
March, 1876, $4,000 bales were
received. Were we called upon to
'guess" from these data, we would
say the crop of 1876 would exceed
that of 1875. How much of it will
reach manufacturers before Septem-
ber l, 1877, no one can now fore-
tell.
We all know that for tie past
three years cotton has been gradu-
ally declining in price, whilst the
manufacture of cotton goods and
the production of cotton has been
steadily on the increase. During
the past year the manufacturers had
u surfcit Of stock on hand, and
all kinds of cotton goods were very
low in price. Fuctories reported
heavy losses because they had
bought cotton on q declining mar
ket, and, with heavy supply on
hand, were compelled to manufac-
ture for a still falling market. All
this condition of things, however,
has changed, for this accumulated
stock of goods has been disposed Of,
both in the European and American
manufactures, whether at a loss or
a profit it is not our purpose now to
venture an opinion, and doubtless
most of them have been CONSUMED
one way and another, 80 that the
manufacturers enter upon n new
year with their shelves empty, the
supply small, the demand good,
cotton low, and cotton goods adj.
vancing in price.
If there be no war in Europe this
year, which tho sages tell us there
will and there will not be, and if our
Presidential muddle, which appears
to have been settled for the next
four years, gives us no trouble. it
seems clear to us that the cotton
manufacturers may anticipate q
prosperous year.
Can we say the same for the cotton
planter ?
| Obse' vation, judgment and expo
rience teach lis it is not matter of
vital concern to the individual
planter whether the cropis four, five,
six or ten millions of bales. If there
is large crop, cotton will doubtless
be low, and each planter will rece We
less for his crop. But if he is out of
debt he will find thai his money will
buy as many necessaries as the
greater amount would, which he
would realize by selling his cotton
at higher price in consequence of
the general crop being small. If
the general crop is small cotton goes
up. and everything that the farmer
should feel compelled to buy goes
up with it, and hence he is little
better off. . t>
But it does concern the individual
planter whether he is growing q
large crop of cotton to the exclu~
sion Of everything else. The cotton
crop should be taxed for the neces
sary supplies that cannot be grown
at home, FOR schools, church pur-
poses and the annual taxes, and
the residue should be net surplus
for investment.
Are the farmers pitching the pres
ent crop with this idea in their
minds ? Have they sown wheat
enough to secure them their bread /?
Will they bny nolasses next year,
or are they going to plant sorghum
and make their own syrup. and save
seed and fodder enough to winter