Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-11-23
The Decline i'm Cotton.

Since the opening of the business year,
September 1st last, cotton has declined
over two cents a pound, and all indica-
tons are that it will fall to a still lower
point. Various reasons are attributed for
this. Though receipts are at present by
no means excessive, and are i'm fact rather
light than otherwise, still the fine weather
for the maturing of the crop and the
remarkably fine picking season which has
been enjoyed in the South tend to create
the impression that the crop this year will
he very large one, 900, 600 bales being
common figure. This, added TO an appre-
hension of possible financial stringency
in the money centres of the country,
causes buyers to move slowly, and as the
demand is light prices naturally go down.
1t is somewhat remarkable that there
should be such general anticipation Of an
unusually large crop this season, when it
Is remembered that last year the Southern
planter, as a rule, devoted less acreage to
the cultivation of the great staple, and
paid more attention to the production Of
home supplies. At the outset of the
business year the impression gen.
ment of the old all cotton
policy would result in a reduction of the
crop to point which would at least ena-
bic the prices of last year to be main
tanned. 1t seems now, however. that the
day OF small cotton crops has passed. The
south is developing so rapidly, and lands
IN the cotton belt are being opened up an
nually to such an extent, that no matter
If every planter in this entire section
should cut down his individual prOduc-
ton, the grand total will always be steadi-
ly greater and greater each year.
The fact cannot be too strongly i'm
pressed upon the planters of the South.
Had provisions not been made for the
home and farm this year, and had the old
policy of depending upon receipts from
the sales of cotton with which to purchase
the necessaries of life in the West, been
continued, it is easy to see in what straits
our farmers would have been to-day.
There is no telling to what proportion the
crop would have attained, and if, with
less attention than usual paid to it, we
see prices approaching to eight cents a
pound, there is no knowing how low they
would have fallen had the South been
taxed to its utmost to turn out the staple.
Certain it is that our farmers would have
met with heavy losses on their crops, and
besides would have been forced to go over
whelmingly in debt to supply their fami-
lies with the bare necessaries Of life.
Now, although the great staple has de-
clined on them, they can view the decline
with complacency from the consciousness
that, come what will, the home and farm
are provided for, and there is no danger of
suffering from the curses of debt and
starvation.
Our planters should learn lasting and
useful lesson from the present condition
of affairs. They should recognize the fact
that under ordinary circumstances there
will be no more small crop years in this
country, and they should plant cotton
with the expectation of receiving, COM
paratively speaking, little for it. If they
act on this principle, the farm and home
will always be taken care of first; they
will, under any circumstances, be pre-
pared for the worst, and then whatever
they do receive for cotton will be so much
clear gain. This is the only way to make
sure of real Southern independence.