The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1891-12-30
Zoo Much Cotton.

Wednes lay @e ind considerable inter-
esting statistics concerning the cotton
crop, which that enterprlsing journal
complies from Cotton Facts" pub
lished by Mr.. y. B. Shepperson, which
is con pilaticr from Official and reji-
able sources Of the crops, receipts, ex-
ports, stocks, home and foreign com
sumption, visible supply, prices AID
acreage of cotton for a series OF years.
The Chronicle says "CoIton Facts IS
the most complete work Of tEe kind
ever published, and should be in the
hands OF every cotton producer, mer-
chant and manufacturer in the United
States. According to Mr.. Shepperson's
figures the crop of I690-9l reached the
enormous total of S,674,417 against
7,297 ,117 jor the previous year. The
cotton on hand at the end OF the season
on the plantations and in Interior
towns would swell the total 10 s, 800, ,OUO
bales.
He estimates the crop Of this year at
S,050,0OO bales, but wheG comparison IS
made with the crop OF last year, he
thinks, there sbould be added TO the
present crop the equivalent Of 100000
bales for its higher spinning quality,
thus making it equal u S,350,1D bales
cf that crop. Adding toe ports stocks
OF Aug. 81 to S,O50OO0 bales would
make 4 supply for the new season of
9,173,OOO bales having q spinning capacl-
ty of 9.473,0OO bales OF the previous
crop. Mr.. Shepperson gives II as his
opinion, based upon the PROBABLE crop
Of this year, that the yield will be far
more than the requirements OF Amerl'
can and European spianers. Prices are
undoubtedly, d" says, below the cost OF
production, but that fact will not ed
vance the market. The grain growers
ct the West are being enriched by high
prices while the cotton producers OF
The South are being Impoverished by
low prices.
Mr. Shepperson says that speculation
may temporarily effect or impede It's
operation, but IA the end the law OF
supply and demand in Its relation to
values is inexorable. The low prices
are the natural result of over-proGuc-
cion, and their remedy lies ic the re-
duction Of the cotton acreage. 1t seems
| likely that the losses TO planters aud
merchants during the past and present
seasons would result in an enforced
curtailinent of he acreage Of the next
crop. # not the distress OF the planters
will continue. And all classes il tue
South will suffer from the natural re-
suits of oyer-prOduction. There is but
one remedy, and that is to reduce the
cotton acreage. A prominent citizen
Of Augusta, who has been engaged IN
the cotton business for many years,
calls attention 20 the large surplus OF
cotton from the crop of 1SS9-90 carried
overinto the crop OF 1912. He eSti.
mates that there will be still larger
surplus for 1928. This surplus, he
says, must and will be continued in
definitely to future crops, being quan.
tity beyond the ability OF spinners and
manufacturers to consume. The rene
dy, he suggests, is crop Of seven mil
| lion bales or less.
In commenting on Mr.. Shepperson S
| figures the Chronicle says Sit is very
evident that planters cannot have the
benefit of any material advance until
the surplus disappears. The only sure
plan is to materially reduce the cotton
acreage, and TO plant grain and other
food crops, and to raise hogs, cattle and
stock at home. Unless the all cotton
mania is gotten rid of, low and ruinous
prices, must prevail to impoverish the
producer. Every consideration Of duty,
of common sense, of Self-lnterest .ap-
peal to the cotton planters Of the South
to abandon the suicidal mania Of all
cotton. OYer-production is the sole
cause of the Iulnously low price of cot
ton" The Chronicle is one of the best
posted journals in the country. Its
opinion is valuable On any subject, and
we unhesitatingly commmend Its views
as aboye expressed to our farmers. The
cotton crop of 1928 should not be
over 100000 bales. Then we might
expect return of remunerative prices,
and with them happy and prosperous
times for all our people.