Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1891-12-15
CAN YOU HOLD YOUR COTTON?
Indications Are That the Price Must Go
Upward in u Short Time.

Cotton planters all through the cottoI
producing belt are greatly discouraged
at this time. No wonder. The market
price of cotton is below the cost of pro
duction. Why this is so and how t1
remedy the trouble are the questions
with the cotton farmer. To begin with
the big crop of cotton has nothing what
ever to do with the prices just now. AL
the depression comes from the manipu
lations of spectators, and the specula
tors are being aided either accidentally
or purposely by the National Agricul-
tural bureau. Cotton has not been az
low in thirty years as it is today.
Il
There was something of a tendency
for this great staple to enhance in price
short time since, but that tendency
was killed out completely by the month
ly report of the agricultural bureau.
Just notice the last report sent out. 1t
ends up by saying that if the frost is late
and the weather good in the southwest
ern section the yield may be increased.
Now, the bear manipulators, who raise a
scare by the cry of "overproduction, y
''too big CROP" ETC., like just such
reports as this, and it may not cost them
anything. Why could not the report
have said, eff the weather is bad and
the frosts are heavy, if snow and hail
are plentiful, the yield will be much
shorter than estimated" The estimate
Sc lie 81 i,,+ RI, 1,a
No scheme has been devised and up to
this time no practical effort suggested by
which permanent relief from disas-
trous prices can be had But sometimes
there are conditions which cannot be
overcome even by the specializing Jug
glers, and when these conditions appear,
and the indications are that cotton must
advance in price, the planters ought to
know it, so they may be able to take adj
vantage of the situation. The bears are
now claiming that there are 100000 bales
of old cotton in the hands of the farmers
At the meeting Of the supreme council
recently held in Indianapolis there were
representatives from every cotton state.
Not single one of them knew anything
about this large amount Of cotton. The
claim is myth. This cotton is not in
the hands of farmers 1t is not any
where, and yet the rumor is being used
as a club with which to break the market
backbone.
All this was investigated at the In
dianapolis meeting, and after mature de-
liberation the following resolution was
offered and adopted:
Resolved, That, being in possession of facts
that are thoroughly reliable, which warrant
us in the belief that a false estimate has been
purposely made of the present crop of cotton,
we feel safe in guaranteeing better prices IL
cotton can oe held for sixty days.
The first step taken by the supreme
council of the Alliance toward effecting
permanent relief from depression of
prices may be seen in the following reso-
luton:
Whereas, The cotton growers of the south
are greatly oppressed because of the depressed
price of the raw material, caused. in measure.
from combines and speculations in futures,
but mainly from an unjust, oppressive and
discriminating financial system and a high
protective tariff on manufactured cotton ma
terials, and
Whereas, 1t is now alleged by spectators
and combines that overproduction is the prime
cause of depression in prices, when in fact we
have reason to know that the cause is not over
production but underconsumption. caused b.
inability TO buy resulting from advanced
prices of manufactured articles of cotton and
other causes as stated above, and
Whereas, Ii has been recommended by men,
bers of the Farmers Alliance in several states
in the cotton belt that the acreage be decreased
nne=fhird by the prnwer and knowing as we