The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1893-04-20
THURSDAY, APRIL, 20, 1898.
THE COTTON SITUATION.

It iB very evident that tic aprcalS OF rep.
resentativc men, men who can fOresco the
disastrous effect Of an over production of
cotton, such men as Alfred B. Shepperson,
VI sheNcw York cotton exchange and Scna.
ttr.Georgs, to the southern farmers to plant
less cotton will have no moro effect this
year than similar efforts in the past. Near
ly complete reports from Georgia show that
the cotton acrcuge in that State, instead Of
being reduced, is 10 per ccut larger than in
1899. A largely increased acreage is also
reported from the Mississippi valley and
Texas, thelargc cotton belts and the sit
uution is much the same in Moth Carolina
and South Carolina. The great trouble
seems to be that every farmer wants some
body else to plant less cotton, 80 that he
may get higher price for large crop
himself, aud he 'trusts to luck that, some
how or other, there will bc n smaller acre
age in the whole south, Of which lie may
reap the benefits.
This is the hardest problem that the South
has to solve today, and it seems to us that
here lies great work for the alliance
That organization has for its main object
the financial prosperity Of tho people, and
II they would deal with tins question as
they should. much would be accomplished
along this line end tic, prosperity of. the
county at large materially advanced.
Ror several years the people have been
restless and have been led to believe by
schcmiDg politicians that the government
and the mOnicd men of tho world were res.
ponslblc for their failures and the dcprcss-
ion OF the price Of cotton. 1t ls true that
money will lave its weight in controlling
tho markets, but the people seem to forget
the fact that the more of commodity
there is less is the tsemnnd for it. The SUP.
ply is the controlling factor of the cotton
market or any other market. Take as an
evidence and illustration the melon CROP
In the early spring melons bring handsome
prices because they arc few, but wait until
the markets arc ilC odcd with them in the
summer months and the melon that sold
for fifty cents three months before and
while they were scarce, can be bough for
five cents. Why do they become 80 chcap?
IL IS not bcacusc OF Il scarcity of money. ,.or
because the "moncy Kings" of the world
will not buy them. but because there arc
more than the people want or can consume.
30 it is with cotton or any thing else The
trouble is the cotton States have got to
producing more cotton than can be consum
cd or that is demanded for the needs of the
world.
Whenever thcryisa large production of
cotton then the price goes down and tho
people are ready and eager to jump at the
suggestions of tho politicians that the
"money Kings" and the government is the
cause Of 1t. A great revolution follows,
the people arc ready to believe ANYTHING
that third rate politician says even almos,
10 the extent that the government should
support the people instead of the people
supporting the government.
If the alliance really wants to benefit the
people it should try to control their furm-
ing interests as well as their votes, and de.
wise some way by which more system is to
be used and regulate TIC production of cot |
ton and other crops. If tho alliance would
give as much attention to this matter rs !. !
has TO politics. the sub.trcasury scheme, the |
government ownership and cOn.pol of tcle-
graph and telephone lines; and other meas
ures of like p,'rpRr, we would soon see a
prosperous, happy and contcntltd people.
Est tho alliance now give its attention to
some OF the real needs OF the people and
begin at the root OF the evil. 1t can accom-
pish something and this, we th,nk, is the {
greatest need of today {