The Russellville Democrat., 1893-03-30
PLANT LESS COTTON.
Senator George of Mississippi Address
 es Wise Words to the Farmers.

In the discharge of duty impos- ed by the United States Senate on the Committee on Agriculture, to investigate the cause of the low prices of cotton and the remedy, l have made some investigations, which, though as yet incomplete, authorize me to state the following conclusions
 That there are causes for this low price, coming from legislation now in force, and there are other causes coming from needful legislation yet to be enacted.
 It is certain, however, that these cases cannot be remedied in time to effect the price of the crop now about to be planted, even, indeed, if their force ever can be entirely destroyed. The cotton farmers must, therefore, for the present resort to such rene dies or palliatives for low prices as may come from their own action in dependent of legislation. The last crop (1s92-93) has brought higher price than the proceeding one. This resulted from the fact that it was much smaller. The price would have been higher if there had not been large surplus over the needs of the consumption, coming from the very large crop of the preceding year (1891 -l892). The natural rise in the price in the crop now being marketed has been largely impeded by the great strike among the op- eratives in the cotton factories of England. In this strike, 60,000 op- eratives, working 2l,000 spindles, have stopped work. The effect of this strike up to this date has been to decrease the amount consumed by British factories since September 155,0000 bales, and it is likely to amount in the near future to more than 100000 bales in addition. This decrease in the demand has by a certain law of trade diminished the price, or which is the same thing, prevented the full rise, which would have otherwise come from the small crop.
 American spinners carried over from last season an unusually large stock of cotton, having bought large Iy at the low prices prevailing in the spring and summer, and whilst do ing an exceptionally good business, they have taken so far $50, ,000 bales less than for the same period during last season. This also increased the surplus.
 The prospect of another large crop, coming from increased acre age, if that should happen, would not only be an effectual bar to any rise in the price, but would cause further decline So, that now the cotton raisers in the South are con fronted with this serious question for solution: Shall we, by increas- ed acreage in the crop now being planted, as compared to the acreage of that last year, raise crop of nine or ten million bales and thereby glut the market of the world, causing fall to the low price of 1S9l-92, and perhaps even lower, or will we, by reducing the acreage to the extent necessary to raise all our food and forage crops and work animals-es pecially our meat, corn, horses and mules-increase the price of our cot ton crop and at the same time dimin- ish the uses of the proceeds of the crop by a large reduction in the amount heretofore required to buy necessary supplies?
 There can be but one answer to this question in the minds of thoughtful men. If it be said among so numerous class as cot ton raisers, it will be impossible to get an agreement which will result in combined action to plant reduc- ed acreage in cotton; and if this be conceded, then the situation appeals with still stronger force to each in dividual farmer to decrease his own crop to the extent needful to raise his supplies, for in case there shall not be such a decrease in acreage as to effect materially the price so that the next crop is to be a low priced one, the advantage to him who wise ly raised his own supplies will be clear and manifest. He will not have to buy high-priced supplies with the seant proceeds of low-price- ed cotton. These proceeds will then be in the main surplus or nearly so. On the other hand, if there shall be such a general movement in the direction of raising smaller crop as to raise the price, then all who contribute to it in the manner herein indicated will enjoy this in creased price as the result of their own wise action, and at the same time be exempt from the expendi lures for the supplies which they have so raised. After much re- fieetion upon data collected from all adapted to raising cotton, l am satisfied on this painful truth That we are never, at least in this to have generally the high prices for cotton we once had. Cotton will never, but in exceptional and short periods, be high enough to warrant the producer to rely upon 1t as the means of purchasing sup plies, which can be raised at home.
 Very Respectfully,
 C.. Z GEORGE.