The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1893-03-30
KEEP THE ACREAGE DOWN
GOOD ADVICE TO THE COTTON
GROWERS OFTHE SOUTH.

1nO"GhS Of f1E SUI n.
The Strike In England Makes tho Supply
of Cott IN More than tho Dem and-A Big
Crop Next Year Will Moan Empty Pc ck-
cts for the Farmers.
AUGUSTA, Ca, March 22.--The fol-
lowing letter, addressed to Hon. Patrick
Walsh. Editor of the Chronicle of this
city, and published in that paper some
days ago, will be of interest to your
readers:
COTTON EXCHANGE BUILDING,3
NEW YORK, March ii, 1893.
Hon. Patrick Walsh, Augusta, Ga.
MY DEAR SIR: OF the as, 900 600 cot
ton spindles of Great Britain twenty .one
million (2l ,000,000) are standing still
and sixty thousand (60,OOO) mill opera
tlves are Idle to-day as result of the
strike in Lancashire. This great strug.
gle between the operatives and mill own
ers commenced November 3, and, hav-
ing already continued nineteen weeks, is
the longest strike ever experienced in
the cotton manufacturing industry OF
Great Britain. Confident homes were
entertained that the differences would
be settled and work resumed TODAY.
but the negotiations were unsuccessful
and present indications are that the
strike will certainly continue several
weeks longer.
The strike has caused a reduction in
the consumption of cotton by the British
mills OF fully five hundred thousand
(5OO,OOO) bales of 400 pounds net.
This is not the full measure of the
reduction, for before the strike is ended
probably 100000 more bales may be
addsd to the direct deduction due to the
suspension of work. while perhaps au.
other 100000 bales may be added by
reason OF the effect on the home trade of
80 great loss OF wages by operatives.
1t may be safely assumed that the reduc.
tlon IN the cotton consumption of Great
Britain owing to the strike may reach
seven hundred thousand GOO, ,OOO) bales.
1t Is therefore not difficult to account
tor decline in this market since Novem.
bes rs OF cent pound in spite OF the
TACT that the smallness of the American
crop is now evident to everyone.
Since the inception of this great strike
1T has been watched day by day by the
spipners of both continents, and az it
progressed they have bought sparingly,
feeling that its long continuance must
reduce prices. Since September lst our
Northern spinners have taken three
hundred and fifty 'housand (35O,OOO)
t%e aeS ast stS sean we scorrespopanS s,po
cotton cote nao are 1hoS tn Sn ss s7A Iargsr Than
ihe etGcL ~ of 80 - .,,is becorG eV.unl.I os Una.
sn;nnssa snG s1ock OF tn cotton b bvs American
epmaiSasoi1 epmn1as a. tt he endost season were
posed. Lookifs larger0' tGa iu',a,y conntries HIp
which use Ameflt. a cotton it will be
seen that except in Cur own country
(where cotton manufacturers are
doing an active and profit.
able business) the cotton spinning
industry Is not in a hopeful Or prosper
GUS condition. Naturally the continental
splnners must have done considerably
more business than would have fallen to
them but for the enforced idleness of so
many British spindles, and yet my
friend, Mr.. Thomas Ellison, OF Liver.
pool, estimates the present continental
consumption as one thousand bales OF
cotton per week less than last year.
Prices are regulated by supply and
demand, and in this age Of electricity
the prospective supply is considered as
Iuliy as the present st 0cks, and people
hgure on the prospective supply Of cot
ton even before the seed is planted.
The time for cotton planning is near at
hand. From many sections, and especial
lY from the Southwest, there are indica.
tlons OF a considerable increase in cotton
acreage. Such advices havesbeen cabled
to Europe and have added to an alread,
depressed condition of affairs. Many
people do not realize 10 what an extent
the weather conditions influence
the extent OF the cotton crop, and will
jump at once to the conclusion that an
increase of Is to. II per cent in acreage
(that being about the reduction last
year) would give us crop OF 100000
to 100000 bales. With least prob
ability OF such crop everyone would
expect a lower range of prices and pres.
ent values could not be maintained.
The Idea of an advance would be hope
less.
When the fact Of the reduction of cot
ton acreage last season and its resultant
small crop was fairly grasped by the
public last fall the price of cotton ad
Vanced three cents per pound. That
sfould be ali object lesson to cotton
growers as showing that short cror
means long price. They hau al, eadl
had bitter experience of the truth oj
the converse ofthe proposition thai larger
crops mean very small prices. The
world does not require large crop OF
American cotton this coming year, and
will not use such a crop except at low
prices. Planters should understand the
matter. Outside of America the pros,
poets of cotton spinners ure not satislac
tory. Of last seasons crop U80l.92)
our mills took 1856, 900 balses and they
may not take over 2,G00,0 900 bales dur
Ing the present season. Consider how
large proportion OF our crop is mark
eted an how dependent the price must
be upon the prosperity Of the European
spinriers!
Befo'e The planting of the last crop it
is known to you that to my limited op.
portunlties l urged the planters of the
South TO reduce their acreage IN cotton
and TO devote more land TO food crons