St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1893-03-25
WHY COTTON IS CHEAP.

who since April last, unuct Tue IeELns
Of aSenate resolution, has been en-
gagged in an investigation of the
causes Of agricultural depression
prevailing in the cotton states, has
prepared an address to the cotton
farmers Of the United States. I'M
view Of the importance Of the ques-
ton and urgency in connection with
the planting Of next years crop, so
soon to be entered upon, Senator
George has thought proper to give
immediate publicity to the conclu-
sions he has arrived at. They are
as follows:
To the Cotton Farmers Of the
United States: In the discharge Of
duty imposed by the United States
Senate in committee Of agriculture,
to investigate the causes Of low
price OF cotton and the remedy, l
have made some Investigations,
which, though as vet 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, how
ever, that these causes cannot be
remedied in time to affect the price
of the crop now to be planted, even.
indeed, il their forces ever can be
entirely destroyed. The cotton
farmers must. therefore, for the
present, resort to such remedies or
palliat,ves for low prices as may
come from their own action lnde-
penden: of the legislation.
The last crop (1892-93) has
brought . higher price than the pre-
ceding one. This resulted from
the fact that it was much sma Her.
The price would still have been
higher If there had not been large
surplus over the needs of cOnsump-
ton coming from the very large
crop Of the preceding year, 1891
%. The natural rise in the price
Of the crop now being marketed has
been largely impeded by the great
strike among the operatives in the
cotton factories in England. In
this strike 10000 operatives work
ing Fl 600, 900 spindles have stop
ped work. The effect of this strike
up to date has been to decrease the
amount consumed by British facto-
ries since Sept. l, $500 bales,
and it is likely to amount in the
near future to more than 100, 900
dales in addition. This decrease in
the demand has by q certain law Of
trade diminished the price, and pre-
vented the full rise which would
otherwise have come from the small
crop.
American. spinners carried over
from last season
An UNUSUALLY LARGE STOCK
Of cotton, having bought heavily
At the low prices prevailing in the
spring and summer, and while do
ing an exceptionally good business
they have taken SO far $50, 900
bales less than the same period du-
ring last season. This also increas-
ed the surplus.
The prospect OF another large
crop coming from increased acreage,
if that should happen, would not
only be an effectual bar to any rise
in the price, but would cause q still
further decline. So that now the
cotton raisers of the South are con-
sronted with the serious question:
Shall we, by increased acreage in
the crop now being planted, as COM
pared to the acreage Of that of last
year. raise = crop Of nine OF. ten
million bales and thereby glut the
markets Of the world, causing . fall
to the low prices Of 1892, and
perhaps even lower, or will we, by
reducing the acreage to the extent
necessary to raise all our food and
work animals-especislly our meat,
corn, horses and mules-increase
the price Of our cotton crop and at
the same time diminish the uses of
the proceeds Of the crop by . large
reduction in the amount heretofore
applied to buy necessary supplies!
There can be but one answer to
this question in the minds OF thought
full men. II it be said, among SO
numerous . class OF cotton raisers.
it will be impossible to. get an
agreement which will result in COM
bined action to plant q reduced
acreage in cotton. and il this be
conceded, then the situation ap-
peals with still stronger force to
each individual farmer to
DECREASE HIS OWN CROP
to the extent needful to raise his
supplies, for il there shall not be
such a diminution in the acreage as
to affect materially the price 20 that
the next crop is TO be . low-priced
one, the advantage to him who wise
~ raised his own supplies will be
clear aud manifest. He will not
have to buy high-priced supplies
with the scant proceeds Of low
priced cotton. The proceeds will
then be in the main . surplus, or
nearly 50.
On the other hand. IL there shall
be such . general movement in the
direction Of raising . smaller crop
Is to raise the price, then all who
contribute to it in the manner here
in indicated will enjoy this increased