The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1893-03-30
To the cotton tanners Of tie United

To the cotton tanners Of tie United
States:
In the discharge of the duty i'm
posed by the United States Senate on
the Commissioner of Agriculture to
investigate the causes of the low price
of cotton and the remedy, have made
some Investigations, which, though as
yet incomplete, authorize me to state
the following conclusions
There are causes for these low
prices coming from legislation now in
force, and there are other causes yet
to be enacted, it is certain, however,
that those causes cannot be remedied
in time to affect the price of crops
now about to be planted even indeed,
if this force ever can be entirely des-
troyed. The cotton farmers must,
therefore, for the present resort to
such remedies as palliatives for low
prices as may come from their own
action independent OF legislation. The
last crop, (1So2-'90 has brought a
higher price than the preceding one.
This resulted from the tact that it was
much smaller, the prices would have
been higher if there had not been a
large surplus coming from the very
large crop of the preceding years
(1S9I-'92.)
The natural rise in the crop now
being marketed has been largely
impeded by the great strike among
operatives in the cotton factories of
England. In this strike 60, 900 opera
tives, working 100000 spindles,
have stopped work. The effect of this
strike up to this date has been to
decrease the amount consumed by the
British factories since September
1,52s,ooo bales, and is likely to
amount in the near future to more
than 100000 bales in addition. This
decrease in the demand has, by the
certain law of trade, diminished the
sale, or, which is the same thing,
prevented 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 whilst doing
an exceptionally good business they
have taken SO far $4,000 bales less
than for the same period during last
season. This, also, increased the
surplus. The prospect of another
large crop coming from increased
acreage, if that should happen, would
not only be an effectual bar to any
rise in the price but would cause still
further decline, SO that now the cot
ton raisers of the South are confronted
with this serious question for solution:
Shall we, by increased acreage in the
crop now being planted, as compared
to the acreage of the last seasons raise
crop of nine or ten million bales
and thereby glut the markets of the
world, causing fall to the low prices
of 1S9I-'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, especially 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 larger reduction in the
amount heretofore applied to buy
necessary supplies?
There can be but one answer to
this question in the minds of thought
ful men. If it be said that among SO
numerous a class as cotton raisers, it
will be impossible to get up an agree
ment which will result in combined
action to plant reduced acreage in
cotton, and if this be conceded, then
the situation appeals with still stronger
force to each individual farmer to
decrease his own crop to the extent
needful to raise his supplies, for, in
case there shall not be such diminution
in the acreage as to affect materially
the price SO that the next crop is to be
low priced, one advantage TO him who
has wisely raised his own supplies will
be clear and manifest. He will not
have to buy high priced supplies with
the scant proceeds OF low priced cot