The free press. (Poplarville, Miss.) 1890-19??, 1893-03-30
WHY COTTON Is CHEAP.
SENATOR GEORGE INVESTIGATES
THE CAUSES OF DEPRESSION.

cau.es of agricultural depression
ureysiling in the cotton States, has
prepared all address to the COTTON
farmers of the Unit d States. In
view of the importance OF the ques-
ton and ure eucy in connection with
the planting of next years crop
so soon to be entered upon, Sena-
tor George has thought proper 10
give immediate publicity to the con
illusions he has arrived at. They
are as follows:
To THE CoTToN FARMERS OF
THE UNITED STATES: In the dis
charge OF duty imposed by the
United States Senate on the com
mii.ee of agriculture, 20 Investigate
the canses Of the low price CT cots
ton and the remedy, | have made
some Investigations, whlch1thouGh
a. We. Incomplete authorize me 10
state the following conclusions:
That there are causes for fh's
low price, coming from legislation
now in free, aud there are other
causes, coming from neediul iegls-
lation yet TO be enacted. Ii Is GERS
tain, however, that these causes
cannot be remedled in time TO affect
the price of the crop now about TO
be planted, even, indeed, II their
force ever can be entirely Destroy
ed. The cotton farmers must, for
the present, resort to such remedies
or palliative for low prices as may
come from their own action indie
pendent OF the legislation
The last crop. (iS92-93 has
brought a higher price than the
preceding one. This resulted from
the facJ that it was much smaller.
The price would have been higher
if there had not been large sur
plus over the needs of c0nsump-
ton coming from the very large
crop OF the preceding year, 1891
92. Tie 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 Of England.
In this strike 10000 operatives
working 21,000,0O0 spind es have
stopped work. The effect of this
strike up to this date has been TO
decrease the amount consumed by
British factories since September
|, 525. 900 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, and prevented the full rise
which would otherwise have come
from the small crop.
American spinuers carried over
from last season All unusually large
stock of cotton, having bought
heavily at the low prices prevailing
in the Spring and Summer, and
while doing an exceptionally good
business they have taken SO far
100000 bales less than for the same
period during lasl 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 a still
further decline. So that pow the
cotton raisers Of the South are con-
fronted with the serious question.
Snail We, by incl eased acreage in
the crap Low being planted, as
compared to The acreage of that of
lest ear, raise crop ofnine or ten
million bales and thereby glut the
ma, kets of the world. causing a fall
to the prices of 1912, and per.
haps even lower, OF will we, by re-
ducing the acreage 10 the extent
necessary to raise all our food and
work aninals-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 a large
reduction Ia the amount heretofore
applied 10 bay necessary supplies
There can be but one answer to this
question in the minds OF thought.
full men. If it be said among 50
numerous class of cotton raisers
1t will be impossible to get an
agreement which will result in com
bined action TO plant reduced
acI cage in cotton, and If this be
conceded, then the situation appeals
with still stronger force each midi.
yldual farmer to decrease his own
crop to the extent needful to raise
bis supplies, for if there shall not
be such diminution in the acreage
as to effect materially the price SO
that the next crop ls to be lows
priced one, the advantage to him
who wisely raised his own supplies