The state chronicle. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1891-1893, 1893-03-21
THE SOUTH AND COTTON.

lht SUUlH ANU JUl IUN,
THE GREAT COST OF PRODUC-
TION AND CONSUMPTION.
A Paper bv Senator George Of Interest
and Paramount Importance to
Southern Farmers.
States senate in April 1892 passed a reso
luton instructing its committee on agri-
culture to make an investigation with a
view of ascertaining tho cause of the de-
preston in agricultural products, exist
ing at that time. Senator James z
George. Of Mississippi, was made chair
man Of the sub committee to investigate !
cotton Alfred B. Shepperson was made
secretary OF Senator Georges committee. |
The scope of the investigation is very
broad and covers the matter of cotton
production and consumption of every
county, with cost of production, posi-
bilities of the extension of its culture,
etc. The work of Senator Georges com
mittee will be completed by the next
meeting of Congress On account of the
great interest of matter under considera
tion to the cotton planters and people of
the South, I have requested Senator
James z. George, of Mississippi, chair
man of the committee on agriculture,
under the new organization of the senate,
to prepare the following for publication.
Its paramount Importance calls for the
widest publicity and justlfies it's dissem-
ination blythe Southern Associated Press
newspapers. PATRICK WALcH.
To the cotton farmers of the United
States:
In the discharge of the duty i'm
posed by the United States Senate on the
Commissioner of Agriculture to investi-
gate the causes of the low price of cotton
and the remedy, 1 have made some inves
tigations. which, though as yet incom-
pIete, authorize me to state the following
cor clusions:
There are causes for these low prices
coming from legislation now in force,
and there are other causes yet to be en-
act d, it is certain, however, that those
Causes cannot be remedied in time to af
feet the price of crops now about to be
plar ted, even ended, if this force ever
can be entirely destroyed. The cotton
farmers must, therefore for the present
resort to such RENE dies as palliasives for
low prices as may come from their own
action ind pendent of legislation. The
last crop, (1S92-'93y has brought high
er price than the preceding one. This
resulted from the fact that it was much
smaller, the price would have been high
er if there had net be n large surplus
coming from the very large crop OF the
preceding years QS91-'92)
The natural rise in 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 60 900 operatives, working 81, OO0.-
600 spindles, have stopped work. The
effect of this etrike up to this date has
been to decrease The amount consumed
by the British fact ,ries since September
/ 525, 600 bales, and is likely to amount
in the near future to more tnan 100, 600
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 $50, 900 bales less
than for the same period during last
soason. This, also, Increased the surplu:
| ~
ing 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 cotton raisers of the South are con-
fronted with this serious question fol
solution: Shall we, by increased acreage
in the crop now being planted, as com
pared to the acreage of the last season
raise a crop of nine or ten million bales
and thereby glut the markets # tht
world. causing fall to the low prices O.
1891-'92 and perhaps even lower, or will
we, by reducing the acreage to the ex
tent necessary to raise all our food an(
forage crops and work animals
especially our meat, corn, horse
aud mules, increase the price O
, our cotton crop and at the same time di
minish the uses of the proceeds of tn
crop by larger reduction in the amour
heretofore applied to buy necessary sup
. plies?
There can be but one answer to thi
question in the minds of thoughtful men
J. II it be said that among so numerous
class as cotton raisers, it will be impos
sible to get up an agreement which vii
result in combined action to plant re
duced acreage in cotton, and if this
conceded, then the situation appeal
with still stronger force to each ind
. vidual farmer to decrease his own GRO
to the extent needful to raise his sup
plies, for, in case there shall not
such diminution in the acreag
as to affect materially the pric
so that the next crop
" to be low priced, one advantage
him who has wisely raised his own sur
plies will be clear and manifest b
will not have to buy high priced supple
? with the scant proceeds of low price
cotton. These proceeds will then be
the main surplus, or nearly 80, On tt
= other hand. if there shall be such gen
, eral movement in the direction of raisin
! smaller crops rs to raise the price the
al W. Contribute to 1t, in the nann'
herein indicated, will enjoy this il
\ creased price as the result of their ow
wise action, and at thu same time be el
1 empt from expenditure for suppli
which they have SO raised, after mut
+. Election upon data collected from 6
countries adapted to raising cotton.
am satisfied Of this painful truth, tn
we are never at least in this peneratiO