The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1893-09-20
Outlook for Farmers.

Outlook for Farmers.
''The first day Of January next will
find the farmers of the cotton grow
ing States in better condition
than they have been before since the
war.
These were the sanguine and cheer.
full words Of an Augusta business
man uttered yesterday in all soberness
and earnestness. IT am not saying
that simply because it is pleasanter
to say this than to say times are hard
and getting harder, but 1 ain speak
ing thoughtfully and seriously. I
have never known so bright an out
look for tho farmers since l have
been in business, and prosperous
times for the farmers means pros
porous business year therefore l
say that if everything continues in ac-
cordanec with the present outlook, and
no unforeseen disaster occurs to change
the current of events tho South
ern States are about to enter
upon season of unexampled prosper
ity.
These are pleasant things to hear
and they are all the pleasanter for
having back Of them good reasons for
their fulfllment. The cotton crop
just made is figured at 6,717 900 bales,
not a bale more than there is ready
demand for, if there had not been so
much old cotton brought forward from
the big crops of the past few years.
But as it is, the increase in consump-
tion which will follow upon the start
ing up of all the idle spindles and the
steady addition Of new mills will dispose
of the present crop and the residue of
the old crops by the end Of the new
cotton year. If the next crop be like
the present one, only equal to the ac-
tual demand for consumption. 10 cents
pound will be cheap for it. The
farmers have prosperity within easy
reach now, and they have but to con-
tinue for another year in the path they
have followed with such notable cou-
rage and self-denial for the past
few years. It will be easier to do be-
cause they are beginning to see the
wisdom Of the endless preaching they
have had for the past. ten years. The
beneficial result Of living at home, and
planting what they need to live on is
too manifest to need additional argu-
ment.
Farmers are in comparative inde-
pendence this year, who, if they had
continued the all-cotton policy would
be in absolute bondage. They have
found that with all they need
to eat at homo the price Of cot
ton is not such an all-importont mat
ter.
| Farmers have been learning econo-
my in earnest in the past few
years, and each succeeding crop
| has beeh made more cheaply than its
| predecessor. This years crop is the
cheapest crop ever made in the South,
perhaps, and the farmers will have a
better start on next years crop in the
| shape of supplies than ever before.
Cotton is bringing good prices and the
tone Of the market is strong and
healthy. There is no wisdom in hold
ing back the crop as it simply delays
the coming of livelier trading, and
better times, and does not i1is-
lead anybody as to the size of
the crop. The men whose business
it is to buy the crop keep posted as to
the size of it, and cannot be misled
by the holding Of it back from the
market. They know what is obliged
to come forward sooner or later, and
they can withhold the. price as easy
as the farmer can the cotton.
Bat the farmers will get fair prices
for their cotton this year, and big
prices next year if they hold the crop
down again to six and a half million
bales. Having all their supplies for
their stock, and plenty of corn at
home for meal, and a number of them
with plenty of meat, they will have
more money this year to spend tor
clothes and improved farm imple-
ments. They have been economizing
SO rigidly for the past few years that
they will need clothing and household
untensils, and they will have some
money to spend in that way. This
means d good trading year and this
added to the money that will come
from other sections seeking Southern
investment gives every promise OF
good times. There is ground for the
statement quoted above that "the first
day of January will find the farmers
of the cotton growing States in
better condition than they have
/ been before since the war. "-Augusta