Huntsville gazette., 1894-12-01
EXIT KING COTTON.
o-srproduction the Cause Of Low
Prices for the Staple.
u.isadiug and I3ullish Estimates Of thu
r,op-Planters Urged to Reduce tho
output and Turn Their Atten-
tion to Cereals.

MONIdOMEh1s 1NlC.s ANONs ~ -ho ~ ~
ultofthe action of the Cotton-Growers'
convention, which recently met in this
city. the following letter was sent out:
IA THE COTTON GROWERS OF THE SOUTH
:, conformity with a resolution passed by the
-acent Cotton Growers convention, convened
/ tbe city Of Montgomery on the 18th OF No
r.mher. address you the following letter:
The convention was called by myself for the
,nrrose Of considering and devising means
,bropgh which southern cotton growers might
T-o,ect themselves from the many and unfair
asvices used to depresS the values of our chief
s,anle the present most prominent one being
sctitious reports fabricated in the main cotton
rarts sent out by cotton exchanges, and ema-
,atiDg in the minds Of men who make pre-
rarioas living as bears on the cotton market
.lack OF space viii prevent my celebrating
rnon these points, and 1 will make 1t suffice
s.uply to quote the resolution upon this sub
M passed by the recent conventions:
BE it resolved by this (the Southern Cotton
! enwers0 association, that it is the earnest
.,ryiction Of the members of the convention,
,S practical cotton growers, that the estimates
| tbgt are being sent out by the cotton ex-
. changes in reference to the crop are excess
sYe and it is the belief of this coventlon,
based upon practical observation and the pest
tatistical information, that the present crop
Eil rot exceed $500 000."
AN ovERESTIMATE.
| Mr. Neill, Of New Orleans, is one Of the gen.
tn who is contributing his time and talent TO-
yards the depression Of cotton values and 10
he detriment of the entire south. He figures
the crop for the present season at l0,2oo,oVo
bales, That his predicateS are fictitious ana
| bis figures excessive no reasonable man doubts.
The large crop of 1922, which with the
amount left over from 1S90-91, reached 9,O40,-
go bales, was produced on an acreage 100000
acres larger than that planted in lS94-taking
the Financial Chronicles estimate in both
instances In 1891 the production was 203
| Mounds per acre, whereas the official condition
| indicated a crop of only 1s5 pounds; the in
crease therefore, was just 10 per cent. Here it
should be noted. at no time since 1889 has the
bureaus estimate varied SO greatly from the
| actual production. On similar basis the con-
| dion as reported by the bureau in 1894 indi-
:ates a crop Of 1893 pounds to the acre; add 10
per cent to this and the product will have
sen 9l3 pounds, or As of bale, and with an
acreage OF 20,107000 acres we have crop Of q
faction over 100000 bales.
The rule Of indicated production applied to
Gh state separately, to which is added the in
aa'e in acreage and the per cent, condition
hRreaSe as before, the total .rop aggregates
;ltW0 bales, and this sum is reached by ac-
Geiiting Texas with crop of $500, 900 bales
Ibis year.
It is hardly possible that the departments IS
condition indication will be as much under the
actual Outturn as in 1891, since large part OF
aecrop Of that year was, really produced in
l% In fact, the average of the conditions OF
t1e bureau for five years indicates exactly the
actual average production per acre for the five
yearS Again, the crop marketed in 1891
showed excessive production per acre, but Mr.
sell would have the world believe that the
alO1OO0 acres in cotton i'll 1894 have produced
A&9@0 bales; or over one bale to every two
ARES"
Consequent upon the enormous crop pro-
cleed in the season of 1912 q cotton conven-
t0l was held in Memphis under the auspices
dthe Mississippi Valley Cotton-Growers' as
@clatlon and its result as was the result OF
he recent convention at Montgomery, was
@nently satisfactory to all engaged in it.
me express purpose of this meeting was to
axe action toward the reduction of the cotton
RFeasc How well it succeeded in this effort,
lSt0ry OF cotton will bear US out. A decrease
4acreage followed the ensuing seasons-'92
aud S-of 3.456 439, al acreage that is larger
nan Is planted in aDy one state with the ex-
fplion Of Texas
Pursuant to the Memphis cotton convention,
@'ton advanced Il points in three days. Pur-
Nant to the Montgomery meeting, cotton
iues advanced q points. Whether these
occurrences were coincidental, or
ether they were caused directly or
aarectly BY these farmers in convention
NNPnhlp1
age but to my mind il is practical demon
1aton OF fact that the vibrations of the
a'on market are as sensitive and responsive
9ihe touch Of a convention Of practical farm
S as they are to manipulations of metropolis
IN iakirS
me dominating questions confronting the
allerS are, first TO refute the iniquitous re-
NIlS being sent out by unscrupulous persons,
l. Oearlh8 down present prices, and, second
'"eo-operate in an endeavor to again de-
Sase the average by planting the same in
Y producing more 'non-consumption" crops.
ADVICE TO PLANTERS.
reproduction encourages and fosters
1upulallon, and 1t should be the effort to
e5 intelligent and patriotic citizen of the
| ~ y enlist all the instrumentalities avail
~ 20 resist this current that is insidious-
uay by day drifting us into this
~V4 ot poverty and destitution, and L re-
",4!eily solicit the power Of the press and
AAu cooperation of all those interested in
t--aletlal welfare of the south for their as
sue IN the accomplishment of this con-
ua'lon so devoutly to be wished
~ ne present low prices OF cotton are
~. ,,.nal IS plain to all thinking men, and GER
49, -3 10 II the well-accepted rule of political
lrnf,1iA
suuFiion OF an article is fair standard of its
1T y less visible supply on hand than for
MiIs nave less on hand, people have
laFd times. y -
~ 1s Total visible supply of cotton in the
- --Z'@o0 bale less than in 1898, and COS
III than in 1892
rS...I IeAcy and tariff questions are virtu-
n, ,t.''ed- and all the indications at present
III Y speedy return of general PROSPERITY.
r ''0H prices must naturally rule higher.
IT,. ate OF the opinion that, after all, this
s,..Seddiu edu ehly be accomplished by independ-
ralvldual action stimulated by intelligent
a. ~ y,oa'' ana shall undertake to prove that
gra,..oa ,.a' extent that it is the overproduction
s- "a excess OF its consumption that is
asheS5 .le ~ falling of in values until it has
d n ae1 pclnt which makes it less than
&atfyS tsyS'Ioiy re produced by the southern
!. II year the rin was invented. cotton eopiva
su ~. bsoout 1850 of our bales was exported
sleS soath, By 1920 the crop was $50 .O0O
rs MAI, i''o me first crop of i,0000D bales
q grsro for the decade ending 1870
ias 8r<, Increased TO 100000 q wear.
s2 MI :, rVCo's0 bale crop was reached in
& eroS =. e decade ending 1850 shows an aver
- -l9J wv bales 4 & fshl n0l nro1, M :