The Monticellonian., 1894-11-30

from year to year, and in consequence thereof
 buyers occupy vantage ground from which they can regulate the market and dictate prices As l stated above, our crop has in- | creased 2S2 per cent since the war.
 During this period the total actual consump-
 tfon of the world has only increased IF per cent, or at rate less than haf that at which | our production has increased.
 SOUTHERN PROSPERITY MYTH The boomers who figure out in glowing ar l ticles the rapid increase of southern wealth may doupt that we are poor-they might be | right so far as mines and factories and railroads and towns are concerned, but everyone knows that the farming com manifestations engaged in cotton growing are getting poorer and poorer year by year. There are fewer carriages before church doors l on Sunday than there was quarter of a cen tury ago. Old homesteads are falling into de- cay, and stand gloomy monuments to our | improvidence Our gallant southern boys are leaving the old plantation homes to the ne- | groes, while they seek to mend this broken fortunes in q more promising field. The coun- | try gentleman of ante-bellum days Is figure ] of the past and to-day bears festfvely the l eritique applied to a "Don Caesar de Bazan '" | who, though brave, loyal and magnanimous. is 1 living under the cloud of poverty, and what was once the nearest approach to an aristoc- racy that ever existed in republican form of government can not now deny the imputation cast at them Of shabby genteel.n
 How could 1t De otherwise? Since 1921, for i've out of seven decades. together with the constant increase Of our cotton crop, prices | have steadily decreased; the exceptions were the decades from 1851 to 1860, when California and Australia poured out their streams of gold and raised foodtide of prosperity the world over Then cotton obeying the upward ten- dency rose in common with other things. Q The other was the war decade when our pro- ductioh was cut off over one-half, and prices rose as high as Sl50 per pound. In 1870 the average price Of cotton for the decade then was IS cents per pound; for the ensuing twenty | years the prices averaged 1214 cents, This col | lapse can be attributed to but one cause It is | this: In 1871 we had sOO0000 acres in cotton, which produced average 209 pounds of lint per acre, s35.42; steadily, year by year we | increased our acreage, until in 1890 we planted 100000 acres, yielding an average of l744 pounds of lint per acre worth si9.1l. Here is more than double work done, the cost of wages and material remaining the same, and the value of the gross product RIG 3l less per acre. For the Inst thirty years our crops have seld for S505 coo 000 The 22t0 Oo0- bale crop Of 1866 sold for Si12244O GOO The 7sl3 O00- bale crop Of 1889 brought only S372 ie1 0oO and the cost of production was about the same.
 It is evident that the world has about S4oa,- 0090o0 to spend annually with us for the mate rial for their clothing.
 If we send out q 4,0oo OO0- bale crop they will pay about the same for it and they will com pete among themselves for the products. If we send out an 5000 Oo0-bale crop they pay the same sum and leave to compete among ourselves for tho cash. The average price in the eight cotton states to produce a pound of lint cotton is 7i4 cents at the gin 1 house; to transport and sell 1t at the near est market town .62; the difference between the price there and the New York quotation will not average less than .63; sa cents New York prices iS the cost of DToduPiug pOund of Int cotton.
 It will be remembered by all that only few years ago, coffee was being sold at eight pounds for the dollar. Now, you will do well to get four pounds for the same money. We are ad- yiScd by one who made q study Of this subject and is in position to know that the downward tendency of coffee was produced by overpro- duetion. 50 great was the crop that the mar ket was glutted and the purchase price did not pay for the cultivation and handling; as a re suit many became so poor that they were forced to give it up and many quit on account Of annually losing money; thereupon the pro- duetion Of coffee fell suddenly on and the pur- chase price doubled in incredibly short time
 The convention at Montgomery adjourned to meet at Jackson, Miss, on the second WedneS- day in January, 1895. when and where We will endeayor to go Into permanent organization under the name of the Southern Cotton Grow CTS Protective association.
 The various governors of the states will be requested to appoint four delegates from each congressional district and three from each state at large, The commissioners of aRrt- culture were elected vice presidents for their respective states. urge upon all farmers and others interested In this movement, to attend the meeting at Jackson, as 1t is question of the grayest importance to the common country.
 Most respectfully yours,
 HECTOR D. LANE,