The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1894-03-23
TO THE COTTON GROWERS.
soUTHERHER oN.'cHASGE ArrEALs To THE
SOUTH TO THINK AND REASON.


To the Editors Of tae State
The Cotton situation should at present
cause more thought and agitation then any
thing else with the thinking people of tho
South, and it does seem that with so many
-sh..Yd and progressive Southerncrs they
ccaiu ccrtrel the price Of cotton, which
can only be raised IN ten Southern States
Of the Union.
The Southern States should be ablo to
dictate instead Of having the price dictated
to them. Why will the South not organize,
and study more closely the law of supply
and demand? They should command the
situation and conirel their most profitable
staple. which affects their welfare more than
all political questions, to the discussion of
which so much time is given.
Which is more profitable to raise 4, 600, ,0GO
bales at II cents, or 100000 at d cents {?
Some argue that the price of cotton must
equal the cost of production. This is mis-
leading argument, because even some of the
Southern States possess >pecial advantages
SO that while at certain price some COM
munities would get n fair or small profit. the
same price would mean ruin to others. Some
farmers will say: "Wcll, make enough Of
everything to do me aud can afford to plant
the balance of my land in cotton This
extra planting is the cause Of the low price.
seems, lin my opinion,) is the merchant,
because if q laborer can borrow, buy, beg or
rent mule, he can easily rent the land,
and the merchant permits his lien - - in
proportion to the amount of land he has in
cotton. Many farmers promise TO pay big
prices for corn, provisions and other ncces-
!, sites, expecting an enormous crop of cotton
&c ..~ Scr s.-c..r.ks W.: h;- .:.c., -. ;:
and prices must necessarily be low. Thcu
the debts cannot be paid, and, of course,
general decentralization is the result.
Why cannot farmers organize some plan
which would permit only so many acres TO
be planted in cotton for each horse, and then
adhere to the rule. Diversity the crops.
Let every family raise everything at home
except what ii wears. There is no sense in
the South buying everything it uses, when
1t can be raised in that section. which nutu-
rally should be the most prosperous part of
the Union; but it seems to send North and
West for verything, because in my opinion,
II simply desires TO plant cotton. Many
farmers seom to know nothing clsc, and care
to learn nothing else.
II an organization could be formed among
Southern farmers to ,ntrol the planting CT
cotton, instead Of discus sing the silver bill
and other political questions, - or 10 cents
perpouud could easily be obtained for cotton.
Cotton is very different from wheat, in
that the latter can be grown all over the
world. Supply and demand must control
prices. When it is known how many acres
the South has planted in cotton, spinncrs
Immediately begin TO figure how low they
can buy your cotton next year. No doubt
Manchester spinncrs have representatives,
In the South pow. figuring on how many
acres you will plant, aud for how little they
can buy your cotton.
There is one point | wish especially To-
emphasize, and that is the tendency of the
South TO send out false reports in regar! &c
.he probable amount of cotton they will raise.
This works great injury to prices. Why?
Experts go South. look up the crop. estimate
the acreage and the amount you will make.
These farmers will say five bales to The
horse. The experts having taken in the Sit
uation, know positively that seven bales of
cotton wilt be made TO the horse, or at least
difference of easily 20 per cent. The re-
ports Of the farmers, who estimate the crop
ut only five bales TO the horse, are given TO
the government and many large houses,
who -end them out Then, the South, with
this false iden, will imagine that the crop is
exceedingly small, and will buy cotton. The
experts give their opinion, which is usually
correct. to many influential people, who
then sell You the cotton at high prices,
based on the estimate of five bale, to the
horse. When the time comes around for
YOU 10 sell your cotton, il is apparent that
the crop will be seven bales Il the horse, ard
you will get the low price on this basis So
you can readily see that hundreds of specu-
lators, cotton traders and merchants 1--we
and comfortably too-on your false esti-
mates of the crop.
am native Southerncr with Southern
interests aud Southern sympathies, and it is
my dearest W sh that the South may wake
up, study closer and be the once proud
and prosperous section rs in antc-bcilu n
days But unless they pull together in hnr-
mony, and all work for the Individual as
well as the general prosperity, such will not
be the case. JNO. 4. RoDDsY
OF Rodeey u Watts.