The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1895-03-13
Less Cotton; More Corn.
The Advice Of Alfred B
Shepperson to the South.

WASHINGTON. March 3 The follow
ing is a copy of a letter written to
cotton growers by Alfred B. Shopper
SON, editor of Cotton Facts" and
secretary of the subcommittee on cot
ton of the Senate committee on agricul-
ture
WASHINGTON, March 3, 1895
To the Cotton Growers Of the South
| have no pecuniary interest what
ever 10 the cotton market and it is well
known to prominent merchants all over
the country that never had any. AS
a close observer of all matters pertain
ing to cotton, | have thought it would
not be deemed out of place to present
to the cotton growers of the country
some facts aud suggestions concerning
the cotton situation.
The price Of middling cotton in New
York is now 5 GIG per pound, against
I 5.8 cents on March /, 1894, while
corn is uow As cents per bushel 10 Chi
cago, against So cents a year ago.
The decline in cotton is over 20 per
cent, while the advance in corn is 81
per cent. New York quotations for
cotton and the Chicago quotations for
corn, however, Go not really present
the economic aspect Of the matter IN
it's strongest light, as the cotton grower
does not receive the necessary price for
his cotton, but actually gets very much
less, as freight to New York and all
handling and selling charges aud the
cotton buyers profits have to be de-
Quoted, so that the planter at present
prices only obtains about 4 cents per
pound for middliug cotton and the
crop will not average so high 10 quality
as that grade Neither does be get at
the Chicago price the corn he has to
buy, as freight and charges and usually
a large profit are added to the Chicago
price. so that to-day the Southern
farmer who buys corn instead Of raising
it, has to pay SIS to 70 cents per ousbel
for it..
Corn is the most important cereal for
the South, as its abundance and cheap
ness insure ample food for the farm
ers and their animals, while an INSULT
cient supply aud high prices Involve the
opposite results. The Southern cotton
growers obtain a large proportion of
their grain and meat from other sec
tons Of the country. Confronted now
with a large shrinking in the vaiue of
cotton, coiDcideut with a great apprcla-
ton 10 the value of corn, the situation
seems to imperatively demand of the
cotton growers a reduction this spring
of the acreage to cotton aud increase
in the acreage given to food
and forage crops. The present depres-
sion iu cotton is due in a great part to
the very large stock 10 the European
and American markets aud the fear
| that the acreage in cotton will not be
reduced this year Notwithstanding the
fact that the spinuers have bought
much more cotton than last season the
stocks 10 the European and American
markets are 400, 600 bales more than at
this time last year.
The price of Gotten is at the lowest
point since 1913, aud a large crop this
year would undoubtedly send it still
lower. Every planter knows that pre-
sent prices OF cotton are much below the
average cost of production.
Ia view OF the facts stated, | earnest
~ recommend as manifestly for the
best interests of the cotton growers Of
the country a very material curtallueu:
of cotton acreage this spring, and an
increase 10 all food and forage crops.
and that greater attention be given to
the raising of live stock and farm, All
mails. Food crops Of every description
should be raised on all farms, and cot
ton should be made a surplus or money
crop It is probable that a moderate
cotton crop this year will sell for act
ually more moaey than a large crop.
Very respectfully,
ALFRED 3. STEPHENSON.