Birmingham age-herald., 1895-09-15

taught our farmers a very important lesson, and one that ought not soon to be forgotten. Some say and contend that 5-cent cotton was blessing in disguise; that while it brought bankruptcy, debt and ruin to many, yet the experience gained has been worth millions, and has instilled into our farmers spirit of econ omy which will be of benefit for years to come
 Five-cent cotton has caused us will ingly and voluntarily to curtail the acre age planted in cotton and reduce the use of commercial fertilizers from one-third to one-half. It caused us to increase our acreage in corn, wheat, oats, peas. pO- tatoeS, etc. The result will be joyous and rich. We will produce possibly, less than 100000 bales of cotton this year, and with proper management can sell it for more than a 10000, 900 bale crop would bring. Besides, we have made this year in the cotton states, and in all the states of this union, the largest corn crop ever before produced on this continent. For the next twelve months not one of the cotton states needs to have a single car load of corn shipped from the northwest. The great state of Texas has made enough corn to do them two years or more. The corn crop of Texas was made before the excessive drouth set in, which has destroyed about one-half of the cot ton crop
 Now, in conclusion, I wish to impress J thing depends upon their own action as to the price they will get for the short crop of cotton made.
 If you rush your cotton to market and thus in the early fall months swell the receipts down the price will go and no one will be to blame for it but yourselves. If you market your cotton slowly and keep down the receipts at the ports high CT prices are sure to come. Nothing but large or small receipts will govern prices in the near future. We will have at least 6,000,0 900 bales of cotton to sell and the increased consumption of cotton in the world will need several millions of bales more than we can possibly supply. We have the matter of price of this growing crop in our own hands. Ii is with us to exercise wisdom and act our part for one time.
 1 advise that no cotton be marketed during the next sixty to ninety days. ex- cept to meet debt and actual demand. Ii you hold your cotton until November and December and will then market it slowly. you are sure to get 10 cents or more for every pound of it.
 Next year continue to curtail your acreage and use of fertilizer make all your provisions at home and choose to do as you have been compelled to do this year against your will and your next crop of cotton will bring 10 cents and more per pound and the southern farm CTS will once more be prosperous, happy people.
 There is another consideration of great interest to farmers everywhere. It is eV- dent that export cotton is now looked to as the only means of bringing gold to this country from Lombard street, Lon don, this winter and next spring It is the foreign commerce in cotton in the winter and spring months, as with wheat in the winter and fall months that assists to give to the speculators control over our money that is abnormal and ruinous. I cannot here argue the point, but if farmers control the staple market season to make it twelve months long rather than three months, as now, they will give currency reform a tremendous impulse the whole world over. If speculators fail to control cotton and wheat they can not control gold or dictate currency laws.
 k. r. KOLB.
 Birmingham, Ala, Sept. IA, 1895.