The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-04-11

Z WIN the Price OF cotton rise or fan ~
I remain about where 81 is from now un.l
y The opening OF the next cotton season.
That rs a question concerning which th1-c
3 great deal OF speculation. Under The
/ Gate Of ADra .. Mr.. Alfred b. Shepperson
/ the ven known authority on cotton. in an
article which appears in the last issue OF
7 the Dry Goods Economist, expresses the
/ opinion that the larger supply Of cotton
rhls year does not justify so great a de-
cline IN cotton as has taken place. He
says that Although $4,000 bales Of Ameri-
/ can cotton have come into sight IN excess
OF the movement to abe corresponding time
last year, it has been so fully absorbed
that the Visible supply IN the world is only
about $1,000 bales greater than al this time
last year
The consumption IS very much greater
Jhan Sc was At this period last year II
lis. according 10 Mr.. Shepperson's esti-
mate. fully 5000 bales a week greater.
Notwithstanding this increased consump-
ton, however, the price is l}sc per pound
lcl@ than a. this time last year.
The manufacturers Of England are not In
q highly prosperous condition, owing to
various causes. one OF which Is that India
has taken much of Engiauds trade with
CHINA. The continental manufacturer.
however. are doing e profitable business
and the American manufacturers are do
ing much larger volume Of business than
last year. but their profits are not large.
All the manufacturers at home and
abroad are pretty well stocked up with
cotton. and II Is not probable that they
would he in a hurry to follow a rise in cot
ton. They could not very well do so un-
less they could get better prices for their
products, and that they cannot DO until
there IS o sharper demand.
There seems to be a general feeling IN
favor OF waiting to see what the acreage
Of the next crop is going to be. If there i5
a considerable reduction in the acreage and
business at the same time shows an in
crossing tendency towards prosperity a
very considerable rise in the price of cot
ton may reasonably be expected. And why
shouldn't the cotton planters cut down
their cotton acreage? The price of corn is
high, and all Of them are compelled to
have corn. If they would plant more corn
and less cotton il would be better for them
from any point of view They wouldn't
Eavo 70 buy corn at a high price and sell
cotton at a low price. The price Of cotton
would advance and they would have their
own Germ and would get more money for
reduced cotton crop than for a big crop.
But even N the acreage should not be re-
duced Mr.. Shepperson IS Inclined to think
that the next crop will be considerably
smaller than The oUe that IS now being
marketed which. he estimates, will reach
800 20 bales. 1t IS a rare thing that two
great crops are raised In succession. Mr..
Shopperaon calls attention to the crop Of
1923. which was d good one, and says that
the crop Of lss3-s4 was IS per cent. less,
although the acreage was per cent.
greater.
1t viii not do, however, for the
cotton farmers to bank on the
season of 1898 being an unfav-
orable one. expecting on that account to
get big price for cotton. The wiser plan
for them to pursue is to cut down the cot
ton acreage and give more attention to
food crops. BY following that course
they are much more likely to have a sur
plus at the end Of the season than if they
cultivate all their land IN cotton.