The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1895-12-18
Reduction Of Cotton Acreage.

To the Editor of the Neaps and Courier ::
It strikes me that the Southern newspa-
pers could be doing their section good
service by urging the Southern planters
to hold the remainder of their cotton, and
only plant half crop next season.
No class OF people are as poorly organ
lied as the Southern farmer. 1t does
look tonne that people who b'.Te almost
q monopoly Of great crop, b as the
South has of cotton, would use it better
than the Southern planters. Last year
the South tried to plant the world in cot
ton, while the trade was already burdened
with the surplus of two or three big
crops. Consequently they received star
vation prices, for which they alone were
to blame. Their experience taught them
dear lesson. This year they reduced
the acreage and the use of fertilizers con-
siderably, and by their close economy
and hard work made this crop cheaper
titled to fair price for their staple.
AS to this being small crop there Is
no question. Mr.. Neil, the Government
and all authorities have said SO. when
Mr.. Neil says big crop, they believe
him.) As to the great reduction both In
acreage and the use of fertilizers, there Is
not the shadow of doubt.
Look at the receipts. A good proper
tion Of the time they only compare with
crop which only made $500, 900 bales.
In the face Of all this the New York Cot
ton Exchange, the professional bears,
and the money power, organized to mani
pulate the market and put prices down.
And we'll they succeeded, as values
shrunk about l Ia cents per pound.
They had absolutely no facts or figures
to aid them. Their only argument was
the Turkey war scare and unsettled
political affairs abroad, when the fact is
Liverpool was an unusually heavy buyer
during the little disturbance referred TO-.
The professional traders in New York
write open letters saying the cotton Is
being held back too much. If the South
would let it move prices would be better |;
in short, they say, snothing Is the mat
ter, only you people are show wing too
much tubbornness in holding your cot
ton. 1t is short crop and we must have
1t. If you do not turn loose we will force
prices down and squeeze 1t from you.
This is short crop and we must have 1t
early. IF it was big crop you could
hold II.
Now let the Southc~- planter say to the
Cotton Exchange: ''You can trade on
one another as much as you please and
run futures where ,ou like, but we pro-
pose to run our plantation, and we intend
TO have something to say about the price
of our cotton when we let it 60"
Let them organize and plant half q
crop. Do not each farmer try to slip up
on his neighbor and say: "Well, they
are going to cut down acreage; cotton
will be high. will say nothing, but
will plant big crop. Let every man be
honest. Plant half crop and cotton will
bring is cents next season."
The Southern planters are more inde-
pendent than they have been since the
war. They can hold the remainder of
their cotton and plant only half crop
next season ii they will try.
The writer thinks this would be far
better than clamoring for free silver and
blaming the gold standard for all the ills
from which they suffer. Southern bank
era ought to aid in holding the remainder
Of their crop, but refuse them help for
planting q big crop. Yours truly,
PLANTER.
Greer's, s. c., Dec. 6, 1895.