St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1895-06-29
TEN CENT COTTON.

A League to Unite Cotton Growers on
Means to Raise Prices.
There has been formed in the south
an organization known rs the Ten
Cent Cotton league The purpose Of
this league is to unite the cotton grow
ers of the south and by common agree
ment to reduce the crop one-half The
argument is that if this is done cotton
which now brings five cents 4 pound
will be increased in price to ten cents
and as much money received for the
smaller crop as for the one now grown
with the advantage of the reduction
of expenses by one-half This sounds
well to one who has not looked farther
than the surface, but il we examine
into the facts we shall soon see that
the world is in no way dependent
on the United States for its supply Of
Gotten. but, on the contrary. we import
very large and increasing amount Of
this staple. In my opinion the organ
fzation can not be made operative, be-
cause it will be impossible to unite the
country growers effectually. Admit
ting that this was possible. let us see
how many pounds of cotton we draw
from Egypt, India and other cotton
countries.
In 1871 we imported 1876. $40 pounds
of raw cotton, of which 776,4s were
for reshipment, leaving but 4c0. IS. of
foreign raw material retained for home
manufactures.
In 1873 we imported 4,4a5, 5e4 pounds,
of which no more than 1884, 64s were re-
shipped, leaving 4,090.s76 retained for
home manufactures.
In 1884 our imports on raw. cotton
had risen to 7.Ol9, 4ea pounds, of which
5,665, $50 were retained for home use.
BY 1891 our imports of raw cotton
had risen to 20,9Os.sl7 pounds. OF
which but 447,794 were resbipped as
raw material, 20, 46I OPS being retained
for use in our factories.
In 1898 we imported a, 36., 95:. pounds
of raw cotton and used 43oo7, 100
pounds of it in our factories. our re-
shipment of it Is raw material being
but $50, s3e pounds.
These figures are Official and show
that our imports are increasing rapidly
while the amount reshipped grows
less If it were publicly announced
as it must be, that the growers of cot
ton were going to reduce their output
one-half, the manufacturers would
merely make heavier drafts on foreign
cotton fields and American growers
would be benefited very slightly it At
al.
1t seems to me that cotton growers
have a better remedy for low prices,
and one that each may put in opera
ton for himself and carry out success
fully. This is to stop making cotton
the whole dependence and grow other
crops Farm News has been advising
this for long time. and many of our
southern planters are taking heed of
advice of this kind. There is no cotton
state that will not produce abundant
crops of fruit, grain or vegetables, and
every planter can grow At least rs
much of these rs he consumes himself.
thus saving the expense Of buying, the
charges for transportation of his prod
net to the market and this supplies
back to his home. This Of itself would
be handsome profit to many Of them,
and render them independent, whether
cotton be high or low. Diversified farm
ing is rs good for the south rs for the
north. and there Is more reason why il
should be practiced.-A. ID. Butler, in
Farm News