The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1895-02-15
Cotton Acreage in 1896.

The question at acreage - 5s put into
cotton this year IS QUO tuat Is now receiving
q good deaf VI u tteut on, and accompanying
it the SUICIDAL theory is being advanced
that, owing TO the prevailing low prices. the
amount OF cotton plauted will be greater
than heretofore in order TO make up in
quantity what Is lost III price.
IL Is OF cour impossible 10 arrive at any
accurate Gvc,ass e,s, vi producing cotton in
view OF The widely ditfsrlug conuItions pre-
vsiling in different parts of the South, never
thsless il is hardly to be disputed, that the
cost in the Atlantic States Is over cents
per pound, and III Texas. Arkansas, and
The Mississippi bottom lauis, ptsbasly uot
less thau AZ cents, or an average OF proba-
by not less than 81 to 54 csnIs a. the plan
u0us Tor the whole country. WITH the quo
tstion tor mlddling IN Liverpool q or
roughly converted INTO AmerIcau moasy .
1915 cents in New York tor in ~ ediateiy de-
livery SO cents, in New Orleans 8 Gems, aud
ia the interior towns from Al ceuts
1t seems almost grotesque that Arguments
should be put tvr,h ,hat the Sou.h can
afford o raise cotton at the present prices.
Doubtless The theory that ones ueIgnuUr
will pant less may lead some to Conclude
that by putting in more they VIII reap me
advantage of their neighbvrs con,ribu,i ION 10
the pubic good, but that any sucn policy
should sctuste any grower OF tue great STA
PIE, under pIe.en. circumstances, seems
hardly capacie OF belief
II is with great satisfaction TO be observed
that the President OF the American COttOn
| Growers Association is making tsur vi
| the Cotton States with q view vi securing u
| reIustion IN ac' cage OF ut leas 20 per ceut
| which is movement III the r.ght uirsc. Ion,
| aud 1t is 10 DO hoped tha. his efforts will be
crowned with success.
H. however, q large reduction in acreage
| is to be made, the question atlseS, into what
| shall the farmers VI the South put their
| land, and out OF what are they " derive
livelihood? Some Of those VINO stu retain
| the feeling Of responsibility 10 those whom
| they employ, and who are dependent upon
| them are apt 10 indulge the idea that work
must be provided Tor the dependent class,
| and there is nothing else they can do but
| grow cotton, therefore taey must plant al
| they can, irrespective vi Inc price II Crings.
| Ii the EsuIe, gwen as 10 the PROBABLE
| cost Of raising cotton are correct, and winch
even under thu most favorable c.rcumstsn-
ces uf growth show no pl%ht. wniIe' uuder
less fortunate circumstances snow . "esi'i'e
loss, 1t would seeem the part Of piuuence
anu good judgment If the whole cotton
growing community, should with one accord
reduce their cage, not 20 but 15 per cent
thereby joining In au action TO their own
best interest aud so reduciug the supplies
of the word that 10 to IL cents per pound
iu New York, tor four OF five years 10 cume
would be assured. BY 50 doing, the sing
seas OH of fallow laud, il nc.d Ue, nouIu ue
abuudantly recompeusei III the price ior
cotton to be subsequently, obtained. lao
South can well AFFORD to 40 lnls, ereu al the
loss that might be eutsilei by the suppor.,
:, Ian, Of no "A
upon them if such an alternative were necc-
sary rs the loss entailed thereby wvud
certainly be no greater than that resulting
from making cotton aud se!lug it ~ the
prices ruiug In the world at the present
day The necessity for this severe cou,rl-
button 10 the enhancement OF the price Of
cotton III the future Is not, however alto
gsther apparent; for while it Is true that
cotton is the great crop Of tue South, never
thele,s, when prices have reached a level
such - the !resent, the adoption of policy |
OF practically growing on'y such crops as are |
necessary to sustain life Is csr.aiuIy rea- |
sonsble one aud the doing OF which does not |
necessarily argue thai efforts IN this direction |
must be confined t, ovrn aud meat. there
are manyother. articles winch contr. butte 10
support life that might be grrwn With u
net return to the planter at the end Of the
year fully equal to the loss entuiled by the
support OF those dependent upon hun 1t
Is to be hoped that 1this view OF the case
may DC impressed upon the agricultural
Community OF the South, anu that the
P'eparau ms for the next crop will be on u
very larscy reduced scuc rs compared with
that made w'thln the past few years; for
unless something approaching to TINS in
us radical natuac Is done, Ihcie Is no reason
to expect that even present plces will be
maintained. Already, Liverpool, which
market after a | is the maker OF prices for
cotton, beng the largest Consumer, IS sell
ing next crop at 3-32i, or u 3-lG cents
winch means not more than !! cents ut the
Plantations and which price Is justified and
Will continue, with pV>s oily Gycn 5 i'll low
er prices, unless he OutlJvk Tor future sup
pies gives promise Of very marked re-
duc;lon Nor Is The making Of tn $ tricc
The work OF gamblers ana th ereforc Of pub
Tic e1ecratlon. If We are to have another
ten million bale crop sd, in Liverpool
Tor rOctobsr-NovcmHer delivery is not un-
reasonable. IT IS because of glowing
feeling that cotton can tc made aud sold al
cents yielding profit and that the south
Will plant as much or more this year than
last, that such prices are made Ia Liverpool.
IAc remedy for the South is within its
own keeping, let them = ant bat % per
cent as much cotton as last year, planting the
other 80 per cent in such things as they may
even to allowing the Iaui to lie fillow aud
their own salvation is at hand.
,et ~ 4