St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1895-06-15
TEn CENT COTTON.
A League to Unite Cotton Growers ON
Means to Raise Prices.

A League to Unite Cotton Growers ON /
Means to Raise Prices
There has been formed in the south |
an organization known as the Ten |
Cent Cotton league. The purpose OF
this league is tonunite the cotton grow
ers of the south and by common agree
ment to reduce the crop one-haH, The
argument is that IL this is done cotton
which now brings five cents 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 if 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
cotton, but. ON the contrary, we import
| a very large and increasing amount OF
| this staple In my opinion the organ
| ization 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 1896. $40 pounds
| of raw cotton, of which 776, ,4s3 We're
for reshipment, leaving but 420, 357 OF
foreign raw material retained for home
manufactures.
| In 1s73 we imported A, ,425, 524 pounds,
of which no more than 3S4, ,64s were re-
u nm Qyf afus foys
home manufactures.
/ In 1884 our imports on raw cotton
8 had risen to 7.01s, 492 pounds. of which
8. S ,665, $50 were retained for home use.
i BY 1891 our imports OF raw cotton
had risen to 20,eOs. SIT pounds, oi
which but AT, ,794 were resbipped as
raw material. 20,461, ,023 being retained
for use in our factories.
II Iii 1893 we imported 43, s67, ,952 pounds
of raw cotton and used 43, ,007, III
pounds of it in our factories, our re
shipment of it as raw material being
but 800, 1872 pounds.
These figures are official and show
that our imports are increasing rapid,
while the amount reshipped grows
less. II it were publicly announced
as it must be, that the growers OF cot
ton were going to reduce their outpu
. one-half, the manufacturers woult
merely make heavier drafts on foreigI
! cotton fields and American grower
! would be benefited very slightly it Q
! all.
! 1t seems to me that cotton grower
: have better remedy for low prices
{ and one that each may put in opera
: ton for himself and carry out success
4 fully. This is to stop making cotto
: the whole dependence and grow othe
4 crops. Farm News has been advisin
s this for a long time, and many of on
southern planters are taking heed {
: advice Of this kind. There is no cotto
4 state that will not produce abundar
3 crops Of fruit. grain or vegetables, an
/, every planter can grow at least 9
S much Of these as he consumes himsei
4 thus saving the expense OF buying, th
s. charges for transpor ration OF his pros
: net to the market and this supple
: back to his home. This of itself woul
be d handsome proit to many Of then
and render them Independent, whetht
ID cotton be high orlow. Diversified farI
st ing is as good for the south as for Il
ar north, and there is more reason why
= should be practiced. "A. p. Butler,
Farm News.