The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-03-04
CORN NOW KING OVER COTTON.
o,-r WAY IN WHICH THE PLANTER
ctN BETTER HIS CONDITION.

TNN HEIlNlh HIS IONnlAIOA.
The Price of the Cereal 30 Per Cent
Hiaher Than "a Year Ago While
cotton Is % Per Cent. Lower Than
81, the same Period-A Reduction
This spring in the Acreage Devot-
cd to Cotton and an Increase in
Tint Devoted to Food and Forage
crops a Necessity.
washington, March 3.-The following IS
a CODY of a letter written TO the cotton
growers by Alfred b. shepperson, editor
If cotton Facts" and secretary Of the
subcommittee on cotton OF the Senate
committee on agriculture:
Washington, d. c.. March 2. 1870
the Cotton Growers of the South: I have
no pecuniary interest whatever in the cot
ton market. and it is well known to prom
fnent merchants all over the country that
never have any. AS a close observer
of an matters pertaining to cotton, l have
thought it would not be deemed out Of
place to present to the cotton growers Of
the country some facts and suggestions
concerning the cotton situation.
The price Of middling cotton in New
York is now 9-l6c per pound, against
7ssc on March /, 1894. while corn is now
45c per bushel in Chicago, against 35c
A year ago. The decline in cotton is over
% per cent. while the advance in corn is
30 per cent.
The New York quotations for cotton and
the Chicago quotations for corn, how
ever do not really present the economic
aspect Of the matter in its strongest light.
as the cotton grower does not receive the
New York price for his cotton, but aetu-
ally gets very much less, as freight to
New York and all handling and selling
charges, and the cotton buyers profit
have to be deducted, so that the planter,
at present prices, only obtains about
cents per pound for middling cotton, and
the crop viii not average so high in
quality as that grade.
Neither does he get at the Chicago
price the corn he has to buy. as freight
and charges, and usually a large profit,
are added to the Chicago price. so that
to-day the southern farmer who buys
corn instead Of raising It, has to pay 60
to 70 cents per bushel for it.
Corn is the most important ceral for
the south, as its abundance and cheap
ness insure ample food for the farmers
and their families while an insufficient
supply and high price involve the OPP
posite results
The southern cotton growers obtain
a large proportion of their grain and meat
from other sections of the country. Con-
fronted now with large shrinkage in
the value Of cotton colncident with ap-
probation in the value of corn the stu
alton is one to imperauvey demand of the
cotton growers a reduction this spring
of the acreage devoted to cotton, and an
increase in the acreage given to food and
forage crops.
The present depression in cotton is due
in great part to the very large stocks in
European and American markets and
the fear that the acreage in cotton will
not be reduced this year. Notwithstand-
ing the fact that the spinners have bought
much more cotton than last season, the
stocks in European and. American mar
kets are 100000 bales more than at this
time last year.
The price of cotton is at the lowest point
since 1913, and a large crop this year would
undoubtedly send it still lower. Every
planter knows that present prices of cot
ton are much below the average cost of
production.
In view of the facts stated, I earnestly
recommend as manifestly for the best in
terests of the cotton growers of the coun-
try a very material curtailment of the
cotton acreage this spring, and an in
crease in all food and forage crops, and
that greater attention be given to the
raising of live stock and farm animals
Food crops of every description should be
raised on all southern farms, and cotton
should be made a surplus or money crop.
1t is probable that a moderate cotton crop
this year will sell for actually more money
than large crop. Very respectfully,
Alfred B. Shepperson.