The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1897-12-07
COOP E>>>ll rs MIST l>OlN.Ow
strong Sts'cmcnI> Showing VIC C~r,ain
H"r'tit> of Cnitcd Action ny the
Farmers
To the Editor Of the State:

To the Editor OF the State;
Is Il not 3 self evident fact that il
the Southern Cotton Planters union
can control the marketing (not ne.
ccSsnrily the actual oo;ton) Of tho
visible supply, or an amount equal
TO the visible supply, that an opera
tor cannot possibly sell any cotton
short AID deliver II?
Is not the visible supply Of cotton
over SIX months Of the year under
two and onc~quartor million bales, and
tton around one million bales: and
If umon conla control one quarter
OF nine million bale crop, which is
two and one-quartcr million bales,
could for SIX months cotton be used,
or sold short and be delivered. with,
out the aid of the union?
Is it not fact that with less than
100000 bales in New York, over 100
900 bales Of futures per day are sold
OH an average. and with the union
controlling the visible supply would
it be two days till this stock would
be taken, and could an operator sell
my more and deliveri Knowing of
his stock on hand for their purposes,
did not operators depress tho price
in two months about SO por bale,
aided by the knowledge also that on
account of your poverty many sell at
any price they caro- to fix rs soon rs
gathered! Could they have dono SO
had there been an organization
When your mills had oversold, or
rather had not bought, did they not
bring ut s l-2 cents from New York
to their mills, and did not tho south
crn farmer two months later soil tho
samo grade Of cotton and in the same
locality, at 5 cents, Il profit to tho
operator Of 81 80 for tho simple use
Of his cotton for two months. Would
it not be impossible for northern
mills to compete with southern mills
| that have tho samo machinery, no
freight to pay on cotton, half-priccd
labor and longer hours, wcro it not
for their shrewdness III gotting their
supply so much cheaper by manipu-
lating tho market?
Could IN organized company with
ovcry advantage receive less than the
market price for cotton, Or could an
individual producer with no advant-
ago receive moro? Could a farmer
in allowing union market one.
fourth of his cotton possibly loso any
hing and is it not likoly if profes-
| sional operators did not know how
much moro than u fourth tho union
might handle, that ho would of ne
cessity got very much moro for tho
three fourths he should market?
When in one year there has been
5O,OOO,OOO bales of futures traded
in Now York and receipts only 1O7,-
600 bales and actual spot sales only
100000, futures Of necessity fix tho
price, and if fnt~ros fix the price
and by and organization you can
control tho visible suppy, do you not
absolutely eliminate this depression
Of prices?
Is it not known by all sections and
countries that tho southern farmers
notes and obligations fall duo practi-
cally whom cotton is gathered, and is
1t not natural that other sections and
countries, knowing this and having
you in their power, would hold you
there as long as you would submit ?
Is not tho farmer tho only class of
unorganized labor, and the only class
of people absolutely poworlcss, that
havo their labor traded upon and
tho price fixed in advance by specu-
lation9
All classes arc affected, arc you all
satished2 JNo. II. RoppEy
New York, Nov. 30.