The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1898-02-01

| hooe i"Sel lot'i cloPS, alu Wueu
the planting season the next year
began, they were fortified with every
requisite to produce cotton cheaply.
Last year the total crop was s.
75T, ,0G4 bales, and the average price
was 7.42 cents per pound, or $37. 40
per bale, the crop yielding, perhaps,
q larger profit than for many, years,
because planters had few supplies to
buy.
Tho success resulting from the
conservative policy which was pur-
sued these two yoars did not induce
! planters to udhore to that limo Of ac-
ton; on the contrary, they increased
their purchases Of fertilizers this
year, and many Of them drifted back
almost to tho all.cotton principle,
and planted the largest cotton acre.
ago ever known, hoping that tho
world would pay remunerative prices
for the staple, no matter how. large
the supply.
The disastrous result Of over
planting this year is already clearly
shown by comparison With last year,
when the acreage devoted to cotton
was decidedly loss.
Last year tho amount of cotton
marketed to January 1st was $685.
1872 bales, the average price realized
was 1853 cents per pound, $3I07
per bale, or s242, ,030,35O
This year 7,2G0,033 bales were
marketed to january 1st, tho aver
age price realized was Cos cents per
pound, s30.40 per bale, Or $221 1885,
400.
The planters shipped to market
SCI ,S41 bales of cotton moro by Jan
uary 1st this year than last, and re-
ceived for them $2l, ,5S0,044 less
money. In other words, owing to
tho lower price, induced by over
production, the people of the South
have lost on cotton shipped to mark
ct by January 1st this year, the total
valuo of Gil, ,S41 bales, namely $32,
724, ,1O2 and $2S,58O,044 besides,
making grand total loss Of $54,
3O5,O4G
To further illustrate tho ruinous
effect Of over planting, we make the
following summary Of crops and
prices
Crop. Average.
Bales. Price. Proceeds.
1S93-94.. 7,549,Sl 7.G9 1922, 932 800
1894 95.....9,90l, Isl SO 2SS,0lS,50l
1S95-96 ...7, ,l57,3i6 500 292, ,234. .437
1896 -07 .....S, ,96i 7.42 327, 7,547 ,S54
It will be seen that IN 1S03-04 n
crop of 7.54O,S07 bales sold for 81,
O1l,305 more than tho large crop of
0,0O1, Isl bales tho next year; in
1859 crop Of only 1857, BAG
bales brought s3,315.033 moro than
the 0,001 ,G0! crop, and that the crop
Of S,7S7,0o4 bales brought $3S, ,G20,
$50 moro than was received for /,
0Ol ,O51 bales marketed in lS04-0o.
Sdch incontestable facts show
what enormous losses the South has
sustained by reproduction, and
are sufficient to cause radical change
in planting operations.
1t is conceded on every hand
that the price thus far received for
this years crop has yielded no profit
to the planter, and oven though more
than two thirds Of the crop has been
sold to this date, prices are even yet
below the cost Of production.
On account Of tho large crop and
low prices resulting therefrom, it is
Of vital importance, not only to the
South, but the whole country, that
the cotton acreage for next year be
materially reduced, in order to ad
vancc the price Of the greatest pro
duct Of the United States to pay
ing basis.
If the planters Of the South suffer
loss, the people of the whole country
must share in it.
The South cannot stand another
cotton crop of tho same dimensions
rs this years, without bringing abou
disaster and bankruptcy to planters
and handlers Of cotton, and relative
harm to the general mercantile in
forest of that section.
The price Of cotton is moro roadi
, | ly inHuoncel by the iuoXOrabIa Inv