The Forrest City times., 1898-09-30
The Cotton Depression.

Commercial Appeal, is so low as
20 bring CONSIDERATION TO the cot
t1n growing states Of the South,
where it seems that, in spite of the
cotton congresses and conveRtions
and resolutions Of one kind and
another declaring in favor Of rcduc.
ing in the acreage, more cotton IA
growing than ever before. So de-
pressed is the price OF cotton that
We hear it stated that some plant
ers in Arkansas have concluded
that they can pay off their mort
cages easier in some other way
than by picking the cotton. and
that they will abandon it MS II
stands In the fields. OF course, it
IS not believed that this policy
will be pursued to any considera-
Bile extent The cotton will be
picked and marketed as usual, not
as carefully, perhaps, but picked
once over, and the cotton market
will be gluttcd with staple that
will scarce be worth its freight TO
Liverpool. This is a sad calamity
II the South, but, like all calami-
ties, it will teach certain lessons
which can not be otherwise
learned. or which people will not
otherwise learn. One of these
lessons is that under present con-
ditions more cotton is being raised
taan the world has learned 10 con-
sumo. Consumption is increasing
rapidly, but not as rapidly as pro.
duc,ion, and depressed prices are
the result.
Southern planters must realize
that people can not be compelled
ty force TO purchase cotton 10 an
extent greater than their demands.
Ii more cotton is produced than
Is required there must surely be a
falling in prices. The present low
prices will open the eyes Of the
more stolld and densely conserva-
tive who are seized with fear ind
trembling whenever some eloquent
tongucd orator howIs "imperlal-
ism" at them, to the fact that the
products OF their plantations can
not be handled probably unless u
market is founo for them. They
must SEQ that the old markets are
inadequate and that TO meet and
consume the increased production
new ones must be found. The cot.
ton buyer who comes to pm chase
their crops can give them only
what the market, as it rules from
day to day, affords. lie knows
less about the causes producing Il
low market than they do, because
he has less time to think, and be-
cause his commissions are much
The same whether the price is high
or low. Tho planters themselves
must think. Thoy must realize
that as originnl producers they
are important factors in the com
mercial life of the country. They
must grapple with these problems
and assist in their solution. The
fact that markets give value to u
product should be impressed on
the popular mind Cotton is like
every other commodity. If moro
is produced in given locality
than can be consumed in that 10.
cality the price will tall on all of
the commodity and some of it will
not be sold at all. Ii The cotton
raised in given county in Missis.
sippi had to be sold in that county
and consumed in that locality, and
nowhere else, 1t is easy TO see that
1T would not bring one cent II
pound, and for much of il there
would be no sale at all A market
mast be found among consumers
who live beyond the county lines.
This market has been found in the
past in various parts of this coun.
try and In insular and continental
Europe, where people wear cotton
goods, and for long time cotton
raising has been profitable. The
acreage has been increased very
lar0nlx- 1hn cn,.nYfsf.t II enc. q