The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1898-09-30

rect and forceful appeals to senti-
ments and most calculated to stir the
human heart cannot induce them to
organize for purposes Of mutual pro-
lection and self defence, then truly
we should hear no more complaints
of the oppression Of trusts and com
binations, but as a class we should
meekly accept that law Of nature
which decrees that the improvident,
tho weak and tho careless shall serve
the vigilant, the active and the
strong; then should we join in the
refrain Of the ether avooations.
81 hold the farmer simple tool
Born to labor and not to rule,
And | will do unto him that which |
see
Will bring the most money to mine
and to me-"
Prompt and concerted action on
the part of the cotton growers would
change present conditions in 80 days.
Through the complete organization
which would enable them to act as a
unit would place them in command
Of the situation in three months and
change their condition from ono of
bankruptcy and distress to oIp of
competency and profit.
by what means can organization
effect these ends?. Adopt the RECON-
mendations Of the National Cotton
Growers union, organize promptly,
hold all the cotton on hand and firm
ly bind ourselves to reduce the OK
tent of this years acreage so per
cent. tho ensuing year. No lntelli-
gent man of business experience will
dispute the soundness of this propo.
sition. As soon as effective .meas
ures to these ends have been taken
and become n certainty cotton will
immediately advance and moro
money can be borrowed on it than it
is worth today; because it would
then become n security constantly
anticipating in value. The visible
supply of cotton is not above l 1,000,-
600 and the invisible supply, or stock
at the mills, is estimated at 100000,
making total of 100000 bales.
TO be certain not to underestimate
wo will put the amount of this stock
which has passed beyond the control
Of the growers into tho hands of
speculator5 and manufacturers, say
at 100000. The consumption
ranges between 100000 and 1,OOO,-
600 bales per month. If the farm
ers should withhold their cotton from
the market for three months the on
tire surplus beyond their control
would be consumed and the manu-
facturers would be at their mercy for
a supply. The entire situation would
be changed instead Of the speculation
and the manufacturer debating the
price the cotton grower could fix his
price and say pay it or shut down
your mill. A reduction in next years
acreage Of 80 per cent. would insure
such diminution Of the supply as
to make cotton scarce and bring
about an active competition among
the manufacturers for their stock
that would insure steady and rapid
rise Of price.
This was made demonstrably clear
during the war between the North
and South in tho sixties. McHenry
in his "History Of the Cotton" page
81, says: "1n ordinary times there ia
always two years. supply Of cotton
in the crude and manufactured state
at the consuming points. At tho fall
of Fort Sumter there was a sufficien
cy for three years. requirements.
With tho supply larger in proportion
thon than now, as soon as the pro.
duct was cnrtailed by the war, we
note tho following extraordinary rise
in prices: In 1850 the average price
was | cents, in 1861 at 13 cents, in
1862 at 81 cents, in 1868 at 81 cents,
in 1864 at $1.Ol. But it ia argued
that any heavy curtailment Of pro,
duction in the South to raise the
price will stimulate foreign competl-
tion. If 81 per pound in 1864 could
not stimulate ingenious foreign com.