The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-12-07
"a COMING CoTToN war,

II we had financial system In this
country that would make money in actual
calculation plentiful. give employment to
tho Idle thousands and thus increase the
number OF well-to-do consumers, we might
hspe for better nrices for our agricultural
products. and particularly cotton. even ia
the face OF the largest possible crops.
But there are developing conditions
abrond that threaten the future prices Of
our cotton aside from the financial situa
tion here. or even the size OF our crop. The
danger lies In the possibility Of England
growing Iii Egypt and Central Africa It's
own supply of the fleecy staple. a. few
days ago the New York Commercial Adver.
tiser contained the following:
This country has so long had the primacy
In cotton that no fear OF It's displacement has
been entertained We nearly ruined the Lam
cashire interest because II could not get our
prnduct during the civil war, and since then
this interest mas been looking round for a
cotton growing area with capacity for an
equally good product ut less cost. To all up
pearances this difficulty has now been finally
solved.
Thirtysflve years ago Sir Samuel Baker pre-
dictcd that British control of the Nile would
render England independent OF the cotton
i ii OF America Egypt and the Soudan arc
the iinest ton-growng countries IN tina
world, and experts who have Investigated tho
capacity of the Bahr- Ghazal region state
Iiiat u aiose could supply tho worlds cotton
Egypt tho cotton crop has been doubled, last
year amounting I, moro chan one third that
OF az India and about one-ninth that OF this
cotntry. The Egyptian planter also has n
decisive advantage In the superior fertility OF
me ~, soil and the cheapness of fellaheen labor
When the existing scale of Southern wages is
considered. 1t is evident that the disparty In
advantages VIII be very hard to equalize Ii
looks as II Decent cotton or less would be the
rule III Egyptian production II the Mnn,shcster
capitalists so want H. which they nnaaes.
uonatly do. British Investors are content
WIZ WIN IA, comparatively low rate OF interest,"
reHscn az Its high promise under stable r,oljt
ical conditions. D''''-
inese tacts ana reflections present a Sc.
rlous outlook for the great staple of our
SOUTHERN States. When We reflect ,bat
the bulk of our cotton crop goes 10 Er,.
i"hu' we can tegn to imagine what would
he the effect upon American cotton grow
ers II England should be able to get what
cotton it required from territories under
Its own flag, and raised by about lilo
cheapest labor on the richest lands In
the world! The fact that such conditions
actually threaten US can not be denied,
hS'c IL pul ouc dNeuUe OF gEClnH for
the American PLANTER from such impend-
Ing losses. Tho South must manufactures
Its own crop and meet English competition
In cotton goods in tho markets of tho
Wurld. This Is not a difficult thing TO
do Factories in the cotton field, with
improved American machinery and skilled
American workmen. win necessarily have
an advantage over English mills even
with their Egyptian or African raised cot
ton.
Whether wo consider the low price OF
cotton at present, therefore. or its future
outlook, 1t seams that wisdom dictates that
our Southern farmers should only raise
cotton as a surplus crop and actively aid
in having 1t manufactured mt home. We
may not compete with Africa in growing
the staple, but we may compete with the
world In It's manufacture.