The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1900-11-30
KING COTTON.
speech Delivefed Before tho Cotton Grow
ers Association by Hoke Smith.

speech before the cotton growers
association in Macon is taken from
the Atlanta News:
"The cotton crop will this year
bring net cash profit to the plant
ers of this section larger than ever
before. 1t will do more. It will
furnish volume Of money for in
vestment belonging to the people Of
seven States and two territories,
which should give wealth and strength
to every line of business and make
possible the growth of many needed
manufacturing enterprises that will
use the varied raw materials to be
found in the South.
"Ten cents cotton has como, not
only to benefit the planter, but to
stimulate the development of mater
ial resources not yet handled aud
made productive.
During the past one hundred
years the cotton crop was sold for
$15,O00,000,O00. The United States
has received from the export of cot
ton during this same periodS1 !, l,O00,-
100000.
"tOur lint cotton, in addition to it's
enormous sale abroad, has also fur
nlshed the raw material for the man.
ufacturing industries that have en-
riched the Now England States. It
is today furnishing tho raw material
for the already prosperous and rap
idly growing mills Of the South, and
it promises to our people from man.
ufacturing alone return as great
in the future as that heretofore ob
tanned in Now England How en-
couraging is this prospect! We can
fully realize it when we remember
that $GO,O00,O00 of values are added
annually to American lint cotton by
its manufacture abroad.
"The manufactures Of the world
used fifty years ago 100000 bales
OF cotton. Last year they used an
amount variously estimated at from
100000 to 19,00O,OO0 of bales.
The enormous increase demanded
for the fabrics made out of lint cot
ton placed the consumption Of cotton
goods far ahead of cotton's three riv-
ais.
"The rivals arc wool, flax and
silk. If we seek the reason for the
SUCCESS which has attended the in
creased use of cotton goods we can
readily find it. The price at which
lint cotton has been sold, coupled
with the development of machinery
suited for it's manufacture, has led
to the production OF cotton goods as
warm as those made from wool, as
cool as those made from flax, and
more beautiful than those made from
silk.
"While cotton today brings 10
cents, it has only been three years
since the crop WAS selling at 5 cents
a pound. What are the elements
which have caused this variance in
price? The three natural rivals of
cotton have had but little effect, be-
cause at 10 cents pound for lint
cotton, wool, flax and silk cannot be
produced to make successful compe
tition. Recognizing the laws of de-
mand and supply, we must see that
the depreciation in the prices of cot
ton has been due to a production of
the staple in excess of the demand
for manufactured goods. A knowl-
edge of the supply Of cotton and Of
the demand for cotton goods for
consumption will enable the pro-
ducer to tell at the time of the year
when cotton is picked the price at
which lint cotton should sell.
Another cause which has facilitated
the depreciation Of prices at the
time cotton left the hands of the
iplanter has been the unbusiness like
plan of selling cotton.
"More than 70 per cent. of the
cotton which is used in the great cot
ton mills Of the world, is raised in
our section. The mills run during
twelve months. They need the cot
ton as much in July as they do in
December. The plan of selling has
disregarded the time Of consump
ton. Instead of handling the crop
80 that it would be sold from month