The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1900-09-26
THE ALUE OF COTTON
FIGURES SLOWING THE
COMPARATIVE VALUE
OF SMALL AND
LARGE CROPS

eoun:rv towns Of the south cone 10
close contac. With their local sgrio1l
tural, Industrial and business interests,
and src in position. therefore, TO
iudge accurately Of those co01i!iocs
aaa to reflect the sediment Of their
respective commuoities Recog
tia: fact and believing thai just a.
present conditions are mcst Interesting
in the south. the Manufacturers; Record
recently sent letter TO bank in every
county seat in tee south asking for
information as to present facts aud as to
the OUTLOOK fer the fall and winter. In
reply many letters have beeo recei7ed.
The majority Of them, coming from the
ccttou growing sections, point out that
while the crop is short, the very high
prices COW prevailing vii mere than
Offset the small crop and give to the
farmers greater profits on cotton than
for many gears. Some Of the letters
from other portiooa Of the south are
less hopefa! by reason Of the snall corn
crop due to the severe drouth 10 COG.
peotiou With the cotton situation. it
seems probable that the crop viii be a.
least 100000 bales. and possibly
more. though some able experts sntici-
pate that the yield will be considerably
less. Evep should the crop reach
$500, 900 bales. the great shortage 10
the worlds supply will probably main
tain prices at not much below the
present. level of about Zoe pouad, or,
roughly speaking. say, $50 bale, aod
if i. should fall below this figure prices
ought TO co!7eepondinely advance
On the basis of 9 100000 bales this
would give valuation of S475, 900, 900,
which would be by far the most valua
Bile cottoo crop raised in this country.
That Of 1866 raised just after tie
close Of the var, whep Gotten was com-
maudipg an average Of oearly $500
bale aod when the crop was 1900, 600
bales. yielded s432. .00o. 900. and the next
was the crop of 1890 81, of S.60o.oo0
balee, which was worth $3.50 000.00
The average value Of the cotton crop Of
the six years frou 1893 81 to 1898 SO
was $500. 600, 900. the lowest in that
period being 1922 .000.O 900 for the
crop of 1898 80, which was I1,274,
900 bales. Las: years crop Of 9.400,.
600 bales yielded 1865 600, 600 or
$8I, ,000. 900 more than the preceding
crop. On the basis of possible valua-
ton of S475,oOo.o0o for this years
crop, tbe difference to the south as
compared with the crop of 1898 SO
wculd be over $3.50. 600 900 Taking
last years. crop aud this crop together
aod the total valuation on the basis Of
an es,:nate of 1856 O0e000 for this
years will be $838,00O 900 for the
two years. agaiost $500. 100000 for
the two proceeding years. showing
difference ip favor of the cotton plaos
ers Of the south of $236, 900 600 for
the two email crops against the two
preceding cropa eacn OF which exceeded
II 600. 900 bales.
It ls, of course, possible that the
WELD will no: only fall below $780,
600 bales, but below 9 0000 600. but,
if this should be true, the price would
probably advance to point sufficient
to make up the difference But with
even 5000. 900 bales at the present
selios price of $50 a bale, the value
would be $3.50 600, 900, which would
still be the most valuable cotton crop
which the south ever produced
With probable valuation OF S453..
100000 this year, and possibly still
higher value, the south will doubtless
be 10 better financial shape than for
many years.
10 lS90-e1 crop Of $3.50. 90 bales,
the average price per pound Ct mid
ding uplaods iu New York for tie
gear being 9 03 cents. brought $3.50
100000. aud from this figure there was
rapid decline to S2S4 600, 600 10
1O0O 90