The Batesburg advocate. [volume] (Batesburg, S.C.) 1901-1911, 1901-04-03
High Time f,r the Scu.h TO Az.
ssrt i,s Independence of
Spectators Who Deprsss
n.;o
PIics Of Cotton.

| temper 81 the stocks OF cotton OF all
growths in European markets were the
smallest recorded in fifty.right years.
with the exception of 1868, when in
consequence of the civil war the Euro
pean stocks were reduced 10 25O, 600
bales. The stocks Last Septe mber were
not enough for two weeks oeneumptiop
OF European spinners. The consump-
tlon OF American cotton last season BIZ
Amerlcsn and foreign mills was about
| ~, COO, eco bales. My friend, MIR
Thomas Ellison, of Liverpool, calls it
III, 800, COO being 566, 600 bales more
than the estimate published by him at
the beginning of the season. In his circu
lar of Oit. bei20 he estimated rt duo ion
this season In American and Japanese
,, consumption of 378 600 bales, and an
Increase in European consumption of
~. )OO bales aud with the expe citation
OF larSer supplies than last Sc ason from
countries other than America stated
that an American crop of 10, 1872 900
bales would be required in OF der to keen
the stocks at the end Of the seas on from
falling below the limited supply at the
| nmeLcement.
WILL BE NO SURPLUS.
80 we see that the leading experts
sagree that crop OF more than ten mil
lion bsiles Is necessary to meet the re-
quire mle lents of the spiuners and yet Mr..
Shepp$rson's estimate Of the crop made
In DECEMBER is $500, 600 bales. Allow
ing fo1 wide divergence there is not
any mbre cotton in the world than the
trade heeds.
Nb RELIEF EoR SPOT MARKET.
Again Mr.. Shepperson says:
1T lis most likely that there will be
q Son5iderabie increase in tie cotton
i1 tnls 9e1nG.y -.-t sp.i.e.
Whine q AZ fact would doubtless depress
to some degree the prics of future
deliyep1es" for the next crop. it wouId
not relieve the market for spot cotton.
fully agree with Mr.. Ellison that there
would not be any plethosa Of cotton
even If the crop should exceed 10, $50,
OOO bales, as the distribution would be
spreae ever such wide area that there
Wou!c be no great accumulation of
stocks any where"
Allowing for all the adverse copdi.
tlons IN the cotton goods outlook and
the rumors of trouble in Asia there is
no reasan why the south should throw
her holdlrg3 of cotton on the market.
lhe South must assert her indepen-
deLce.
The south" aaid ono gentleman,
''canpI,9t afford to play into The hands of
the knipulators who would rob this
sect?H Of the honest fruits of toll,
'ere never was more opportune time
or this section asserting its indepen.
dence, 1t is in their power to sacrifice
the remrsDt of the crop that is here"
And this is not merely view from
a southern standpoint. In the Atlantis
Journal of Wednesday is letter ad-
dressed to Com III s'oner y. B. Stevens
from a prominent New York cotton fac
tor who urges MIR. Stevens to continue
his efforts with the farmers not to in
crease their cotton acreage. His letter
follows:
Now York, March 10, 1901.
Hon. D. b. S.evens, Commiss sioner of
Agriculture, Atlanta, Ga:
Dear Slr-l have observed that what
ever has come from you in regard to
cotton has carried considt rable weight,
and want TO say that unless some
thing Is done that the southern farmer
Will be confronted with FIVE c,lt cotton
again next fall. The idea prevailing
that 1T will take years for the staple to
go back to that price Is all wrong. Cot
ton In January sold at 1915 and today
next January sold at 740, decline of
about l 2 cents per pound in six
weeks This condition has been
brought about by the mills ab.olutely
refusing to lay the price, and a combin
ed effort on the part Of the Mills, dry
goods people, Gotten factors and specu.
ialor. Should the acreage be ,s large
as last ye'r, mills all over the world will
buy from hand to mouth until the new
crop Is made, should conditions be
favorable AS every we'll posted person
knows we could have easily made II 2
mililons last year wit favorable seasons.
Should the acTage be increased to any
considerable extent and conditions re-
main good for the gro sing crop with
present trade conditions six cents will
look ligh for cotton next November.
The only hope the farmer has is to
cut his crop, and not plant all cotton,
but corn and other things. Should
farmers cut their cotton crop one-fourth
this year, th,y would geta big Irice
for cotton now held by them. Also, for
the next crop, and in the event the
next crop IS increased they will sell
what they now have cheaper than they
sic oult and next at the most ruinous
price, considering the cost Of labor,
provisions, eto., we have ever seen.
Every body is against the price OF cotton
except the southern farmer. Consider
ing to 8 cents big price, the only
hope the south has now is to curtail
acrage in cotton and raise plenty Of
everything Ehe uses at home.
Please take this matter up ar ak
every secretary Of agriculture in the
south to help you to increase this i'm
portant fact OF planting less cotton. AT
ter the crop is once in the ground the
south is helpless with good seasons.
Providence will not interfere every
years it didlast. Yours very truly,
j.. h. DArlien.