The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1901-12-14
FARMER AND PLANTER.
Pieaident Peters Of the Texas Cot
ton Growers' Associations Pre-
sents = Few Thoughts.

: There is much to be said ON thi
: subject in its many different aspect
from any point of view. l. is king
|. and the producers are the slave
made so by their own choice.
We have the greatest agriculture
product on earth, necessity in ev
cry corner in the world; can be storef
and kept without deterioration fol
years and yet we allow it to contro
us.
The history of cotton dates back
for thousands of years. The Hindoos
used it 500 years before Christ. 1t wal
introduced into China by The Tartnrs
when they conquered that country.
Palestine and Egypt produced it when
the Romans acquired that country,
/ showing that it had been in Use from
time immemorial. At the present
time the United States produce about
20 per cent of the worlds consump-
ton, the south being especially adapt
ed to its production.
The value of cotton when spun in
coarse fabric is double, and the finer
the weave the greater the value of the
| fabric.
The seed are one of the PRINCIPAL
sources of income now to the pro-
Queer. The value Of ton of colt.
seed at present is about $24. The
mills are entitled to some, and 81
per ton would pay any well man.
aged mill fine profit for crushing. IT
would pay the producers best to feed
the seed II they can not get the value
from the buyers. Hon. Edward At
kinson, of Boston, said: IF Vermont
could get the value of the cotton seed
alone it would pay them to raise it,"
This present crop of cotton is ac-
knowledged by all authorities to be
very short; in fact, the present con-
dition IL the lowest average condi- !
item, with one exception, in twenty
years. Then why do the prices stay |
so low-about two cents lower than
this time last year? One of the prin-
cipal reasons is the SPECTATORS in 4
New York and New Orleans have sold /
the crop many times over, and on ac-
count of being able to deliver any
old thing that is wrapped in bagging
and ties on their contracts they are
able to keep the prices down, hoping
in the meantime the producer, be-
coming tired, win turn lose his hold
ing to supply their immediate wants.
Mr.. Neill's false estimate ON crops
has cost the farmers of the south not
less than 500, 900, but, fortunate
fy, all have lost confidence in him
now. /,
As remedy, / would suggest that
the government pass laws compelling I
operators on exchange to deliver ON ,
all contracts for agricultural products /
the grades sold and not allow the sub I
stitution of any lower or inferior !
grandes. Then spot cotton will not be 4
selling in Texas at New York quota /
lions and two cents per pound more q
han chalk mark cotton. ii
The United States should license all | Z
yinners, and in their application for .
license they should make a statement I
# size of boiler, engine, how many a
md what size gin stands they have; il
What kind of presses, round or a
quare; whether they gin for the pub t,
&c or only for themselves e
The permit to do business should a
e small, say 81 per year, but they F
houid be compelled to make reports
very week on blanks furnished them,i
be amount of cotton ginned and COM
are with last season, and other in-l
uiries demanded by the government,
18th heavy penalty attached for 9
with the law. A sum-
lary of these reports should be pub
shed Immediately, so that all can s
now what amount OF cotton is "a
nned, and by January the depart II
ent would be able to say how much
le cotton crop would be and not be ~
'mpelled to wait eight months y
niger to be attacked by all kinds of va
aessers and spectators.
Farmers in the south should de- 70
and that their representatives in 81
ngress work for the enactment of uo
ese laws. It would do away with ur
ill and all other wild and woody
essers, and the mill owners and OBJ "a
ators could buy their supply, know ou
3 what the crop would be. m
God has been merciful to the cotton no
rmer this year-kinder and more I.
srciful to them than they are to q:
emselves. He has sent the Mexican ,'n
u weeyil and the drought in Texas, "a
q excessive rains east Of the Mis- 'n'
sippi river. That is all that has
red us from another calamity of 20 20
lr-cent cotton. an
The way to raise cotton successful A. ~
is to, first, make the farm self-susr -
: "a er,s, e. - . Prou- no,
II stock. Keep plenty of hogs. -
y that we have q market all the ~
T round for hogs. we should supply ~
There II no place in the United : -