Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-09-04

has destroyed at least 10O00 bales"
The Texas cotton producers in conven-
ton at College Station on the 18th OF
July passed strong resolutions endorsing
the policy OF marketing the cotton crop
slowly. and they will undertake this sea-
son. as far as practicable. to sell the
bulk OF the Texas crop through period
OF ten instead OF four or FIVE months.
This is the only feasible and business
policy for the producers TO pursue to pro-
tect themselves from the rapacious hands
Of spectators who are now SHORT on their
contracts, and who are so DESTROYS Of
keeping prices down 20 about the cost Of
production.
Cooperation Highly Essential.
With a short crop last year. with no
surplus OF old cotton now on hand, and
every spindle I'm the world running on
full time to meet the heavy demands for
cotton fabrics at good prices. what rea-
son can be advanced for any farmer rush
ing his cotton TO the buyers and asking
them 10 take II at their own prices. The
worlds requirement for American cotton
Is now conceded to be more than u.OOO,-
900 bales annually.
The mills cannot get along on less with
out curtailment in the manufacture OF
cotton goods. There is now good reason
70 believe that the present crop will not
yield more than 10.500.000 bales. When
such a fact. IL IL be true. becomes more
firmly established later on the prices of
both raw cotton and the manufactured
articles must materially advance. II the
farmers sell their cotton at present prices,
which is cents per pound under its true
value, they will be the losers, and hand
lers OF our crop the gamers.
II We could cooperate together and ad-
vance prices from cents in August to 10
cents in September. 1870, when conditions
v ere not so favorable as now, surely bet
ter results could be more easily attained
at this time. Not only the government
reports, but reports from all private
sources throughout the cotton belt indi-
cate short crop. With the exception OF
North Carolina, every principal cotton
producing state shows an average condi-
ton of the crop 70 be less than that for
the same date of last year. The rapid
deterioration OF the crop for the past
81 days has become notorious.
No Late Crop.
There is now no hope for a late crop
anywhere. Even I'm Texas the season has
advanced too far 10 permit Of any yield
now from the plants taking on second
crop. For that reason rains, even If they
should become general. will be of little
help 70 the further fruiting and develop
ment Of the crop. Tire are but few favor
ed localities where cotton is yet blooming
and making. The plants for some reason,
due doubtless TO hot weather, have she'd
ded the squares in the top even in fields
where local showers have been abundant.
Without going into all the details OF de-
teriOration. the fact has become firmly es-
tablished that this crop viii be no larger
than the average. For that reason We
should cooperate in marketing this crop
slowly, and stand firmly together for high
er price An effort in the right direction
is III that is needed. Money can be Dor
rowed from local banks on cotton in stor-
age and thousands of farmers can meet
the situation as IL should be met, and
whip the fight again as they did in 1900.
HARVIE JORDAN.