Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1902-01-08


he has no influence with the admins
tration, but his duty requires him to get
all he can for his section and for his
constituents.-Newberry Observer.
THE YEAR IN COTTON.
Narrative of a Season of Trade Sur
prises and Disappointed Hopes.
The past year in the cotton industry
has been remarkable in many ways,
and has demonstrated more than any
in recent years the great uncertainty
of production. The moderate crop of
10, ,4O0. 900 bales raised in 1900, following
the practical crop failure year Of 1899,
when the harvest approximated only
9,450,000 bales, as against the largest
yield on record Of 11,27O,OO0, raised the
previous year, and 11,250,000 bales In
1897, stimulated the planting this year
to the largest acreage In the history Of
the south. With the worlds consump-
ton of American cotton continuing on
the previous year, and 11,250,00 bales
in the comparatively short crop years
of 1900 and 1899, the large surplus
stocks Of cotton which had accumu-
lated from the record-breaking crops
of the previous two years, were so de-
pleted, especially at the worlds great
consumptive centres Of Manchester and
Liverpool, that the average planter, in
stead Of keeping the acreage down to
the reduced area Of 1899 and planting
more land in corn and oats, put as
much as possible into cotton.
The result that the seasons acreage
was increased to the stupendous total
of 27,532,000 acres, an amount which
exceeded the previous high record Of
1900 by 100000 acres and compared
with 23,521, 900 planted in 1899, 24,967, 900
in 1898, 24.319,5S0 in 1897, 24,445,334 in
1896, and 23,6S7, $50 in 1895. The prospect
of a record breaking crop from this
vast acreage sent prices down to Z
cents per pound for options In this
market, to cents for spots in the south
by August, and to Al pence In Liver
pool. But the great damage done in
the Atlantic and Gulf states from the
late and wet spring and continued and
excessive rains in the early summer,
with just the reverse weather condi-
tions in the Memphis district and west
of the Mississippi river, put the crop in
such q plight that once again the fact
was demonstrated that the weather
conditions, and not so much the acre
age. make the crop.
With the drought in Texas continu-
ing more severe during August and
September, the crop prospect Of 12,000,-
900 bales, which many American, as
well as European, Spinners had enter
tained early in the season from the rec
ord breaking acreage, was dissipated.
The average condition Of the crop fell
from about 80 per cent. Of perfect on
June 1, to 77.2 on August 1, ia on Sep
tember /, and 61.4 on October /. The
latter condition was the poorest on rec
ord in over thirty years, with the sin
gle exception of the crop disaster year
of 1896. The condition, then, in Octo-
ber was 607 per cent, and the yield
that year turned out only 100000
bales, from revised acreage Of 20,19O,-
675 acres.
According to the carefully prepared
crop report issued by the United States
department Of agriculture on Decem-
Der 8, the increase Of nearly 100000
acres was so badly damaged by the
causes previously mentioned that crops
on the acreage were abandoned, and
the department estimates this years
crop will be about 9,674,000 bales.
Should the crop prove even so much as
10, $50 900 bales, which is the opinion
held in many quarters, 1t would give US
a total production for the past three
years of 3O10O,O0O bales, against the
worlds consumption Of American cot
ton of 1O,5OO, 900 bales per year on the
average, or a total Of 31,500.0O0 bales
for the same three years. This excess
of consumption Of 1,4OO,00U bales has
not been made good by any proportion
ate increase during the corresponding
period in the crops of India and Egypt,
and as q result Of the worlds visible
supply Of American cotton on Septem-
ber 1st (the end Of the crop year, this
season again promises to be about as
small as last years. 1858. 900 bales. The
situation and outlook explains the re-
cent advancing tendency of prices for
cotton.
This has also been a year Of activity
in the cotton trade, and the new year
promises we'll for continuance Of good
business. While the crop will be a
short one, the south will not suffer as
rule, as the higher prices which the
crop will bring than would have been
otherwise obtained from a yield Of over
II ,00O, 900 bales, will act as an offset to
the smaller harvest. Consumption OF
cotton has made rapid strides and the
number of spindles continues to in
crease materially each year. The aver
age yearly consumption of American
cotton for the past five years has been
equivalent to 1O5OO,OOO bales of 500
pounds each. Mr.. Ellison, of Liverpool,
the best expert statistician on this sub
iect. estimates this seasons consump-
ton as likely to approximate 100000
bales. OF the worlds total cotton pro-
duction last season, Of 12,141, 600 bales,
there were actually consumed H.
Gil 900 bales, leaving a visible sup
ply of 1,569,0OO bales, and an In
,,,~Dlp of 0d1 haleq In