The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1903-11-23

for ten years past. Many thousands Of
them have not cleared a cent a pound on
cotton. over and above the cost of pro-
duction and marketing, in ten years or
more Many OTHER and perhaps even
more thousands have not for ten years
received enough in the aggregate to pay
the cost OF production. 1t is getting to
be red letter day in the experience
of the 'horny-handed sons of toll" only
the pity Of it is so many have sold prac-
tica..y ~ o. their crop a or 9 cents Il
pound. AS | said some weeks ago the
farmers are entitled to 10 cents a pound
Tor their cotton for ten years hand run
ming in order to make up for losses IN
the past decade. Ten cents, nor II, nor
yet 2 cents a pound is going to make
any farmer rich in one or two years.
Thousands will make &heir tens and
hundreds of thousands by the recent rise
in cotton but even the farmer, lho has
so far withheld his crop from the mar
ket will only come into his own when
he pockets the proceeds of sale at
pounds for dollar. OF course, we are
all sorry for the manufacturer who must
risk his money on cents cotton. That
Is. we are sorry some, and wish him
prices for manufactured goods. He has
been having a good time for several
years past. getting Gotten for 7 or
cents. or less, and selling he manufac-
tured goods at prices that have yielded
big profits. The development of foreign
markets for cotton goods, the improve
ments In machinery for making these
good has borne their proper and lesi.l-
,4o1.
raw cotton. competition among buyers
better prices to the farmer.
But there is a little shadow over the
radiant picture. The good prices now
prevailing are not due alone to the in
creased demand for consumption, but
must be largely charged TO the fact hat
the crop now produced and nearly count
ca into the channels of trade is shorter
than was hoped and expected. This
means that a great many farmers have
made very poor crops; for it takes
great many individually poor yields to
result in million or two bales in the
way of shortage Of the crop. The farmer
who makes only five bales to the plow
and gets 10 cents pound for ii is but
little better off than the farmer who
produces with the same outlay ten
bales to the plow ana gets 5 cents
pound for IT, The poorer crop IS taXea
with She cost of picking and ginning and
tagging and lies of only five bales
against ten TO the plow. And there are
great many who nave not made ove,
FIVE bales to the plow, and not few
who have made even less
! repeat lie caution expressed q while
back when cotton first touched O cents
and then rebounGed TO 9 and less per
pound. Don't stake everything on big
area in cotton next year in hope OF a
big Yield and 10 cents pound for it.
Ii you do take care to sell your crop,
teforo you plaut it, for future deliv-
cry" and ihus hedge against disaster.
Mark The prediction, Next year the
most successful and prosperous farmer
VIII be one that grows his supplies at
home raises his own ''meat and bread"
and who makes a few bales Of cotton
at the rate OF half a bale to a bale per
acre at q cost way down below the cost
OF ne crop grown by the man who puts
everything IN cotton" buys mis- bacon,
part o. his corn and hay, ana neglects
all the little economies ana smaller re-
sources OF his farm. Take cafei Cotton
may go down to g cents, cents, even 5
cents in year or two. And this is
not croaking, nor pessimism neither. it
is common sense prudence and level
headed caution. r. J. REDD1NG.