The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1903-08-26
SCORES GAMBLERS.
Secretary Wilson Points Out Injury
From Corner in Cotton.
FOREIGN NATIONS ARE ACTIVE
The Shortage ofthe Crop Has NoGh.
ing to do With the Prohibi-
tive Price. Corner Must
be Broken.

At Washington on Thursday Secre-
tary Wilson Of the agricultural depart
ment in an interview declared that in
finite mischief is being done to the
cotton manufacturing industry and
to the cotton growing industry by the
speculative movement in cotton.
There spectators have concered
the Market" said the secretary, and
put up the price 50 high that manu-
facturerS cannot use raw cotton. At
existing prices there is no profit to
them. The price of manufactured
goods cannot be manipulated as can
be the price Of raw cotton.
''The manufacturer found it more
profitable to sell his cotton to the
gamblers. Mills were closed down be-
cause of there being no raw material
left, and in some instances cotton
which was sold 10 European manufac-
turers has been brought back to this
country and used in the gambling op-
erationS."
Secretary Wilson; continuing. said
that most European nations which
manufacture cotton and also own
lands in outlying provinces where cot
ton might be grown are anxious TO be-
come independent OF our spectators,
and so are organizing and holding out
Inducements for the development Of
the cotton raising industry. The
British, the French, the Germans, the
BelghnS aud others own lands in
Africa, and they have been for some
TING organizing to produce cotton.
They kRow," said Secretary Will
son, ''shat we are training scientists
here to study the cotton plant and
they have been anxious to get our
high class men over there to organize
for them. The United States sent
ss:000,0 to Egypt last year to pay
for long staple Egyptian cotton. The
department Of agriculture is trying to
grow as good a staple at home, by
hybridizing and creating new varle-
ties. The secretary Of agriculture for
Egypt paid me visit not long ago
and said that with the irrigation OF
enlarged areas along the Nile valley
growing out Of the completion 81 the
great dam, the production OF Egypt
would be greatly increased. They
pay Is cents a day for labor there.
There is a breed OF cattle which does
all the work and stands the heat bet
ter than mules. Those European
nations owning territory inAfrica have
been coming to our southern States
and engaging expert negro labor to go
over there and organize the natives.
Twelve cent cotton in the United
States is great encouragement to all
those people to increase their output.
The nations in Asia are doing every
thing to increase the cotton produc-
tion to become independent of US.
There has been feeling for some time
that it would be wiser for us to grow
more cotton, but gambling opera
tionS this summer had the immediate
effect of stimulating efforts for in
creased production.
The secretary said that every effort
is being made by the department. OF
agriculture to help the cotton grow
erS of the southern States to better
saystem of agriculture through which
a larger yield Of cotton can be had,
but that the increased output neces-
sarily would come slowly. The
United States had not been increas-
ing it's output for several years, the
crop having suffered considerably last
year on account of the raVages OF the
boil wesyil. Mr.. Wilson said the ef-
feet Of the present crop. had nothing
whatever to do with the operations OF
the spectators. The shortage Of raw
cotton to the manufacturer, be de-
clared, is not due to shortage in the
crop, but to the fact that the corner
in cotton has put the price Of raw
material to a point where the manu-
facturer cannot proftably use it. The
producer has not profted by these
high prices, as the cotton practically
is all out of his hands. In conclusion
Secretary Wilson said he saw no pros
pect CT relief for the working men
who are thrown out of employment
by the mills closing down, because OF
the scarcity of raw cotton until the
corner in cotton bursts and the price
of the raw material is reduced. The
new crop Of cotton will soon begin to
come in.
''Of course" he said, the corner
can continue of if the gamblers have
enough money to buy in the new
crop"
No Negroes Wanted.