The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1903-08-26
Secretary Wilson Expresses His
Opinion on Cotton Gambling.
Forcing up the Price of the Staple
by Speculation Has Made it I'm
profitable for the Cotton Mills
TO Continue in Operation
And Stimulates a Larger Production in
This Country.

wilson, OF GQ0 agricultural o0pSA oiAon",
in an interview today, declared that
infinite mischief is being done to the
cotton manufacturing industry and to
the tton-growing industry by the
speculative movement in cotton:
"The speculators have cornered the
market - said the Secretary, "and
put up the price so 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 the
price of raw cotton can.
"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 to European manu-
facturers, has been brought back to
this country, and used in the gamb-
ling operations. -
Secretary Wilson, continuing, said
that most European nations which
manufacture cotton and also own lands
in outlying provinces where cotton
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 Brit
ish, the French, the Germans, the
Belgians and others own lands IN
Africa, and they have been for some
time organizing to produce cotton.
"They know" said Secretary Will
son. "that we are training scientists
here to study the cotton plant, and
they have been anxious to get our
hieh-class men over there to organize
for them. The United States sent SS,-
600, 600 to Egypt last year to pay for
long staple Egyptian cotton. The de-
parfment of agriculture is trying to
grow as good staple at home by ny
bridizing and creating new varieties.
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 OF the great
dam, the production Of Egypt would
be greatly increased. They pay fifteen
cents a day for labor there. There is
breed of cattle which does all the
work and stands the heat better than
mules. Those European nations own
ing territory in Africa have been COM
ing to our Southern States and engag-
ing expert negro labor to 60 over there
and oragnize the natives.
'Twelve- cent cotton in the United
States is a great encouragement to all
those people to increase their output
The nations in Asia are doing every
thing to increase the cotton produc-
ton to become independent OF us.
There has been a 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 growers
Of the Southren States to better sys-
tenn Of agriculture, through which a
large Weld of cotton can be had, but
that increased output necessarily
would come slowly. The United
States had not been increasing its
output for several years. the Iexas
crop having suffered considerably last
year on account Ol tllo IafoSoo " o.-0 y
cotton boil weeyil. Mr.. Wilson said
the prospect of the present crop had
nothing whatever to do with the ope-
rations of the spectators. The short
age of raw cotton to the manufac-
turer, he declared, is not due to
shortage in the crop, but to the fact
that the corner in cotton has put the
price of the raw material to point
where the manufacturer canonot
prot6ably 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 prospect OF relief for the
workingmen 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 ma.
terial is reduced. The new crop OF
cotton will soon begin to come in.
"Of course,'' he said, the corner
can continue if the gamblers have
enough money to buy in the new
orro1, >,