The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-10-08
HOLDING THE COTTON
f. mars of This Section Wait
For 10 Cents.
Receipts About One Third Of the Cotton S,d
Here 10 This Date Last
Year

The farmers of Wake county are not
rushing their cotton to market, and for
this they say they have good reason
The price must reach ten cents a
pound for us to get along at ALL said
farmer yesterday who had left his cot
ton at home and had come to see what
price was offered. with the present high
prices for provisions and labor this figure
is absolutely needed. The price Is higher
than last year, it is true, but it has cost
us more to live and we paid more to
make the crop"
The receipts on this market this year
as compared with last year show this to
be true. even though the crop is estimated
at being 20 to 25 per cent less than last
year. The receipts here thus far in 1903
have been little over 80 per cent of the
receipts for the same period last year.
Up to yesterday of last year there had
been sold in Daleigh 5,124 bales of cot
ten, while this year the receipts have
been 1893 bales, this showing decrease
of 1921 bales in the same period, a diff
ference not accounted for by the size of
the crop, but simply because the farmers
who can do so are holding their cotton
for better prices.
The highest point reached by spot cot
ton here yesterday was . IA cents, while
year ago the highest price was IA
cents, yet it was said here yesterday that
IA cents pound year ago was great
er than IA cents this year.
COTTON FARMERS IN Dad SHAPE.
/ was talking with successful Wake
county farmer yesterday about the cotton
crop in Wake and he SAID that the crop
was at least 25 per cent. smaller than
last year. But for the Improvement in
price the farmers would be in very bad
shape" he said, and added:
lone serious feature about the present
small crop and low price OF cotton is that
while the farmers were making the crop
cotton was selling from twelve TO tour
teen cents pound. The farmers looked
forward to getting that price and in some
instance incurred debts upon the expec-
tation of getting twelve cents for their
cotton.
Another thing: the cost of labor and
the cost of provisions have advanced. AS
great but in some places it could not be
obtained at all.
when cotton was bringing 12 cents
on this market, meat was selling below
FIVE cents and the price of all other pro-
visions, except flour and sugar. has ad-
vanced in the same way. Cotton is sell
ing now below ten cents and meat about
ten cents.
THE farmer who does all his own work
with his own hands, by the help OF his
children, and raises all his provisions, Is
better off because cotton is higher. But
the farmer who has to hire labor and
buy his supplies is no better off than he
was when cotton sold at five cents a
pound, except when he has surplus to
dispose of. But the condition is very
little better.
Every housekeeper knows how greatly
the cost of living has increased within
the last year or two, and this has af
fected the cost of living in the country
as well as in town, for there are many
things a farmer has to purchase that he
cannot grow upon his land.
1.-The only thing open for farmer is to
raise hog and hominy, and to live as
carefully as he can"
Asked yesterday about the tobacco crop
in his section. County Commissioner Ell
lington, who lives near Apex, said;
eve have made as good tobacco as
have ever seen. 1t is quite as good as
last year, but the people are not putting
it On the market at the present prices"