The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1903-09-02

the principal markets for manufac-
tured cotton goods in the South.
ssAnd I want to say IN that con-
nection that this country, particular
| " the Southern part of it, is greatly
Indebted to Mr.. Secretary Hay, of the
State department, for his able. firm
and distinguished conduct in dealing
with that question of the open door,
and If he is sustained in. that attitude
I do not think that the cotton manu-
| facturers in this country have any
thing to fear
"What is your opinion. General, as
TO the outlook of the present cotton
crops
ssMy manager, on my plantation,
writes me that the crop is about three
weeks late, but at present is doing
! well. However, it is unsafe to form
any opinion about the cotton crop un-
/ til after September 20. The crucial
period in cotton crop is from about
August 20 to September 20.
"Then, what do you make out Of
| Secretary Wilson'S statements?'
"Well, summarized briefly, L
should say that they amounted to an
unwarranted, and, it seems to me,
rather wanton Characterization of re-
putable business men, doing business
in legitimate and honorable way,
| as common gamblers. That, and a
number of boggeys, apparently the
emanation of Secretary Wilson's rather
| vast lack OF information ON what he
was talking about, seem to me about
all his pronunciamento comes to.
Washington, Aug. 26.-The con-
troversy between Secretary of Agri-
culture Wilson and former Senator M.
G. Butler of South Carolina, as to
| whether the cotton planters of the
South will be benefited by the high
prices of cotton forced by the present
corner in that commodity, suggests
the question as to whether the ultimate
result Of the present corner may not
be disadvantageous to the American
cotton planters, regar rdsess of2whether
they receive higher prices for this
years cotton.
Secretary Wilson In his interview,
called attention to the efforts being
made by European Governments and
| by cotton manufacturers in England
| and on the Continent to encourage
the growing Of cotton outside of the
United States. It has been apparent
for some months past to readers OF
trade papers and Of consular reports
that this movement for the develop
ment of cotton production in other
countries has been accelerated by the
operations of the bull Clique in the
American market to- greater extent
even than would be indicated by
Secretary Wilson's interview. It would
seem that the Secretary had under
estimated, rather than over estimated,
the extent of this movement.
For some months past consular
reports from Europe and from almost
every country IN the world where it
is practicable to to grow cotton have
contained evidences of this general
effort to increase the cotton producing
area Of the world and to relleve manu-
facturers Of their present dependence
upon the United States. Reports from
the Latin-Anaerican countries indicate
a growing interest in the cultivation
of cotton, all the way from the Rio
, Grande River dowa to Paraguay and
Uruguay; and in India, other parts of
Asia and in Africa the areas devoted
to cotton growing age being steadily
increased. The completion of the great
irrigation work ia the Nile Valley will
be followed by great increase in the
area devoted to cotton production in
Egypt, and. every European Power
having colonial possessions in Africa
is interesting itself in experiments
looking to the establishment of the
cotton growing industry in its colonies
This movement was already under way
before the development Of the present
corner in the American market, buS
there are evidences that it has been
greatly accelerated by the operations
of the bull clique.
The high price of cotton has led to
the work of the European colonial Off
GERS being heartily seconded by the
manufacturing interests of their coun-
tries. Cotton growers associations
have been formed in Great Britain,
France and Germany for developing
new fields of cotton production, and
an illustration of what they are ac
complishing was afforded by meet
ing of the British association in
Liverpool last week, at which it was
reported that in West Africa there are
already 80, 900 acres of land under cot
ton and encouraging reports were made
as to the future possibilities in that
region, with land costing practically
nothing, with labor at from nine pence
to shilling day and with free trans
portation of cotton freight on the
colonial railways and on the steamship