The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1903-12-08
As to Cotton Growers
And Cotton Mills
INFLATED VALUES.
Nh. 4. 4. thompson Says Ira, Such
Values For Cotton ncud
Prove 4 Calamity 10
tie Country.

Nj E3tas The lsins
Ssuta tes 4s alt4sc 41
money crop stan IS .a- meet ua.
thihg r. .Ae ~ofA ios s.erhay IS
.o.ee uhen The pnsg i s5nmaa.
pay q fair profit s. tac producer
when The farmers arr praepcsf ,,ess
avenue g: trad, Is benefited
But Inflated values Though ea
bring moe money - tae south ana cons
q]uently hencat lars, majority 81 tha
people ~ this ~stloo. ssh ur aH1s t.n
poragy 4ad al the ead .aystr DISASTER
The cotton market Is nos STEER taa
u has been il many years ana l a
all proportion 10 tAe mauui4 ,lfei Yfo
ducts. The mils throughout tac gsuH
Viii be the first u suffer vr~
wages VII. have 10 IS rriucca ar.i
duct,u curtatsct, therefore cotton sa4
featuring WlIl hc seriously gftlilct
The abuormaily hisn pree iat
VIII stimulate the farmer to Iuc3 ,tec sa
cotton acreage II the expense at stHs
crop, ana an enormous crop TAR a g
cess OF the worlds needs. may be- 49,
pected next year i the s,a~uu9 arr
%voIaDlo Tins country IN -. oVUoet ta,e~
has twice produced crops Iu excess ~ as
600, 600 baleS, and these crops were u4
and gathered when cotton did not tttns
the farmers SIX cents per pound Ntb
cotton selling at moro than tWlcr
figure. Row many acres VIII bc plHtr,l
and what viii be the growth. ll ru.hu
dence taNors with good seasons Ccrt vs.
IL no, less than 30. 00o. 600 acres. aud
crop approxlmating 1900. 600 b1lc. }t
addition 10 the increased American a.1p
the European nations Will mako every Isl
fort TO grow an increased quantity Isl
Russia, India anI Africa. within tGc
past year England has completed dam
on the Nile AZ q cost Of $40. COCO which
viii increase the acreage of Egyptian cot
ton, while experiments are beng made a
all sections OF Africa with the hope fhls
Europe VIII not be compelled e. depel3
SO largely on American cotton. Sooacr e.
later these efforts will bear fruit lul la
the end the cotton farmers Of tho South
VIII be competing with the poorest Iall
labor on earth.
Naturally the price 81 cotton via lalt
below the cost OF production In this oala
try. and We viii have a repetition 81 tEc
dark days OF 1893 t. 1898 with the disasters
and the iems that were i blight and "a
curse to our people.
The problem suggests that 2 remedy
must be found. The producers should lui
of course viii get al the market will paw.
and the ONLY hope for the manufacture H.
20 advances the price Of goods by a whole
sale curtailment OF production. We 51a
spinning and weaving moro cotton fA4a
this country will consume. The result ~
that many lines of goods are hard ta eel
at prices ruling a year ago, and some
goods are selling for even lees.
To manufacture goods out of high priced
cotton, and then add 10 the cost by ear
rying them indefinitely and In the face-of
a stormy probability that the world wlII
exert itself TO produce q record breaking
crop would be the height OF folly.
The situation is so grave and So fun of
perpleXlties that a meeting viii be held
at Charlotte on the Sth Of this month Il,
consider the situation and it is to be hoped
that there viii be a large attendance for
in a multitude OF counsellors there il
safety.
ALE a. THOMPSON
Raleigh, y. G., Dec 3.