The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1903-09-30
MARKET II, SLOWLY.
That Is the Advice Given the
Farmers by Mr.. Jordan
IN HANDLING TIE COTTON CROP

He Thinks They Should Take Ad
vantage of the Cotton Situa-
ton and Protect Their
Own Interest.
Hon. Harvie Jordan, Of Georgia
president Of the Southern Cotton
Growers Protective Association, has
issued the following address to the
farmers Of the cotton growing States
The cotton producers Of the South
have long wished to realize good prices
for their staple and the opportune
time has now arrived if proper judg-
ment is exercised in marketing the
present maturing crop. TO make a
success OF any business, a thorough
knowledge Of every department. con-
nected with it, and judiciCuS exer-
else Of sound judgment must be dis
played. We have now reached the
stage in the worlds production and
use of cotton where the laws Of supply
and demand can be fixed and regulat-
ed upon a legitimate basis. We are
no longer faced with an enormous sur
plus as was the case each year until
quite recently, giving the mills and
the spectators an opportunity to de-
press prices by claiming the existence
of heavy stocks on hand.
Since the organization Of the South
ern Cotton Growers association ln
1900, strong efforts have been put for
ward each year by the members and
officers Of the association in each
State looking to the adoption OF more
systematic and buSireSs-like methods
in selling the crop. The rapidity with
which the great staple crop Of the
South has been rushed on the market
in past years has been ruinoos to the
producers. An enormous oversupply
has been created during short period
Of time when no legitimate demand
has existed In the early fall spinuers
have been in the habit Of buying SUP
plies to last for 30 and 80 days only,
after which they retire from the mar
ket and the producers are then left IN
the hands CT spectators who continue
to buy up the crop, making contracts
with mills for future deliveries as the
staple may be needed for actual con-
sum ption. To force the sale OF a
twelye-nonth's supply Of any COM
modify within the short space Of
three CT four months will necessarily
place the seller at great disadvant-
age in the market.
The great object and purpose Of our
association has been to, first, place IN.
10 active operation scheme by which
correct and reliable statistics could be
gathered regarding the yicld Of each
years crop, and put that information
into the hands OF the producers: man
ufacturers, and the legitimate trade
as rapidly and as early in the season
as possible This is now being perfect
ed through the cooperation OF the
United States census and agricultural
department at Washington, by the
reports Of ginnerS on the one hand,
and the reports Of fully $4,000 active
correspondents through the other.
It may safely be predicted now that
the time is near at hand when COM
tnercial reports, often gotten up Tor
selfish purposes, will become thing
Of the past, and will exercise but little
or no influence npon the crop from the
standpoint of a statistical report COM
manding serious consideration.
Our second great aim, equally i'm
portant as the first, is to educate the
producers upon the high Importance
of moving the crop Slowly. To market
one-tenth Of the crop each month, in
stead Of one-fourth as has been the
rule in the past. If the growers Of
cotton will cooperate to break up the
present bad system by which nearly
one-fourth Of our cotton crop is con-
tracted for in October deliveries, a
giant stride in the right direction will
have been gained. The legitimate
market for spot cotton can be and is
as easily glutted as with any other
farm product. Two important essen
tials are necessary to a solution OF this
problem: make our fall accounts due
in October, one-third, January, one.
third, and the balance April lSt the
following year, then begin to raise
more supplies at home and cut the
strong band Of the supply merchant
which dictates the sale OF the most Uf
the crop rs fast as gathered.
This season the producers occupy
the strongest position in the regula-
tion of prices for the crop which will
soon be ready for market. Supplies
for the raw staple have been more
completely exhausted within the past
year that at any time within the past
fourdecades. The present high prices
Tor spot cotton is due to a scarcity Of
raw cotton, and a denial Of this fact
cannot be uuloaded on The shoulders
Of tn. Brown, Sully "bulr clique.
The mills have shut down because
they have no cotton to spin, and be-
cause they cannot tud in the market
such grades as are tit for spinning
purposes. Stocks are exhausted and
the active operation Of spindles in this
country and in Europe can only be un-
dertaken after the present crop begins
to move to market. This fact is clear
| ly emphasized by the activity OF mills
in pushing their orders for new cotton
at this time. This state OF affairs
| could not exist if the mills were shut
down simply because the present
prices were higher than usual. These
| rono-tS q re hainr sent hrQadcaSt. over