The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1903-06-29
UNCERTAINTIES SURROUND
OUTLOOK FOR COTTON CROP

non mirht be further noted for unfA-
yorable conditions to such degree that
the price would soar up toward 20 cents.
Possible, because all things are possible,
hut of course, not probable. But can IT,
In any event, be very low7 Suppose there
would be such conrbina ton of FAVOR
able conditions during the rest Of tho
summer that the total crop would ex-
coed anything the south has yet mace
reaching, say, total Of 1l.50.VO paies.
Would the price. even In the face Of that
crop be low in view OF the constantly
Increasing demand and Of the lack OF
surplus to go over from this Year,
Who can tell the answers to oil these
questions. SO full of interest to the en-
tire south? One mans prediction Is about
as good as that Of another. The only
certain thing about the cotton outlook
at this time. as it has been so many
times in the past. is its superlative un
certainty.
State Senator Davis, of Burke county,
was talking cotton with Commissioner
Stevens and d congenial party at the de-
partment of agriculture yesterday. In
all my experience" said he. Il never
found but one man who was d real philos-
opher when it came to cotton l met him
a few years ago during a season when the
bears We're having things all their own
way hammering the price of cotton down
and down. to the intense CONSERVATION Of
every fellow In the south who was indulg-
ing in the expensive luxury Of contracts
for the future delivery of cotton and
there were lots OF them. OF course, every
southerner was certain that cotton was
going to bring a high price; we always
feel that way. | was solicitor general at
the time and my duties took me to Au-
gusta. One evening after we had adj
journed court. Judge Roger GAMBLE, who
was presiding. and ! dropped into tho
Commercial Club on our way from the
court. We had heard no news from the
market during the day, not being particu-
larly interested. so as we went In Judge
Gamble asked whether any of the gen
Element in the group we Joined had heard
from the cotton market The day before,
it seems, there had been stump OF 40
points, and of this particular day there
had been a further fall OF o3 polnts' AS
soon as the question was asked we saw
by the crestfa!en expressions that every
fellow in the crowd was on the wrong SIDE
of the market, but they We're game anu
in the discussion which followed. each
fellow came to to front with his pre-
dction that cotton was AN night una
hard the bears might try ana so on. You
know the way it goes.
During all this talk I noticed gen
ticman, with sunbrowned skin that moi
Gated an out-of-door life of some kind,
who could hardly keep still in his cha II.
He fidgeted about and once or twice nan
rose. Finally, after Senator Pat WASH
had delivered himself of most eloquent
and optimistic prediction about the I'M
mediate rise in the price which might De
expected this gentleman could stahd II
no longer This talk is all right, eehtie-
men. said he, with vigor, all right so ia'
as If goes but there's one thing you nave
ali failed to take into consideration.
Whenever YOU predict about cotton you ~
will do well to remember that cotton Is
a id fool,' a..
and he" added Senator Davis. was
the only real philosopher on the SUBJECT
of cotton that / ever met.