The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-08-22
COTTON GAMBLERS
CHAIN THE WHEELS
Spindles Stopped by the
Corner Formed.
SPOILS TO THE GAMBLER
Producers on The One Hand and Manufacturers
on The 0her Pour The Golden Results
of Their Labor Into His
Hands.
Hands.
(By the Associated Press.)

(By the Associated Press.)
Washington, August 20.-Secretary Will
son, of the Agricultural Department, in
mischief is being done to the cotton man
ufacturing industry and to the cotton
growing industry by the speculative move
ment in cotton.
''The spectators have cornered the
Market said the Secretary, land put up
the price so high that manufacturers
cannot use raw cotton. At existing prices
there is no profit to them. The price of
manufactured goods cannot be manpu-
lated as can be the price of raw cotton.
1.-THE manufacturer found it more
profitable to sell his cotton to the gamb-
lers Mills were closed down because Of
there being no raw material left and in
some Instances, cotton which was sold to
European manufacturers has been brought
back to this country and used i'll the
gambling operations"
Secretary Wilson, continuing, said that
most European nations which manufac-
ture cotton and also own lands in outly
ing provinces, where cotton might be
grown are anxious to become independent
and holding out inducements for the de-
velopment of the cotton raising indus
try The British, the French, the Ger
mans, the Begians and others own lands
in Africa, and they have been for some
time organizing to produce cotton.
They know" said Secretary Wilson,
that are training scientists here to
study the cotton plant, and they have been
anxious to get our high class men over
there to organize for them The United
States sent 900 to Egypt last year
to pay for long staple Egyptian cotton.
The Department of Agriculture is trying
to grow as good staple at home by
hybrldzlng and creating new varieties
The Secretary of Agriculture for Egypt
paid me visit not long ago and said that
with the irrigation of enlarged areas along
the Nile valley growing out of compile
ton of the great dam. the production
of Egypt would be greatly increased. They
pay fifteen cents day for labor there.
There is a breed of cattle which does ali
the work and stands the heat better than
mules These European nations, owning
territory in Africa, have been coming to
our Southern States and engaging expert
negro labor to go over there and CT
ganize the natives.
Twelve cent cotton in the United
States is great encouragement to all
those people to increase their output. The
nations in Asia are doing everything to
increase the cotton production to become
independent of us. There has been a
feeling for some time that it would re
wiser for us to grow more cotton put
gambling operations this summer had the
immediate effect of stimulating efforts for
increased production
The Secretary said that every effort is
being made by the Department of Agri-
culture to help the cotton growers of the
Southern States to better system of
agriculture, through which larger yield
of cotton can be had, but that increased
output necessarily would come slowly. The
United States had not been increasing its
output for several years, the Texas crop
having suffered considerably last year on |
account of the ravages of the cotton boil
weevil Mr.. Wilson said the prospect of
the present crop had nothing whatever to
do with the operations of the spectators. |
The shortage of raw cotton to the manu- |
facturer he declared, is not due to short |
age in the crop, but to the fact that the |
corner in cotton has put the price of the |
raw material to a point where the manu-
facturer cannot profitably useJ it. The
producer has not profited by these high |
prices, as the cotton practically is all oct
of his hands. In conclusion, Secretary
Wilson said he saw no prospect of relief
for the workingmen who are thrown out
of employment by the mills closing down,
because of the scarcity of raw cotton until
the corner in cotton bursts and the price |
of the raw material is reduced The new
crop of cotton will soon begin to come in.
''Of course he said, the corner car
continue if the gamblers have CROUCH |
money to buy in the new crop"