The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1903-09-14
TEN CENTS COTTON.

LIN VI ~ ~ W Siss
AZ last the good time many poor
farmers have long hoped for and prayed
for has come For some months cotton
has been fetching ten cents and upward,
and it is now September o. worth close
on to II cents In the interior home mar
kets / congratulate the farmers on this
happy frution of their hopes I was
not one of those who knew it was com
inE." nor am ] one of those who now say
II told YOU so" It Is true that last
winter I expressed the conviction that
had | cotton Of my own to market
would hold it for ten cents. but dared
not advise any one to do so.
There are those who now deprecate the
price that cotton is fetching in me mar
ket Even the Hon. James Wilson. sec
rotary of agriculture, Is represented as
deplorne the recent rise and the pres
ent high price of cotton. 1t seems like
q dream. as II Il were "too good TO be
true" Some are afraid that the price is
too high and that reaction will occur;
others are afraid that q great enlarge
mont of the cotton area will result next
year, causing overproduction. Some
oracularly say the day of low priced
cotton has passed away" that pro
duction will never overtake consumption"
A few years ago the cry was-by per
haps some OF the same prophets-"Wen
never see cotton go TO ten cents any
more
The truth is nobody knows what facts
and conditions the future will develop.
1t is about as easy to guess right, and
lust al easy to guess wrong as it is to
guess whether a chip tossed In the air
win show wet or dr." when 1t falls to
the earth. 1t IS about six of one and
half dozen OF the other OF course.
everybody. or nearly everybody, is now
believing that the day of low priced
cotton is past and gone and perhaps it
would CRATE harshly upon the ear FOR any
one TO strike a note OF discordant dissent
10 the general tone OF sentiment. But
there are several Of u.s. who do not
take much stock in the proposition that
the day OF cheap cotton is past and gone.
7 hone. at least | wish, that the market
for good middlingS' may not fall be-
low ten cents for ten years to come.
believe that SC much is due the farmers
yho have borne the burden and heat
of the day" who have struggled along
with 4 and cents cotton for so many
wears. that they shall have ten cents u
mound for their product for the next ten
nublic speakers are pleased to Insist that
The farmers of the south are in the high
tide of prosperity; that the country was
never more prosperous" and lot more
OF such rot" 1t is cheerfully admitted
thai ten cents a pound for one crop OF
cotton "a rather poor One) will start tho
farmers on the road to prosperity; but
the ieea. Of calling 1t q food tide OF
,rosreritv." when it is only the first
rinDle Of the returning waters. is sim
r,,z. nrenosterous As il is six hours
from .,Esbb' 10 Flood" tide so ii may
NOT be less than six years from the ebb
TO the Hood tide Of prosperity. Ten
z,ears would be safer estimate. and one
mat more nearly accords with the his
forv Of the past The long depression Of
prices under which the farmers have
lahored has left indeiible marks Of It's
effects There have been lost oppor-
tunities privations, neglect Of education,
that 4 score OF years OF Ten cent cot
ton cannot atone for
But we win make the most OF it. The
farmers Will doubtless adopt cautious
policy III regard to the future. 1t would
be folly TO suddenly enlarge operations,
By increasing the area in cotton next,
year. Of course a great many viii do
that very thing. Already there is u
cry raised Dy some big farmers for an
'opan door" to the Chinese. so that he
who Is now producing 800 bales may
spread out his area so TO produce
another co bales 1t Is even claimed
that the old plantation system should be
again jnaugurated. Perhaps 1t would be
better to call Il the syndicate system Of
manipulating labor. God forbid! What
we want is not moro big farms. but a
great many moro well worked, small
farms 1t was the plantation system"
that wore out the lands Of the south.
The south wants no more of It. but
wants every head of a family TO have
a fixed home of his own. Remember
that & very large proportion of the farm
! laborers Of the SOUTH il not q majority,
are white men. They need opportunity.
education, homes development. These
Will not come with the revival of the
/ plantation system
/ But the Chinese! 1t We're better TO
! reopen the doors Of immigration to
! Africa and have but one homogeneous
race Of Africans Instead Of two inferior
j races. Better set rid of what we have
! and make room and opportunity for an
/ influx of the races of northern Europe.
But our topic that VIC set out to dis