The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1903-12-16
TALK OF 4 COTTON FAMINE.
What Mr.. suI|y, the Great Cotton
Bull, Has TO Say.
increasing Demand and Decreas.
ing Crops Threaten a Disaster
to the Prosperity of the
United States.

" iHO dIVoPOtssy VI e"0
United States.
Written for the Manufacturers Record.
Just as the people and the resources
Of the South have been underestimated
as elements of national strength, so
has the Importance of the South's
chief staple-cotton- undervalued
as factor in the nations prosperity.
Recently, however, by reason of the
higher prices which cotton has COM
manded, people all over the country
are beginning to give more considera-
toin to what cotton means to American
industry and commerce. And there has
been more or less discussion of the
question whether the Soath's capacity
for producing cotton may not be di-
minishing, and this has awakened
feeling not very far removed from
alarm lest cotton famines may become
possible in the course Of time. Even
today there is a shortage in the sup
ply, and if the steady diminution OF
the cotton crop which the last few
years have witnessed shall continue
much longer we shall be face to face
with national calamity.
During the last few days l have had
several very.interesting talks about the
cotton situation and outlook with the
man whose movements are being
watched more closely by the alert ele
ment both North and South, in city
and in country, as we'll as across seas.
than are the movements of any Of our
presumably great statesmen, inanciers
or captains of industry. This much
observed individual is Daniel j. Sully
"a man to whom the people of the
South very naturally feel profoundly
grateful for having led the movement
for higher prices for this years cotton
crop before it had passed out of the
growers hands. For some years past
one of the various hardships that the
grower has been beset by has been
low price at the time he was obliged to
sell and higher price after the fruit
of his ]abors had been brought up by
mill owners and spectators in this
country and broad.
During the past summer, after Dan
iel.J. Sully had put the price of May
cotton to eleven cents, be went to
Europe to recuperate his energies for a
campaign, which he had planned
several years ago, for putting the price
of this season g cotton up to what he
believed to be its real value. While
in Great Britain and in Continenal
Europe he tells me that be spent much
time studying cotton conditions from
the standpoint of the South's and the
nations prosperity. His observations
while abroad led him more than ever
before to consider cotton in the light
of great national asset. He impress
ed upon foreign buyers the Importance
of entering the market early in the
season, and convinced many of them
that they might look for higher levels
than they had been figuring on. He
opened the eyes of some of the Old
Worlds largest buyers to conditions
| warrant;ng a continuation of high
prices, giving convincing reasons for
his opinions and conclusions. How
serious was the impression made by
him upon foreign buyers was shown
by the Immediate cabling to all the
world of his prediction, made to a
great Russian concern. that in five
years Cotton would bring twenty five
cents pound.
Returning to this country in Septem-
ber, he began where he had left off in
May, and in the face of the most deter
mined opposition from various COM
binations began the movement that
has, by the enormous sales Of cotton at
high prices to Europe, saved Wall
street from what, in the opinion of
many, would have been a disastrous
panic, the effects of wich might have
paralyzed business all over the Union
In response to an expression OF ap,,
probation of the good work he had
done. he eaid that in order to act con-
stantly with his convictions be would
have to follow year by year the same
plan of campaign that he was now en-
gagged in, but that it would be broaden
ed to meet the exigencies of situation
demanding the most serious cousidera-
tion of every thoughtful man who has
at heart this country's welfare.
When asked why he felt that the
situation was SO serious he replied:
-Four years ago [ discovered that
there was danger of shortages from
QdllldStQ oOCU C4uCO tIiCI 9COA Nv
terioratioa is discernible alike in in
complete termination and imperfect
reproduction. Moreover there are large
areas throughout the States east Of
the Mississippi River in which there
has been more or less poverishment
of the soil. Then there is the ire
pressible boil weevil in Texas. But,
whatsoever the causes, the fact re-
mains that the crop is becoming
smaller, while consumption is annual
iy growing greater. There will be
shortage this season sufficient to keep
closed considerable percentage Of the
mills of the world. If we should pro-
duce next season as much as we produc
ed in 1S9S-99 and a million bales more,
still under the operations of the law
of supply and demand, prices year
hence would be but little, if any, lower
than those now prevailing. 1t is very
easy to figure out how much cotton
must be raised in coming years to meet