The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1903-08-21
COTTON CORNER
Is DISASTROUS
Price Too High For Use by the
Manufacturers.
MILL HANDS OUT OF WORK
EUROPE PLANNING TO RAISE
ITS OWN COTTON.

Washington. Aug. 20.-Secretary VIII
son of the agricultural department in an
Interview today declared that infinite
mlchlef is being done to the cotton manu-
featuring industry and TO the cotton
growing industry by the speculative move
ment in cotton.
THE spectators have cornored the
market" said the secretary. and put UP
the price so high that manufacturers can
not use raw cotton. At existing prices
there is no profit 10 them. The price OF
manufactured goods cannot be manipu-
lated as can be the price or raw cotton.
The manufacturer found il more profit
able to sell his cotton TO gamblers. Mills
were closed down because no raw ma
cotton which was sold 10 European manu-
facturers has been brought back 10 this
country and used in the gambling opera
tons.
Activity in Europe.
Secretary Wilson said that most Euro
pean nations which manufacture cotton
and also own lands in outlying provinces
where cotton might be grown are anx-
ious TO become independent of our specu-
lators, and are organizing and holding out
inducements Cor the development of the
cotton raising industry. The British. the
French. the Germans, the Belgians and
others own lands i'm Africa and they have
been for some time organizing to produce
cotton.
.'They know" said Secretary Wilson.
that we are training scientists here to
study the cotton plant, and they have
been anxious to get out high-class men
over there to organize for them. The
United States sent 100000 to Egypt last
year to pay for long staple Egyptian cot
ton. The department of agriculture is
trying to grow as good a staple at home
by hybridizing 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 the
completion of the great dam. the produc
ton of Egypt would be greatly increased
They pay 10 cents a day for labor there"
There is breed of cattle which does
all the work and stands the heat better
than mules. Those European nations
owning territory in Africa have been
gaging expert labor to go over there and
organize the natives.
Twenty-cent Cotton.
''Twelve-cent cotton in the United
States is a great encouragement to all
those people to increase their output.
The nations in Asia are doing everything
TO increase the cotton production TO be-
come Independent of us. There has been
feeling for some time that it would be
wiser for us to grow more cotton. but
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 10 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 has not been increas-
ing its output for several years. the Tex
as 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 manufacturer. he declared.
is not due to shortage in the crop. but
10 the fact that the corner I'm cotton has
put the price OF the raw material 10 a
point where the manufacturer cannot
profitably use 10. The producer has not
profited by these high prices. as the cot
ton practically is all out OF his hands. In
conclusion. Secretary Wilson said he saw
no prospect of relief for the wOTkingmen
who are thrown out of employment by
the mills closing down BECAUSE of the
scarcity of raw cotton. unfit the corner
IN cotton bursts and the price of the raw
material is reduced. The new crop of cot
ton Will soon begin TO come in "Of
course, he said. the corner can con-
to buy in the new crop