Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1904-12-13
#iseellaneuus Rsadins.
FARMERS HOLD THE KEY.
They Can Stand Together and Make
Prices 40 They Please.


They Can Stand Together and MaIee
Prices a. They Please.
A. P. Rhyme of Mt. Holly, N. c., one
of the largest cotton mill owners In
North Carolina, has plan to put cot
ton up to 10 cents and keep 1t there.
There Is perhaps no man in the south
better equipped to discuss the great
twin Industries Of cotton growing and
cotton manufacturing than Mr.. Rhyme,
according to a correspondent Of the
Atlanta Journal, and anything that he
has to say upon the situation along
either line Is of interest. Mr.. Rhyme
Is Of the opinion, first and foremost,
that the southern farmers are In po-
sition to dictate the price Of cotton
and that in not taking advantage OF
their opportunity they are standing IN
their own light.
"The foreign markets continue to
broaden and develop and the demand
constantly increases" said he, "and the
mills must have the cotton to supply
the demand. The south grows the
cotton and is in a position to put Its
price upon its product. The whole
thing In a nutshell Reorganization.
Let the southern farmers get together
and stand together. They have the
spot cotton In their own hands to do
as they please with 1t. My idea Is
this:
1.-THE planters should form an Or
ganization among themselves and each
farmer interested put in 80 cents for
every bale of cotton he has on hand.
II there Is as much cotton in sight as
reports make that would give the or
ganization s3,000,00O. Then employ
some expert on the New York and New
Orleans exchanges to buy that amount
Of March, May and July cotton and let
the farmers hold their spot cotton.
They cannot be compelled to sell 1t. l
know many will say that it Is impos-
sible to get the farmers to stick to-
gether, but I think that Is a mistake.
II you will interest them they Will
stick. II they lose so cents bale that
would not be much Of a loss, and be-
sides they would have the satisfaction
OF having helped some that were fore
ed to sell out, and more than that,
great deal of cotton would be forced
on the market and thus gotten out Of
the way and this feature of the situa
ton alone would result in greater ben
eft to the planter than Is represented
in the small amount put into the or
ganization.
Before they are compelled to sell
the cotton they have on hand, the
planters could warehouse 1t and real
lie on 1t, or II they think they cannot
afford the small amount charged for
storage and insurance they could take
it to responsible mills and take ware
house receipts for 1t. These warehouse
receipts will be honored in cash by al
most any bank, II the planter should
require greater advance than the
mills could let him nave.
I'm this latter move the mills would
be able to buy the cotton that would
be forced on the market to protect
themselves against the receipted cot
ton, which would insure the planter
getting better prices later in the sea-
son for his storage cotton. This move
would keep the cotton in the south at
a time when 1t Is hard for southern
mills to get it, and would stop specu-
lators from selling three times as much
cotton as the south raises. The fear,
or rather certain knowledge they could
not deliver 1t would accomplish this
last result.
Just think Of it," exclaimed Mr.
Rhyme. IF we have a crop Of 12,OOO.-
900 bales, that ought not to bring tie
price of cotton down to its present
level. We received before September
$50 900 or 100000 bales Of this CROP
and there will be at least 100000 bales
carried over to the next crop. making
about 100000 bales, and leaving only
II. 200, 900 bales of the 12.000,0O0. The
mills will consume about that much
cotton IL they can get It, provided
conditions remain anything like they
are now, and you can see at glance
what a golden opportunity the farmer
has,"
What position are the mill men
taking on this question:" Mr.. Rhyme
was asked.
1--WE want the farmer to get 10 cents
for his cotton. We can sell our pro-
duct on that basis and will have no
trouble getting the increased prices,
we have demonstrated that. Cotton Is
worth 10 cents to the farmer II 1t Is
worth anything"
Before ending the interview Mr..
RHYME stated that the cotton mills
had all they could do. His mills. four
in number, have sold several months
ahead. are working full time, have not
been able to catch up and will not
catch I'D with orders for many months.
He has had to turn down many orders.
He firmly believes that the southern
planter holds the key to the situation
that the present is the golden mo-
ment to force the price Of cotton to 10
cents and keep it there. IF 1 had
time" he said, Il could easily organ
ize IN. farmers Of the south to beat
these spectators at their own game.
and It wouldn't take long to do the
lob. The south can do it and should
do It and I want to see the southern
farmers get together on this organiza-
ton plan."
ADDRESS TO FARMERS.