The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-01-03

Every few days some folks who are afraid
that high cotton will make the Southern
farmer and the Southern people too pros
porous, come forward with a terrible
warning. They tell US that If the South
ern farmers continue to charge what cot
ton is worth. one of two ealamities is
certain to befall them: l. Next year
the crop will be so large that the price
will go way below the cost of produc-
tiCn: 2. The high price will induce the
Erglishmen and the Germans and others
to lend all their efforts toward finding
sections of country where cotton can be
produced on big scale at lower figure
than in the United States. They tell us
that if any of these countries succeed at
will be a bad thing for us, for it will
cause the loss of what has for all these
years been a monopoly"
These two bug-a boos have been much
in evidence of late. They have scared
nobody. The Southern farmers know that
both of them are ''scare crows" thiply
disguised, and not worth their consider
alton. They know furthermore that the
the worlds supply and that they are
entitled therefore to high prices. Most
of them sold before cotton reached twelve
cents, but there are others who are hold
ing part of the crop for the higher prices
they expect next spring. Whether they
are wise to hold for fifteen cents or up
ward is a matter about which the wisest
men do not venture an opinion. Certainly
farmers would be silly if they gave away
the present crop for fear of either of tho
above two predicted calamities. They are
not to be frightened by the interested
cry ''the COLLINS will get you if you don't
watch out"
If cotton remains high about planting
time. there is no doubt that 1904 will
see an increased acreage. 1t is possible,
if the seasons are perfect and the boil
weevil goes into innocuous desuetude, the
crop will be larger this year. With a
much larger crop, prices per pound for
cotton will drop. 1t is remarkable
thing that the South gets more for
small crop of cotton than for largo
crop. In a recent communication in these
Vtyica
successful farmer of Edgecombe county
said:
1t is an old saying that figures don't
lie" but put them and experience to-
gether and they make a startling show
ing We see that ten million $50 lbs
bales of cotton sells for IL cents pound
$40 ,00O, 000 Eleven million bales at 10
cents $495, 900, 600. Twelve million bales a..
cents 1882. .0so Thirteen million
bales at cents 1891, 100000"
These figures are worth considering and
they should, as Mr.. Brake says, warn
farmers not to neglect making their home
supplies in order to grow thirteen mil
hon bale crop. But there is one tmpor
tant thing that the men who predict a
tremendous crop have not fully estimat-
ed. 1t is that in the year 1908 the South
raised about all the cotton it could raise
with the available labor In North Caro-
lima more cotton will be planted than last
year and labor employed in growing to-
bacco and giving it to the trust will be
employed in growing cotton. But, take
the South as whole, and it raises every
year about all the cotton it can secure
labor is imported no very great increase
in the acreage can be expected. The
acreage in 1903, if the seasons and all
conditions had been favorable, would
have made the crop about one million
bales larger. Much depends upon the sea-
sens With good seasons, with the present
labor, the crop will be larger this year, but
when little additional labor can be secured
it is idle to expect enough cotton made in
1904 to greatly depress the prices. The
truth is the world ought to adjust itself
to a minimum price of ten cents for cot
ton, and cotton farmers ought to make
arrangements not to sell their crops for
less than that price. Southern banks can
now accommodate cotton growers and
there is ne reason why other cotton farm
ers should not have q voice in fixing the
minimum price at which they will raise
tobacco. No, with the small crop of this
year and the eager fight for cotton. there
is no reason why cotton farmers should
be afraid that cotton will go below the
cost of production next fall, even with
larger crop. Of course, if a fifteen mil
lion bale crop could be grown, the goblin
of five cent cotton might catch the farm
ers next October, but with present labor
conditions, very large crop is not with
in the range of possibilities.
The notion that prevails in the North and
in Europe that all the cotton of the South
is grown by negroes is a very erroneous
one Sometime ago the Manufacturer Re