The Savannah morning news., 1904-12-08

very much from those of former years
when large crops were made and low
prices paid, and the difference is to
the advantage of the producer
Mr.. Jordan in his letter says:
JOrdan's Letter.
Shall the South quietly surrender to
the dictation of a few Wall street gam
blers in depressing the price of our
great STAPLE crop last week from nine
and half to seven cents per pound;
or will they rise in their manhood and
refuse TO submit to this unholy sac
rlf1ce? The bearish bureau report is
sued from the Department of Agricul-
ture on Dee. 8. indicating a crop of
l2,l62,OO0 bales, gave the spectators
the opportunity they had been praying
for, and in less than thirty minutes
nearly $S0,000 900 in value was struck
from the pockets of Southern farmers
The bureau report exceeded the ex-
pectations of the most extreme bear
spectators, and but few we'll posted
men in the South believe for moment
that the yield this season will ever
reach the high estimate placed upon
the crop by the bureau.
That report was based upon a theo-
retical acreage of about $1,000, 900 acres,
and indicates a yield far in excess of
that indicated by the amount of cotton
ginned UP to Nov. IA, in the census
report. Either one or the other of
these reports is wrong. The ginners
report is based upon facts as ascer-
tanned at the gins, while the bureau
report as issued last Saturday is guess
work. The recent heavy depression in
the price of spot cotton has been caused
by a lot of gamblers and spectators
who neither produce or weave a pound
of cotton. Every dollars loss on cot
ton sold at present prices will go into
the pockets of these spectators and
it remains for the present owners and
holders of at least 100000 bales of
this crop to say whether this UNI
righteous hold up and high handed
robbery shall be quietly submitted to.
Several million bales of this crop are
yet in the hands and control of the
farmers, merchants and local bankers.
Letters are coming to me from
farmers all over the South stating that
they will not sell any cotton now in
their possession at present prices, and
urging that every farmer take similar
action. Others propose to enter into
an. ironclad agreement to hold all the
cotton they now have until next Sep
TENDER and reduce their cotton acreage
next year 25 per cent. They urge me
70 issue this call for volunteers on
similar agreement and undertake to
absolutely tie up the 100000 to 3,000,-
900 bales of the present crop unless
prices go back to legitimate figures.
Meeting of Cotton Men.
81 now call upon every producer who
is holding cotton, and who can possibly
do so. to attend the National Cotton
Convention to be held at Shreveport,
La, Dec. IL, 80, IA and 18th instant,
there. to take definite action looking to
the holding of the balance of this crop
until prices advance. and consider
plans for reducing the cotton acreage
next year so as to prevent surplus
which is now being used by the specu-
lators to harass, embarrass and inn
poverish again Southern cotton produc-
ers.
1.-THE salvation of the South depends
upon every man who now has cotton in
his possession to do his full duty by re-
fusing to sell at present prices.
do not get discouraged or timid.
Store your cotton under cover or in
warehouses and there let it rest. The
world wants it and must have 1t soon.
No farmer should be afraid to retain
possession of a staple which is to-day
the most valuable agricultural product
in the world. Hold tight to your cot
ton until the Shreveport meeting on
Dec II, at which time a definite plan
will be adopted to force an advance in
the present depressed price of the
staple"