The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1904-02-19
FIFTEEN CENT COTTON.
What a spartanburs County Mill
Man Says About IT..

-
Man Says About II.
The Spartanburg Journal SAYS: In
discussing the cotton question Satur-
day prominent manufacturer said,
fifteen cents cotton is not a menace
to cotton mills. There are many peo-
pie who hold opposite views but TO
save my life cannot coincide with
them. In times past cotton has been
manufactured profltably at I5 cents.
The principal question involved is
the advanced price Of the goods. Fiji
teen cents cotton is not hurtful, but
wide fluctuations In It's value is more
hurtful than mere uniform price,
though that price should be l5 cents.
"A few wealthy men constitute
themselves as bulls Of the cotton
market, can vary quickly the price
OF cotton. and from this the hurt
comes to the mill; but we cannot SO
quickly vary the price of the manu-
faetured product. Where we have to
consider the connections OF distribu-
tors, such as garment makers, tent
makers, and other conertors, and they
In turn have to deal with the distrib-
uting trade who have to reckon with
the mills when the ad vance is made to
the consumer, and they brought to
realize new condition and new
level Of prices, the mill is not hurt IL
the level Of prices is maintained with
any degree OF regularity"
What effect will l5 cent cotton
have upon the farmers generally9"
Well, Is cents pound is not too
much for farmer to receive for the
product Of his labor, and at Is cents
bis earnings cannot be equivalent to
that OF fair mechanic. To Illustrate
what mean: If farmer with one
mule should produce eight bales OF
cotton and should sell it at Is cents
that would be approximately $500 fol
his crop; and IL he made eight bales
of cotton the average farmer would
not make anything elsD, as 1t would
consume his whole time to produce
and gather this only amount to about
50 day for his labor, while an ordi-
nary mechanic can get from al.5O to
50 day, and a skilled one can get
from SO to So per day for his labor
|
ceive about the same amount for his
work?
For these reasons favor l5 cent
cotton. know many business men
OF my experience. to not agree with
me on this idea but at the same time
can see no reason why a level Of | s
cents cotton should not he maintained.
What of the future price OF cot
ton?"
In my Judgment we are at the limit
production. Based upon labor con.
ditions, l think labor cannotIbe pro-
cured in the South to make more
cotton than we are now producing
namely, minimum of 10000, 900, OF
maximum Of 100000, varying
with weather conditions.
This labor problem Is what con.
fronts the cotton growers OF the
South. Farm hands cannot be paid
as things exist today, more than e12
per month, out of which he must
board himself and family, while at
public works and private industries
such as railroads, mining, etc., they
get from 81 to 80 day. This dis.
crepancy is fast taking the hands
from the farms, and without an ad-
| vance In price Of cotton that will en-.
able the farmer to pay more for labor
| do not see how 1t can be Offset.
In this connection l will state that
the cotton lands of the South are
degenerating and will not produce to-
day what they would five years ago;
being planted and replanted in cotton
until they are exhausted"