The Saint Paul globe., 1904-08-24
COTTON

Spec1al TO Inc GlODc
NEW YORK, Aug. 2S.-On the I'd of
August I advised the world to buy cotton,
irrespective of the showing made by the
government report. Since that time the
market has advanced cent a pound |
again urge those who are likely to need
cotton during the next six months to Sc
cure their supplies, practicable on the
basis Of present prices: The fall OF Port n,t
by the powers will probably follow the
inn ulse thereby given to the worlds in
dustry and the American and British
export trade. in cotton goods particularly,
will prove the most important since the
resumption of specie payment by the
United States in 1879. Meantime, the
rating. In my opinion the condition is
no better than it was at this time last
year and allowing for the reported in
crease in acreage the indicated crop at
is generally admitted that moderate
crop will pass into consumption on the
basis of IL cents pound and that a
short croD means a repetition of last years
wild speculation. The depredations of the
boil weevl, which fnfestS larger area in
Texas than ever before, account in part
for the rapid deterioration, but equally
important is the insufficiency of labor
in the South for the cultivation of the
crop In the past fourteen years the
increase in cotton acreage as reported
by the government. IS 5S per cent. The
crop of 1884 was 10000, ,000-the in
crease in production is therefore only
about 16 per cent There is no possible
prospect that the coming crop will show
an increase over that of 1890 commensu-
rate with the Increase in acreage. The
reason for this is not hard to find. While
the increase in. acreage in the South for
the past fourteen years has been SO per
cent the increase in the negro popula-
ton of the South during the same period
has only been "a per cent, and in Texas,
Oklahoma and Indian territory the in
GRO in a Od Gil aaY-
cent, while the increase in the negro
population is only As per cent. Experience
has proved that under the hot Southern
SUNS the negro alone can be used for the
cultivation of cotton, and the rapid in
dastrial development of the South has
drawn heavily upon the negro population
for labor in its mines, lumber camps and
railways. 1t is probably true that against
an increase in cotton acreage in the
South of So per cent in fourteen years,
the increase in negro labor available for
its cultivation has not been over Il per
cent The facts, which are taken from
the United States census, point undoubt
edly TO only one conclusion-the South
has for the past five years been plant
ing more cotton acreage than can be cuiti-
waited by the labor available and the rapid
deterioration of its condition now being
reported and which for the past four
years has generally commenced to develop
cultivation. During the early months of
its growth it needs but little care; with
out care during its critical period it is
bound to deteriorate. 1t may as well be
accepted, in my opinion, that the max
imum cotton productive capacity of the
South was reached five years ago and
cannot be again attained until the dis
proportion between its negro population
and its acreage shall have been adjusted.
No such readjustment seems possible
within the present generation. Spinners
of cotton and consumers of cotton goods
will do well to ponder and to heed the
significance of these facts.
Theodore H Price