The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-05-04
THE SOUTH AND THE COTTON
CROP.

The Agricultural Department gives
1t out that the area in cotton this
spring viii yield on normal crop
basis an increase of upwards of thirty
per cent more than the crop last year.
Mr.. {. A. Edridge, of Washington.
who is authority for the above state
ment, adds:
Cotton experts have no fear that
the market will not absorb the in
creased crop. The reasons for this
faith are that there will be no old
stock held over, and the increase in
the use OF cotton goods due to refine
ment of fabrics, mercerization, etc.
The demand for cotton for mixture
with other fibers, is increasing. Popu-
lation is increasing and people are
buying and wearing more clothes than
formerly.
1T is said at the Department of Ag-
r1culture that a man must be a poor
prophet who cannot foretell that
within a few years the United States
will produce twenty million bales of
cotton annually, and that every ounce
of this will be worked up by American
spindles and looms.
1T is also clear, it is said, that the
American crop will be spun in South
ern mills. The increasing cost of coal
is making water power more and
more sought after, and that of the
South is the only water power that
can be relied on to work twelve
months year. The Department eX-
perts say that the advantage of hav-
ing a cotton mill in the middle of a
cotton field is just as apparent as hav-
ing tomato canning factory in the
middle of a tomato patch. The time
when cotton will be hauled a thousand
miles to mill is passing, and passing
fast
This reads very good to Southern
people, who for years have been pre-
dieting that the mills would be
brought to the cotton fields and that
every horse power now running to
waste in Southern streams would be
utilized in spinning cotton. But South
ern people do not agree that within
a few years the United States will
produce twenty million bales of cot
ton annually" The prophets, who
are trusting their reputation upon
such predictions, evidently have not
given consideration to the question of
labor in the South. There is cotton
land enough in the South to grow
twenty million bales in a good season,
but where is the labor to come from
to cultivate and pick it? There Will
have to be very soon a mighty tide of
immigration into the South if this
prediction is fulfilled or practical
and successful cotton picking machine
must be invented. Either would ac-
celerate the production of cotton.
Both together, with perfect seasons.
may soon increase the crop to 10000
600 bales, but it will require all three
of these essentials to produce such re-
suit within a few years"
The farmers of the South, under
present conditions would be most un-
wise to plant extraordinary large crops
of cotton. They should plant what
they can secure reliable labor to Gull
tivate and harvest, but it will be
great mistake to plant more. OF late
years the farmers have been plant
ing more hog and hominy" crops.
The most successful farmers are con-
tinuing this policy and planting all
the cotton they can then cultivate
we'll. They recognize that the South
will get more money for ten million
bale crop than for a twelve million
bale crop, and that it is more profit
able to grow more cotton on fewer
acres than to try to grow larger guam
titles without reliable labor. The high
price of cotton brought this season
will be sure to secure large acreage.
Southern papers do the farmers SER
vice by warning them against trying
to make an excessive yield this year.
The world needs 100000 bales of
cotton. If only that is grown the
farmers will get good prices. If L.
100000 additional bales are grown,
the bottom will drop out of the price
of the entire thirteen million bales.
The attempt of the New York Sun
and such papers, which hold a brlet
for the Northern manufacturers ana
consumers of cotton" to persuade the
Southern farmers to plant a big crop
ShOuIQ 11nu no eCHO CiiS '1N"NAA'
The Southern papers should wage war
against running prices by tremeh-
dous crop. The South is entitled 10
proper share of the profits in cotton.
1t never gets it's share when 1t grows
a large surplus. Writing upon TINS
line in the Atlanta Constitution, Prof.
Ulrich b. Phillips of the University
of Wisconsin, (who has lived upon
Southern cotton plantations) says:
'The New York Sun has given the
South a bountiful supply OF oau au-
vice in the past, and apparently IL
has not yet gone out of that me ot
business. 1 have been in hopes Oh
leading some editor of prolilllle III,
Southern newspaper to give a careful
study to the problem ana ma ne Il
great campaign against yielding ~ tlle
temptation to spoil the cotton ll ma
What is needed is some poWe[lul a.
torney to take a brief for lhe 80
ton producers and to give ms one ,Iii,s
sound advice to enable them " WIN
their suit for a fair share Oh tlle pr
fits in cotton as a permanent tnlis'
re