The Tupelo journal., 1904-03-25
Review Of Cotton situation.

line year OF l903 Will be long re-
membered by the cotton manufac-
turers as a period of exceptional diff
ficulty and depressions. The pros
poets at the beginning of that year
gave little indication of the latter
course of events, although statistics
pointed to firm or advancing prices.
At the beginning Of August the
agricultural bureau estimated the
condition Of the crop at 1919, which,
in spite of a boil weevil rumor, ad-
vanced to 81.2 in September. This
represented an exceptionally good
condition, but although no positive
disaster to the crop was reported,
there was a gradual sapping of con-
fidence, and as a climax the October
report gave the condition as 65.1,
compared with 58.3 of the previous
year, and 67.3 the average for the
past ten years. The new crop vas
also reported to be from two to four
weeks late, which furnished mate
rial nicely balanced for argumenta-
tive purposes.
In the meantime, Lancashire spin
ners had been warned that they
must secure this cotton early if they
would be safe, and they appeared to
have adopted very generally the ex-
pedient of buying cotton on call. 1t
is asserted that they have secured
call cotton at a low figure that will
enable them to run their mills until
far into the summer of the present
year, while many of our Southern
mills have been compelled to suspend
operation owing to high prices
caused by spectators and a COM
parative scarcity of cotton.
Owing to these conditions, the
British Cotton Growing Association
was formed in Manchester, the OBJ
ject being to cultivate and develop
the growing of cotton in East Afri-
ca, Rhodesia, and the Soudan. This
movement was carried on by mill
owners with great enthusiasm, al
though with many predictions of
failure.
The services of cotton growing ex-
perts have been secured by this COM
pany from different parts Of the
South to instruct the natives, who
are greatly interested in this work.
An English writer states that it is
an association of which every one
wishes well, except, perhaps, the
planters, who naturally desire to go
on receiving fabulous prices for
their cotton, and those anti-social
spectators who are outside any well
ordered scheme for humanity. 1t
must be remembered that this is not
an attempt to supersede American
cotton, but rather to supplement it,
and it is in the interest of Ameri-
can manufacturers and all in the
cotton using world. A greater sup
ply of cotton as the aim, irrespective
of where it is grown, will help us.
Another important movement on
foot is the organization of a $1,000
900 company of Eastern capitalists,
who propose to buy and operate our
Southern cotton fields for the bene-
fit Of their New England mills.
This movement, if successful, will
insure them a full supply of cotton
without being embarrassed by fuc-
tuations of the markets, caused by
spectators, as is the case today. If
this project is a feasible one for the
New England manufacturers, why
not for the Southern mills, having
the advantage of being in close prox-
unity to the fields? No doubt the
delta is the location which the East
ern company have in view, as they
are engaged in the manufacture of
fine yarns that requires a long staple
cotton. True, the majority of our
cotton mills are on low counts, but
in the writer's opinion, it is only a
question of how soon we can edu-
cate our operatives, which is the only
obstacle in the way of producing
fine yarns.
1t is the duty of all Mississippi
manufacturers and farmers to guard
against and to do all in their power
to prevent our plantations from be-
coming the property of Eastern cap
i~talists or manufacturers, who would
carry the cotton from our State in
the fiber. How much better it
would be if we can induce them to
bring their mills here. Our farm
ers have the cotton situation under
their own control, and should fern
a company and sell their cotton di-
rect to the mills, which would be
the means of keeping it out of the
hands of the spectators.
Two designations.
Adiutant-G General Arthur Fridge,
of the Mississippi National Guard,
has received the resignation of G.
Tucker Beckett, formerly of West
Point, major commanding the Sec
n II ~ 4