The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-08-24
CO tom.

new I DIX, aug. 1VVf.
On the Ind of August | advised the
world to buy cotton irrespective of the
showing made by the government re-
port. Since that time the market has
advanced a cent a pound. L again
urge those who are likely to need cot
ton during the next six months to Sc
cure their supplies, If practicable, on
the bass of present prices. The fall
of Port Arthur is imminent, Pacific in
PREVENTION by the powers Will probably
follow, and the impulse thereby given
to the worlds industry and the Amer
lean and British export trade in cot
ton goods particularly will prove the
most important since the resumption
of specie payment by the United
States in 1879. Meantime, the cOndi-
ton is 40 better than it was at this
time last year and allowing for the
reported increase in acreage, the in
Dictated crop at present is hardly over
100000 bales. 1t is generally ad-
mitted that a moderate crop Will pass
into consumption on the basis of II
cents a pound, and that short crop
means a repetition of last years wild
speculations of the boil WeeVll, which
infest a larger area in Texas than
ever before, account in part for the
rapid deterioration, but equally i'm
portant 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 siXty-three per
cent. The crop of 1901 was $780,
900 bales. The crop of 1904 IS TO-
100000. The increase in production
therefore is only about 16 per cent.
There is no possible prospect that the
coming crop will show an increase
over that of 1890, commensurate with
the increase in acreage. The leason
for this is not hard to find. While tie
increase in acreage in the South Ior
the past fourteen years has been So
per cent, the increase in the negro
population of the South during the
same period has only been twenty-four
per cent. and in Texas, oklahoma and
Indian Territory, the increase in acre
age since 1890 is ia per 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 industrial development of the
South has drawn heavily upon the me-
gro population for labor in it's 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 in
crease in negro labor available for it's
cultivation has not been over IL per
cent.
These facts which are taken from
the United States census point indu-
btably to only one concluson-the
South has for the past five years been
planting more cotton acreage than
can be cultivated by the labor avail
able and the rapid deterioration in it's
condition now being reported and
which for the past four years has gen.
orally commenced to develop about
this time, evidences this lack of Gull
tivation. During the early months of
it's growth it needs but little cares
Without care during it's critical period
it is bound to deteriorate. 1t may as
we'll be accepted in my opinion that
the maximum cotton productive ca
pacitv of the South w2s reached five
wears ago and cannot be again at
tained until the disproportion between
it's negro population and its acreage
shall have been adjusted. No such
reimbursement seems possible within
the present generation
Spinners of cotton ana consumers of
cotton goods will do we'll to ponder
and to heed the significance OF these
facts | shall appreciate 1t IL my
friends in the South VIII continue to
advise me by mail or telegraph as to
the outlook of the crop IN their local
itv. TeIegrams not more than ten
words in length may be sent at my eX>
pense. DDrSr,
10 4 -,