The Columbus commercial., 1904-08-28
TWELVE
CENT COTTON
President Peters of The Texas
Cotton Growers AsSocia-
tion Gives Reasons For
Assertion.

Houston, Texas, Aug, %
A special to the Houston Post
says:
President E. s. Peters of the
Texas Cotton Growers associa-
ton has issued the following ad-
dress to cotton planters under
the caption, "Twelve- cent Cot
tom
CALVERT, TEX, Aug, 22.-The
harvest of the Texas cotton Fcrop
has started and now is the time
to carefully look over the condi-
tons, if we wish to secure a fair
price for our products, which We
can buy using a little business
judgment.
The present stock of cotton is
loss than one half of last year at
the same time, and that is prob
ably sold 10 mills and is the
shortest visible supply since the
civil war. So hold for II cents.
We have had four short crops
and the spinners must have cot
ton, their warehouses are empty
and they have been running on
short time because of practical
exhaustion of cotton.
Think of it, only $4,000 bales
at all the ports, against 212,OOO
bales last year, when 13 cents
was paid for cotton in September
on account of scarcity. The
European spinners are having
the most prosperous time they
have had in years and are SELL
ing their production on II cent
basis for lint cotton.
Do not sell August or Septem-
Der cotton for less than II cents,
then you will get that price for
your crop, and the mill that buys
it will be interested in maintain
ing the price so their competitors
can not undersell them, but
should you let them have enough .
August and September cotton to
supply their immediate wants
they will stay out of the market
and the price will fall by its own
weight.
The south must help herself. .
The spinners and spectators are
against US. All this talk about a
big crop is to try and affect the
price, the mills will have to have
II 800, 900 bales to have as much F..
as they did last September; with I
the rapid deterioration going on .
now it will be impossible TO make /
it with the most favorable cli- .
matte conditions. Ten per cent .
increase for Texas is as much as
we will make.
The key to the situation is to
hold your cotton for sixty days,
or during August and September,
and the city farmer and the New
Orleans and New York exchang-
es will do the rest.
If we only had a system of
bonded warehouses it would be
of great benefit now, but there is
a way. 1t can be picked and
stored at home in the receipt, or
can be ginned and hauled home
until you get your price, so it is
up to you if you wish II cents or
not. Now is the time to act.
The farmers of Georgia and
the Eastern States will cooperate
with US; in fact, they look to US
as masters of the situation. The
bankers and merchants should do
all in their power to assist US,
as it means prosperity to all.
| do not like to say | told you
so, but two years ago | said hold
for 10 cents and We did it. Last
year | said hold for u cents, and
we went there and some got 10
cents. We are better able to hold
for Il cents now than last year
and it is the value of it. They
will pay it before another crop is +
planted.
When cotton goes to Il cents
do not rush it on market, but sell
slowly, say 10 per cent each
month, and by next year we hope
to have system of warehouses
the South that will be
of great assistance 10 US in mar
keting onr product.
Thoaa uho have foEap o1uop