The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1904-11-19
HOLD YOUR COTTON.


Hon. Harvie Jordan. president or
the Southern Cotton Growers Associa-
tion, has issued an address to the cot
ton producers of the southern states,
in which he advises them to hold their
cotton for an advance in price. He
quotes some interesting facts and
figures in support of his position, and
gives the growers of cotton some good,
wholesome advice.
We do not pretend to speak authori-
tative y on either de OF this ques ion
but merely reproduce portion of the
address clearly setting forth his views
in order that those interested may
read and judge for themselves.
Among other things, Mr.. Jordan says:
"The producers are to be congratu-
lated for the firm stand they have al
ready taken to market the crop slowly
and that fact alone has prevented the
price from falling to s cents during
the month of October. The crop is
about gathered, debts generally are
paid, and it is no longer absolutely
necessary to sell the balance of the
crop. The ginners' report recently
issued from the United States Census
Bureau indicates that up to Oct. l0
only 6, 400, 600 bales OF cotton had been
ginned. This report clearly indicates
that this crop will not exceed II, ,0O0,-
600 bales, il it reaches that figure.
The spinners can we'll afford to pay
the producers II cents per pound for
every bale of American short staple
cotton made this season, and do a
profitable business for the stockhOld-
ers. The price Of yarns ha sadvanced
3 cents per pound within the last six
ty days, and an unprecedented demand
for cotton goods exists. while stocks
generally are lower than they have
been for the last twenty years. The
duty OF the producers is plain and
simple. They have crowded the mar
ketS for the last two months, congest-
ing every facility for handling cotton
and playing into the hands of the
bear spectators and spinners. The
thing to do now is to give the markets
and shippers rest for the next sixty
DAYS. and allow present stocks of spot
cotton TO be COTTON out of the way.
Let the shippers who are living from
hand to mouth run short OF cotton
and force them into the markets as
active buyers. Let the bear specula-
tors begin to feel the lash of the bull
operators when the latter call for the
deliveries Of spot cotton which the
former will be unable to deliver.
Let every holder Of cotton abso-
lutely stop selling and sit down at
home and quietly contemplate results.
Let each holder put no more cotton
on the market until prices advance,
and never sell a bale on depressed
market.
LET country meetings be held all
over the belt and strong and active
steps be taken to defend this most
valuable agricultural product from
the greed of the selfish SpeculatOr.
of cotton in his possession join in
these county or local meetings and
agitate the Importance Of this step
among his neighbors, to the end that
success in the near future will be
assured. We have held our own we'll
so far, but we can do much better and
easily advance the price from to 3
cents by presistently refusing to sell
and Tightening up present receipts.
We fixed our minimum at 10 cents
for this season, and maintained the
price within half a cent of that figure
through October, the heaviest month.
Now let the price be fixed at II cents
for the remainder of the crop. and
the world will accept it at that price,
which will mean an additional gain of
nearly $50,000.000.
"a determined standiwill bring vic
tory"