The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-01-24
Better Prices For Staple Expected. GENERAL GOOD FEELING Business Men Talk of Era of
 Prosperity. Southern Man is the Man to Whom the World Will Bow-Lenders'
 Money to Be Diverted
 to Manufacturing.
GENERAL GOOD FEELING

Cotton sold on the streets of Montgom- cry yesterday at IA 3-8 cents. For large lots 4 1-2 cents could have been easily obtained.
 New York Mays were quoted at 1s cents. New Orleans Marchs were at l5 cents.
 The market was a record breaker. Noth- ing like 1t has been experienced in the South since the war and in the few years of abnormal agricultural conditions which followed the war.
 The highest market price for cotton yesterday was reached in over a third of . century. During the struggle between the States practically no cotton was pro- duced. The supply was entirely exhaust ed before the war ended. The enormous price for cotton was maintained until nor mal conditions were restored. For ifl- stance. on October F. 1s6s, cotton sold on the streets of Montgomery as high as 8 1-2 cents.
 But since normal conditions were re- stored no market has been experienced like that of yesterday.
 Assurance for Future.
 The market meant much to the South and a rgeat deal to Montgomery and it's territory. And it means more than pres- ent prosperity. It Is an assurance of more money and prosperity for the fu- ture.
 The present cotton condition has been compared to that which existed after the war. It took several years to restore nor nal conditions after the war and mate- rially affect the existing high prices.
 Cotton men of Montgomery who were interviewed yesterday were of the unan- imous opinion that it would take two or three seasons to materially lower the present high prices.
 Tt will take two very large crops" sad F. B. Fisxe. of the Fislze Cotton Con- pany. ito place cotton on anything like a low level again."
 S. Roman of the Roman Cotton Com pany entertained a similar opinion.
 '"The present prosperity, from the high cotton market is in itself gratifying" said Mir. Roman, 'but 1t has a still more en- courag1ng aspect, the assurance of the future. No matter how large the acreage is, no mater how big the crop is, the farmers are assured of Q big price for their next seasons cotton. Why, any far- rner could sell his next fall crop for 12 cents right now if he choose to do so.'' Joseph Drum. of the firm of Sellers & Drum, was also of the opinion that there was a practical and complete assurance of q high market for next year. He did not minimize the importance of the pres- Snt condition of prosperity among the far- mers.
 Farmers are Prosperous.
 'T have never seen anything just like it." said MT. Drum. ''I have been in the cotton business for over twenty-five years and during that time have never seen cotton so high. The condition of farmers Is better than I have ever known. Not only are they prosperous because cotton ta hfoh h1lf thayy al corn crops and many of them have com enough to run them through the year.
 Tangible figures on this palpable pros- perity are not of course to be obtained, but the estimates of conservative, we'll informed business men are to say the least startling.
 q should say, said F. B. Fiske yes- terday, "that the farmers of Montgomery and the territory contiguous to Montgom- cry received this year at least two and a half million dollars more than they re- ceived in ordinary years for ordinary cot ton crops"
 Two and a half million dollars brought to Montgomery means great things for ail lines of business. This increase has vitalized every artery of trade. It means of course more to the farmer than any one else. He gets the first results from 14 and 15 cents.
 Hats Off to Planters.
 'I take off my hat to the farmer" said a cotton man yesterday, The is now the moneyed man In the community"
 But it means a great deal to other lines of trade. This remarkable prosperity largely increases the money in circuia. tion. II augments the trade of the mer- chant, produces greater demand for the 2 labor of the working man and increases the dividends of the banker
 There Is another phase of this prosper Aous condition to which attention was