The Minneapolis journal., 1904-12-30
The Folly of the Cotton Burners

Even Brown and Sully, the two great
cotton bulls, who shaped sentiment ana
led the action in the wonderful rise or d
wear ago, never advocated such drastic
measures as are now being witnessed IN
the districts Of the south, where the
farmers are publicly burning cotton to
hold down the total supply.
The south has been demoralized by
prosperity, and having been speculative
ly unbalanced for a long time, is now
showing evidence, in spots, OF utter IL
rationalism. That the destruction by
every farmer, of some small part or MS
holdings, would make a difference IN the
total cotton supply sufficient to main
tain prices at figures that would COM
pensate, perhaps more than compensate,
for the individual losses, is not to be
denied. Therefore from a purely selfish
point of view those farmers who have
given way to this rush OF economic
madness are, after all, working along
the right line.
If therewas ever selfish proposition,
however. it is this one. The south does
not live and prosper by the price OF
cotton alone, altho thousands now be-
lieve this, as result Of the wonderful
: prosperity that swept Dixie land after
! the advance to price levels not seen be-
L fore since the civil war. The south
wallowed in prosperity. A short crop
z did it. What wonder, then, that the idea
( of forcing a small crop by Irregular
means should find lodgment in some
/ minds and work along to the point of
\ open demonstration. Indeed, there is
no prophesying how far this Irrational
ism may run. But it only figure
out as injurious in the long run.
The south grows and prospers thru
general agricultural, financial and COM
3smercial activity. The southern planter
Il is prosperous or poor in large measure
I as the country is prosperous or poor.
s Every farmer wantonly destroying q
bale Of cotton is taking that much
E wealth out Of his country. He is max
4 ing that much less business for the
many who live off the handling and
i marketing Of the crop, that much less
for the warehousemen, insurancemen,
bankers, brokers and others. Every
bale burned up is just so much less ton
mage for the railroads Of the south, so
much less rolling stock in use, so much
less expenditure of material and money
in the great field of transportation
less work for labor at all points. The
argument that greater wealth in the
hands of the farmer, greater purchasing
power in the country will counterbal
lance this is unsound. The fact that in
tone season short crop worked fol-
Il great prosperity, is not good argument
that similar conditions should be forced
in another year. D..
Moreover, by trying to maintain cot
4 ton at an unnaturally high price by de
Bstroying the supply, the southern plant
ssers are very foolish1y stimulating the
Y growth of cotton in other parts Of the
world and fastening the time when thai
competition with their product will bt
/ serious. BY marketing a big crop al
Comparatively low prices this year they
would discourage and postpone the prog
ress of the cotton-growing industry
| where it has not yet become important
ss All this is to view the question as
1 affecting the south only, and to pass
y over the broader view of general pros
perity, the matter Of exports and actiy