The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1905-03-15
The Fight Of the Farmers.

ana active CU-OpoTdtioA VIII '.-O w.
poses of the movement it Will fall.
With anything like unanimous agree
ment among them it will succeed to
their great advantage, and to the ad-
vantage of ever ether Industrial enter
prise in tie South. The Importance
of the present movement cannot be
exaggerated, and as it is of vital con-
sequence to the general prosperity OF
the South it deserves the sympathetic
approval of all the people Of the
South, whatever their place OF occu-
patton. The farmers, bankers, mer-
chants, manufacturers and ell the rest
of our people are interested In the
present. organization of the cotton
growers.
The first step towards making the
movement a success depends upon the
cotton planters themselves. There
must be large reduction IN the acre-
age devoted to the cotton crop. j In
1904, 80, 600, 900 acres were devoted to
cotton cultivation, and the result is
that at the end of season whicn
opened auspiciously and closed with
disaster there is surplus of about
2, 600, 600 bales of cotton over and
above the quantity required for con
sumption, and this over supply must be
carried to the new year and ought to
affect the plans of the cotton growers
in pitching the next crop. AS soon
as it became known that the South
had produced 10000 bales of cotton
more than the spinners of the world
could take the price OF the staple
dropped from about 911a cents pound
to 612 cents, or very near the actual
cost Of production. Of the farmers
this year plant approximately the
same acreage in cotton as they did last
year, with a normal season there will
be another excessive yield, which
added to the 2,oo0, 600 bales now car
ried over to the new year In excess OF
the worlds IS requirements, would bring
the price of the staple below the cost
of production, and impoverish not
only the planters but affect disastrous
|.ly tine entire business interests OF
the South.
The cotton growers have the
game in their own hands. All that
they have to do is to keep down the
production by limiting the acreage.
If the acreage should be reduced about
l25 per cent in comparison with the
acreage of 1904 We shall have this year
"a. 0O0, 900 acres devosed to the produc-
tion of this one crop, and yield OF
between nine and ten million bales
which with the surplus of 2, 600, 900
bales carried over this year would
be.suaieient to supply the needs OF the
world, and cotton would DO again IN
active demand and at a price which
would give the producer profit on
his work. and would promote the vel: !.
fare of the industrial and commercial
interests of tine South. Keeping the
pcroduction carefully in and the cot
ton planters, with the cooperation OF
the bankers and merchants, would
then be able to control the price Of
the staple and save the Southern
country from the disastrous effects
which have followed the maDipuia-
tion of the crop by gamblers and spec
ulators all over the country.
The reduction of cotton acreage
would enable the farmers to devote
more time to the production of grain
hay, tobacco and other crops, and to
cattle and stock raising, and in this
way would make them independent OF
the grain growers aud cattle raisers of
the West. Tie labor supply in the
cotton fields is not sufficient to har-
vest successfully more than nine or
ten million bales year, and the reduc-
tion of the acreage would relieve the
labor situation in the South material
[ ly, snd the paintings Of food crops
would make the farmers Independent
of the rest of the world. The reduc-
tion of the cotton acreage means ir-
creased profit to the cotton growers
on very acre planted in the staple.
No reduction in the cotton. acreage
means absolute losson the year 'swork.
! Reduction in the cotton acreage with
Ia proportionate increase in the acre
age devoted to grain and other food
crops means reduction in farm ex-
penses, with & greater capacity on the
part OF the farmers for the Improve
ment OF their lands. Thesscrux OF the
whole matter is in the reduction OF
the cotton acreage, and all other
related questions will adjust them
selves to the newer an better and
more prosperous condition of South
ern agriculture which would in this
way be brought about
We cannot too strongly urge upon
our farmers the vital importance OF
the movement which has been started
by the Southern Cotton Growers
Association. 1t does not pay to grow
| cotton and sell it for less than it costs
to raise it. We ought to have learned
that much by this time, surely, In
the experience which we have had IN
/ recent year, and We trust that all the
farmers in South Carolina will join
| in the work of the Cotton Growers
Association, which means so much
for the prosperity Of this and other
| Southern States.-News and Courier.
| If it is bilious attack take Chamber