The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1905-04-07
SOUTHERN COTTON ASSOCIATION
{. S. Peters, Vice President, Calvert,
Texas.-The Object of the Associa.
ton, by Harvey Jordan. President.


Texas.-The Object of the Associ
ton, by Harvey Jordan, President.
Reduction of acreage and a bette
system of marketing the cotton Gro
is the solution to the business pro-
lem of the South, offered to the co
ton growers. The one is for the pu
pose of disposing of a two million
bale surplus and the other to geliev
a condition which compels the pr
Queer to become the victim of owe
prOducmtion
He declared that east of the Mis
sissippi, organization of the cotto
farmers for the purpose of reducin
acreage had been perfected and tn
purpose of his visit here was to pei
feet the organization in Texas, with
out whom the other States would b
unable to accomplish anything. Atte
stating that the primitive system 0
marketing used in Texas was yer,
bad, he advocated the establishment
OF bonded warehouses, stating tina
as far west as Middle Alabama thi
custom obtained, and as a consequence
farmes were getting S. more pei
| bale for their cotton than farmers IL
| Texas.
Do you know that there are only
four competitors to American cotton
and none of these can compete with
it in the market as long as our Amer
lean cotton is no higher than lac pei
pound. Until the price reaches that
we have an absolute monopoly OF
the fabric that goes into the cloth
that makes the world supply, and we
are only getting half what it is worth
If it were in open competition with
other materials.
The fact is, that the only competi
tor American cotton has is American
cotton, and that condition is brought
about by raising more than is needed
Last year we raised 100000 bales
more than the world could consume
and we brought the price down below
the cost of production. This surplus
is still upon us. and, as we are re-
sDonsible for it, it is our duty to get
rid of it. If you put it in the hands of
other people they can use it against
you. Keep it yourself and create a
demand for it by falling short of the
worlds consumption.
NO MARKETING SYSTEM.
Another reason for poor prices is
that we have absolutely no system
for marketing our cotton. We fol-
low the old primitive methods that
were in use before the war. That is,
we simply let the people who live
5000 miles from our shores put their
own price on our stable. The reason
they can do this is that you put an
enormous oversupply on the market
within a short time. The price of
cotton is regulated by speculation and
not by the legitimate means of trade
based on supply and demand
We want to meet this emergency
that confronts us. We want to re-
duce production. We can go into
1905 and raise 100000 bales, which,
with the 100000 surplus we have on
hand. will give just about what the
world wants.
1t is a deplorable trust that we
have to develop our wealth out of the
raw product. We are an agricultural
country and not country of factories
and business acumen.
Cotton is the product that has sup
ported the United States foreign
trade. Last year we exported $1,000,
200 worth of stuff for every day in the
year ard it was due to cotton Cot
ton is the only thing that prevented
! financial depression in New York
.welve months ago. II it were not
'or the cotton she exports the United
States would be in the Nations list
,o-o~.oOo1oo-o->oo-o-o.~
| want the business men and mer-
,hants to come into this movement !
Ne can't antagonize the business in
erests of the country and hope to
ucceed. We must combine them |
nd then fight for common cause
md common purpose. The bust
less of the South would not be much |
Without the cotton crop.
We have the farmers east of the
liver agreeing to reduce their acre
ge, and there is but one thing left
hat is Texas. She holds the balance
f power, and it makes no difference
that we do on the other side of the
liver, the price will be regulated by
ow the Texas farmer sells his prod
ct.
A Hardwood Combine.
New Orleans, La: F. E. Creelman,
ho Hl,;oop, 1,,o> hor man hac nnrfnct-