The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1905-01-06
"HoLD YOUR COTTON. !"
Such Is the Advice Givon the Farm
ers on All sidos,

Such Is the Advice Givon the Farm
ers on All sidos.
The concensus Of opinion on al
sides Is that to sell cotton at this tim.
Is little short Of suicidal. This is tn,
time, 1t is declared, for the farmers o.
the south to stand firm-stand pa,
aud not show their hand. To yield, tt
sell at this time, IS to simply add tx
the panic and give the bears a still
further chance to beat down prices
1t Is argued that If the crop should
reach the unprecedented figures OF
l3, coo, 600 bales, not more than TO-.
600, 900 bales of this will be marketed
before the decreased acreage of 1906
is fact beyond dispute. A heavy cur.
tailment Of the acreage planted this
spring means higher market and q
rush Of spinners to secure stt ok for
future use. There is common sense
In this view
The Augusta Chronicle says the be.
lief is strong among the cotton men
of that city that the faecy staple is
already far below its real market val.
ue. They feel that the reaction is
bound to come. They argue that Jan.
uary contracts for expectation have al
ready been supplied and hence there
arc few seekers Of cotton on the mark
ct. But there are February, March
and April contracts yet to be arrang.
ed, and factors claim that the borrow
ing scheme speculators and exporters'
agents attempted just before the holi.
days, Is proof that they fear the
consequences II forced into the mark.
ct later as purchasers. TIE advice
from all sections OF the south Is the
same, 10 hold c,tton. The further
advice is to the effect that throughout
the south the cotton factors and farm.
ers will hold what has not already
been marketed. II is a fact. the cot
ton men affirm, that the farmers we're
never in better condition to hold
the residue Of their crop not already
sold than now, and that not to DO so
Il to give up the fight when every.
thing points to ultimate success-the
whipping of the fight.
Factors called attention to the fact
that New York financial papers ad-
mlt that throughout the present
crisis cotton has been friendless on
their exchange; "a frlendless waif" is
their term, and had been umercifully
hammered down by the bulls, bent on
the freezing out Of the southern hold.
ers OF the goods. Under these condi-
tions they are not surprised that cot
ton Is as low az 1t is. They wonder
that the slump did not continue. That
1t did not they,argue Is good evidenc.
that the bulls know the staple Is fear.
fully underya.ued. W. P. Brown, an
on cotton in New Orlea ans,
is cut In a long interview along the
same line, urging the holding of cot
Ton at all hazards, and, as Is hecond
measure, reduction Of acreage next
year. He urges that the farmers OF
the south have the situation In hand
If they will rem3n1 qunVis ,d hold cor.
ton.
The indications are that the advice
will be. carried out to the letter by the
people OF the South. Buyers and ex-
porters' agents report from all over
the cuntry that no spot cotton Is be.
ing offered for sale. At Meridian,
Miss, factors refused to sell where
offers above prevailing prices were
made and the parties stood ready to
buy In any quantities. The New York
letters and papers are loaded with
kilograms from Southern representa-
tives to the effect that farmers are
determined to hold what cotton they
have and that none Is being offered
on the markets. They cannot buy.
They are not buying. The consensus
of opinion is that cotton should be
held and acreage reduced for the next
season. 1t is the hope Of the southern
farmer. The belief Is firm that the
spectators and manipulators are in
the main responsible for the severe
slump Of the past few weeks, that
cotton is at least two cents below the
real market value, and that the pre-.
sent crisis is precipitated by the bears
only in the hope Of breakiug the hold
Of the farmers on the heecy staple anf
thus easing off the situation which
they have created.
Commissioner of Agriculture Ste
vens OF Georgia says: The thing
for the farmers to do Is to hold on tt
the cotton they have now. II they
will only hold, and cut down the acre
age next year you will see the pric,
go shutting up instead OF down. l
every one would cultivate only tel
acres Of cotton to every plough ant
produce instead of 10000 900 bales
only 100000, then you would Sc,
the price go skyward In hurry. 4
man can make more money out Of 8
100000 bale crop at IL to 10 cent
than he can out OF IL 900, 900 cro]
at 6 cents. Then by combining him
self to ten acres Of cotton to the plov
1t would give him an opportunity o
planting more grain, and more thing
upon which to live at home. If b
doesn't want to do that he could alloy
his land to rest. II the farmers wi
see cotton bringing IL cents mex
year this time.
am going to talk with Commis
sioner Poole, Of Alabama, over tn
telephone Friday afternoon. He
I president OF the Commissioners G
Agriculture Of the Southern States
My idea is TO have meeting in Ney
Orleans some time next month to dis
cuss the situation. II each commits
sioner in the cotton growing state
would write personal letter to eacl
farmer in his stat,, advise him to hol
what cotton he now has on hand an
to plant only ten acres to the plow.
believe 1t would have q wonderful ei
feet. 1t did in 1899 and we got tel
cents for cotton. l have list OF owe
30,0 0C0 farmers In my office, and ca
get them out letters in very shor