The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1905-01-27
IS the Solution Of the Cotton
Situation sayS neLa"r'n.
HAVING LITTLE FAITH
Ia Reduction of Acreage. He Con-
tends that all the Cotton the South
can Produce May be Sold at
Good Prices by Enlarg.
iro orr Trade
ins Our Trade.

To tho E1itOr OF The News and
Courier: The drop...in the'.price of
cotton Is exciting all over the South,
and q Convention has been called in
New Orleans to consider questions re-
lating to the cotton industry. have
seen many remedies proposed for over
production, but have heard nothing
about under consumption, and herein
lies Tin mycopinion) :the only p,rman
ent solution OF the ioblem.
With proper methods Of distrlbu-
tion, there is room Tor a larger crop
OF cotton than has yet been produced
in the South. 1t is painfully appar.
ent that burning cotton, reduction OF
acreage, etc, are only temporary ex-
pedientH, and will afford no perman-
ent relief.
Can we find newer and wider mar
kets,for our staple product?
That this would be complete
remedy none can doubt, and that
such markets exist none familiar with
the question will denv.
Facing US on the other side Of the
globe are the teeming millions OF
China, and 1t was among them that
we found q market for our surplus
when the large crops OF the late '90S
glutted all other markets.
Five. cent cotton proved a great
stimulus to manufacturing and led to
the marvellous development from, 1890
to 1900. when there was an Increase
in the. United States OF 80 per cent,
while in South Carolina the output
from our mills ran up from ten to for
ty million dollars, finding ready mar
ket In China.
Indeed demand lar outStripped pro
ductiop, and there was steady ad
vance in the price OF spot cotton un
til the China market was practically
closed by troubles in the East, anc
speculation advanced prices alnorm,
ally, and, instead Of an expanding
market with advancing prices, we ar,
in the period OF contractir G market,
with falling prices. 1t Is evident that
we are facing another era OF low
priced cotton.
Can we take advantage Of the situa,
tion and create such wides prcad de
mand fer cotton gods that low prices
and over production will never be
heard Of again?
Cotton is now below the c. st Of pro.
duotlon, lower by comparison than 1t
has ever been before. It's natural ad.
vantages are such that If we do moth
ing 1t will take care Of itself, as II
has in the past, Tut by wisdom we
can hasten the day when the king
shall come to his own again, and this,
apprehend, Is the great purpose oi'a
Convention Of the cotton growers.
China is an old country, with the
stored wealth Of centuries; lier people
need our cotton, particularly the
cheaper fabrics.
heard Minister WI say once that
the question Of clothing was one OF
the greatest problems that nfrontcd
his people, but lit9le cotton Is grown
and the methods Of manufacture
primitive. They depend lavSer lnSr1Son
silk, and he laughingly aSsse6 that, so
great was the population, that If cot
ton were used as In other portions OF
!, the world .~and you could get each
Chipnman to add one inch to the
length Of the tail OF his shirt, 1t
would consume the cotton crop OF tne
South"
So far We have only touched with
our cotton trade one small section in
North China, the exports never cx
ceeding twenty i've million dollars in
one year.
1t may seem strange that profit
or loss on an industry amounting to
s34O, 900, 900 annually should be az.
fected by the loss OF an export de-
mand of s18,OO0,00O or $50 900 900,
but the sceptical have only to refer to
the history Of the cotton trade for
1901, during the Boxer troubles. when
exports to China almost ceased to be
convinced of the value Of our at pres
ent comparatively small Eastern
trade.
The year 1904 has demonstrated be.
yond doubt that In spite Of the boil
weevil the South can produce crop
OF cotton far In excess Of the demands
from present markets, hence necessi
ty forces either the curtailment Of
the crop or finding newer and wider
markets.
No one familiar With present coldi-
tions believes that without sc me prov
lGeuuldl ulSdSJcl lllC OiOp VI 1oUo Will
be materially reduced. II the acre.
age Is curtailed better cultivation and
the increased use Of fertilizer will
make up the deficiency. We have the
large profits OF two we'll sold crops in
our banks and as long ds we can buy
mules md guano we will make cotton.
The South now has practical mo.
nopoly In the production Of cotton.
This she should keep at all hazard,
find new markets, and make enough
cotton to supply the world at fair
prices.
Reduction OF acreage may do to
talk, but resolutions will not reduce
1t, and believe that there will be
men In the Cotton Growers Conven-
tion VITO will take more comprehen-
sive view Of the situation.
Considering that In China alone
there is q population OF 400, 900, 600
whose trade with us per capita Is now
infinitesimal compared with what it
is bound to develop In the years to
come, who will undertake to place
limit upon the quantity Of cotton
goodY that the Orient will consume?
HTrade follows the flag" Undoubt-
edly the time was never more favor
able for developing new markets; the
var now In progress seems nearing an
end. Japan will undoubtedly retain
It's position on the mainland OF Asia;
Korea and Manchuria will be RAPIDLY