St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1905-03-11
SUPPLY AND DEMAND
History OF Cotton, by J. Lancaster-As Basic Principle Is
Applicable to This Commodity.

tables were turned, and our OK has
been gored, and in consequence some
of us are disposed to play Maud"
and kick at the bureau for telling the
truth, just as it did last year. But
in the writer's Judgment the bureau
is the best friend and benefactor the
cotton planter has, and it is the duty
OF every farmer and ginner in the
South to truly report the facts as
they exist every time they are called
on for information concerning the
cotton crop. If the facts are favor
able to your interest you are en-
titled to it. If against you, you
should know it as quick as possible
and prepare to meet it.
With the bureaus report as a guide
the planters know just what they are
doing, and by united effort they can
profit by this valuable information
by practically fixing and controlling
the prices of cotton in the markets
Of the worldly keeping the produc
ton near the consumption.
BY referring to the tables again we
find that in 10000 we planted nearly
100000 acres in cotton, and made
practically 100000 bales. In 1904
O5 we planted over 100000 acres
and will make over 100000 bales,
which is an increase of 100000 acres
over the previous year. AS result
OF this increase in acreage, and fair
crop conditions, you raised the largest
crop in the history of the country,
producing a surplus of at least one
and half million bales. And this
surplus has caused you to lose all
the way from $500 to $4,000 per bale
on the balance of the ten and one
half million bales unsold at the time
the facts of the bumper crop began
to be definitely known.
This decline corresponds with the
bumper crop of 1898-99 when cotton
sold at 5 cents per pound and less.
This one and a half million surplus
is the milestone that now hangs about
your necks, and the best way to get
rid Of the burden in the shortest time
is the vital question with you.
Suppose you plant the same, number
of acres this year you did last, under
same conditions, you will make this
year over 100000 bales, and will
then have another surplus, which ad-
ded to the present surplus, will make
surplus of over 100000 bales. Now,
if one and one-half million surplus
last year sent prices from 10 cents to
cents per pound, is it not reasonable
that three million surplus this year
would send prices this fall to and
4 cents, and probably lower? Examine
| al, <D1 for md a n
swer the question. Should this con-
dition of affairs come it will bring
wreck and ruin to thousands of now
prosperous and happy homes, and the
cry of hunger and suffering will be
heard about the doors Of other thou
sands of tenants, who are lily pre-
pared for such an ordeal.
This calamity can be avoided by
the cotton raisers if they will, and in
the opinion of the writer, large re-
duction in the acreage is your only
salvation
Now, how much reduction Of acre
age is necessary to restore the prices
Of the present crop and give you a
10-cent basis for this years crop?
For the benefit of all "Missourians"
who may be engaged in cotton raising
we will SHOW" them the figures,
which don't lie, If properly made. As
above stated, you planted last year
in round numbers 100000 acres in
cotton and produced 100000 bales.
Now, let us figure on Is per cent
reduction and see the result. With
this reduction We will plant this year
"a, O00,O acres, and figuring on the
same weather and crop conditions we
had last year, will produce 100000
bales, to which add the present sur
plus, and we will have ten and one
half million bales of cotton to dispose
of, and according to the admission OF
bears, bulls, spinners and cotton 'ex-
perts, such crop under present con-
ditions will bring 10 cents per pound,
and probably more. So just as sure
as you make Is per cent reduction,
just that certain (under same weather
and crop conditions) you will receive
10 cents for your cotton. There are
some arguments made by both the
landlords and tenants which l desire
to here state, and then show their
fallacy by facts and figures. We
often hear the landlord say, If cot
ton lie low I must make my tenant
plant everything in cotton, because
I get more rent for my land" We
frequently hear the tenant say, 81
have to have so much money to live
on, and if cotton is only worth
cents a pound I must raise twice as
much as l did at cents to make a
living" These propositions are both
manifestly fallacious when considered
in the light of reason and present
conditions. l assert that the interest
of the landlord and tenant is identi-
cal. and what is to the advantage of
one is to the advantage Of the other,
and in support of this assertion l
again appeal to the facts and figures.
To illustrate: Figuring on the same
crop and weather conditions, say the
landlords and tenants conclude not to
reduce the acreage from last year,
and again plant 100 acres. Say it
makes so bales; they cannot hope to
realize at best more than from to
cents a pound. At cents the crop
would bring $3.50. But suppose every
landlord and tenant conclude to re-
duce their crop from last year, and
only plant Is acres, and it makes 3715
bales, and it is worth 10 cents per
pound, the crop would bring next fall
$1,S75.
So we see that the Is acres brings
to the pockets of the landlords and
tenants 1925 more than the 100 acres.
So we see both the landlord and ten
ant are equally interested in making
the 25 per cent reduction. From a
financial standpoint you had better
give the rs acres of land rest; or,
Lot %L1 Mo in,