The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1905-11-24
New York. Nov. Is. 1906
THEODORE II. PRICE.
Vicksburg Miss, Nov. Is, 1905,
II. Price, New York:

NlcKSDurg, MISS, NOV. 10, lJOJ
Theodore II. Price, New York:
Telegram received. No, we SCI
nothing TO disturb confidence in Mr.
Dietz' estimate, nor would you SCI
any basis for your attack if yol
would be candid with yourself anC
would take into account Mississ. pp.
and the territory west Of the river
instead Of singing out the South,
eastern states. We take it that you
want the truth, not a temporary rep,
utation for skill in argument. Now
permit us to suggest that you try tc
ascertain how much cotton is left
unginned in the South and add this
to the amount ginned TO date, which
is a known quantity. OF course,
you can not learn exactly how many
bales are still to be ginned, but if
you will get your information from
such men as Hon. Charles Scott Of
Rosedale, Miss, you would not miss
the truth far. You do not tell us
Just why you believe the crop is in
excess of $4,000, 900 bales. # your
information was received in conf
dence, Of course we shall not expect
you to tell us. Certainly we see
nothing in the statistics that are
known to the public to Justify any
inference. You know that the move
ment before Jan. | is no index what
ever OF the crop; that a small crop
can be ginned and marketed Just as
fast as a big one. The amount
brought into sight in November Of
l903-l90i and the amount brought
into sight in November Of l90l-l905
were practically equal, yet the for
mel crop was 100000 bales small
er than the latter. Again, the De-
cember movement Of l903-l90i was
actually larger than the movement
for the same month Of last season,
yet the crop Of l903-l904 was bare
ly 100000 bales, while the crop
Of l90i-l905 was nearly II, 000,O 900
bales. Still again, and observe that
80 per cent. Of the commercial crop
had been marketed by the first day
Of November, Really, we are at a
loss to understand you. In June
you commended to us a very instruc-
tive dissertation on the supply of
gold and its influence on values. II
that was a good basic argument
then, it is good now. In the same
month you made a thorough investi-
CATION of cotton supply upon cotton
value. You consulted $50 members
of the three great cotton exchanges,
and you learn that these gentlemen
valued a crop of IL 900 900 bales at
ii cents a pound and a crop not
over 100000 at Isl cents a pound
On May % you said that the then
prevailing rate Of consumption I'M
doubtedly (Let us italicise "undoubt-
edly) called for a crop of 10000, 900
bales. Has consumption diminished
or increased? AS lately as July 81
you wrote that the crop might be so
small that you hesitated to give the
figures, lest they appear to come
from a desire for sensationalism
rather than from careful Judgment.
On hat day YOU wrote also; This
crop is a weakling, and while it is
being raised more and more defects
and shortcomings will be shown, J
and the final yield will be exceeding
ly short As a man Of scholarly
instinct and the habits Of thought,
you did not make that statement
recklessly. We believe you would
not be a bear on the crop if YOU had
seen any part of it yourself. You
must have had lately untruthful in
formation and bad advice echal.
lenee you to come South and put the
news you have received to the test
Of confirmation by the witness of
your own senses We understand
you have committed youself to belief
in a crop Of $4,000, 900 minimum.