Shiner gazette. [volume] (Shiner, Tex.) 1893-current, 1905-04-05
SOUTHERN COTTON Association

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E. S. Peters, Vice President, Calvert,
Texas.--The object of the Associa-
tlon, by Harvey Jordan, President.
Reduction of acreage and better
system of marketing the cotton crop
is the solution to the business prob
lem of the South, offered to the cot
ton growers The one is for the pur-
pose of disposing of a two million
bale surplus and the other to relieve
a condition which compels the pro-
Queer to become the victim of over
produomtion.
He declared that east of the Mis-
sissippi, Organization of the cotton
farmers for the purpose of reducing
acreage had been perfected and the
purpose Of his visit here was to per-
feet the organization in Texas, with
out whom the other States would be
unable to accomplish anything. After
stating that the primitive system of
marketing used In Texas was very
bad, he advocated the establishment
of bonded warehouses, stating that
as far west as Middle Alabama this
custom obtained, and as q consequence
farmes were getting S. more per
bale for their cotton than farmers in
Texas tN ~ r
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 per
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,
sponsible for It, 1t is our duty to gel
rid ofit Ifyou put 1t in the hands Of
other people they can use It against
you Keep 1t yourself and create 9
demand for It by falling short Of the
worlds consumption.
I'D
no MARKETING SYSTEM.
Another reason for poor prices Is
that we have absolutely no system
for marketing cur cotton We fol
low the old primitive methods that
were in use before the war That IS
wa 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
euorinops oyersupply 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 productions We can go inte
1906 and raise 100000 bales which
with the 100000 surplus we have on
hand will give just about what the
world wants.
It is a deplorable trust that WIG
have to develop our wealth out of the
raw product We are an agricultural
country and not country Of factories
and business acppen. 49,
Cotton is the product that has SUP
ported the United States foreign
trade. Last year we exported $1,000,
600 worth of stuff for every daytin the
year and it was. due to cotton Cot
ton is the only thing that prevented
financial depression in New YorR
twelve months ago II it were not
for the cotton she exports the United
States would be in the Nations lisl
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