The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1905-06-07
GREATLY REDUCED.
HIT. Smith Challenges the Government
Figures on Cotton Acreage.
He Gives Much Interesting Data
About the Growing Crops as
Well as Labor Conditions.

The Cotton Growers association
has won its fight, II al reports be
true. The State says Mr.. Smith,
who was in Columbia Saturday thinks
that Mr.. Jordan should have made a
spirited challenge Of the report made
to the 6 vernment by it's agents re.
Gently. The cotton association re-
ports the reduction in acreage to be
l8.43 per cent. and the government
reports fix the estimated reduction at
II per cent. There is quite differ
ence in these estimates, amounting to
$4,000 bales in the aggregate. While
the cotton association has no crop
condition figures Of its own from las5
year to 60 by, still it appears that the
report Of the government agents is
subject to criticism from compari
son with it's own figures OF last year
The government report indicates
that the condition now Is II and flo
Of perfect crop, whereas with almost
ideal weather last year the condition
was reported to be II and s 10, Just
little better than this year. MI.
Smith thinks these figures must be
wrong. Texas is ten weeks late,
whereas last year the crop work was
kept right up 10 date. While be was
in Texas short time ago be saw for
himself how the crop in that State Is
in bad condition because Of the rains,
and Baptist minister just from the
Southern Baptist convention at Fort
Worth states that the crop Is ct a
standsjill-just the same as it was
four weeks ago. II this be true, and
Mr.. Smith has every reason to believe
that 1t is, the crop will be very, very
short in Texas, for what will be plaut-
cd late will be food Tor the boil weeVil.
Another thing to which Mr. Smith
directs attention is the fact that last
year one hand could attend to a full
crop because the seasons were propi-
titus But this year one hand can at
tend to only half what he could last
year, aDd those who baVe planted
largely are complaining Of the scarcity
Of labor. Their crops are run away
with by the grass and unless the farm
ers decide to let part OF the crop 60,
they may lose all in trying to save the
whole acreage from grass.
Another thing which puzzles Mr..
Smith Is how Mr. Theodore Price can
see such a wonderful change In the
crop within ten days. A FORTNIGHT ago
Mr. P:ice published widely a state.
ment declaring that the crop would be
short II per cent. Within the last few
days he has published subsequent
statement in which be thinks the crop
will not be so much short after all. Mr.
Smith diScredits Mr.. Price and calls
upon all southern people to turn 6eaf
ear to this cotton speculator.
The Southern Cotton association is
sending out reports compiled from the
statement from the various States In
the cotton belt, These reports show
that in Alabama every county has sub
nitted a report; Arkansas, 10 out Of
Il counties; Florida, % out OF %;
Georgia, 10 out OF 127; louisiana: so
out OF 81; Mississippi, 81 out Of ~;
North Carolina 81 out OF 68; South
Carolina, all but one; Tennessee, rs
out Of AZ; Texas, las out Of lS4: Ozla-
homa, II out Of %; Indian Territory,
"a out Of rs IN all II, 754 replies have
oeen received and were tabulated at
the nesting at New O:lsans Lass
Thursday, GA being from this State.
A great number Of replies came IN
after Mr.. Weston had forwarded his
report to New O cleans, but these mere
~ verified what had been sent On.
Following is the acreage report as
tabulated from the statements sent to
the New Orleans meeting: