Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1905-02-03

ton they wished, time and again frus-
trating the efforts Of southern planters
to secure a fair return for their toll.
Now the dread balance Of nature Is
turned against them, and their undue
gains In times past are pitilessly wrest-
ed from them. There is this thought.
too. that is uppermost in the minds Of
all those who have looked at the mat
ter from end to end, that 1t is highly
improbable that for years to come
American cotton will sell at what may
be called low figures, that is to say,
prices that will not make the industry
a very profitable one for American
producers.
The advance in price during 1902 and
1908 has generally been discussed as
II It were a phenomenal condition due
to wild speculation in cotton. On the
contrary, there are only two periods
in the last hundred years in which cot
ton has averaged higher than during
these years.
Forty Cents q Pound.
Prior to 1882 the average price Of
cotton ranged from about IA to 15
cents to as high as 40 cents a pound.
In 1898 the average price In New
York for the entire year for what is
classed as middling cotton was 1882
cents per pound. reaching in 1S34-35
17.45 cents.
These high prices continued until
1S39-40. when there was a decline to
an average Of little less than cents
for the year. going steadily on down
to 5.63 cents In 1844-45, the lowest
point known. From this there was a
quick rally to higher figures, running
from about IL cents to 13 cents a
pound, up to the war. During the
war the scarcity Of cotton forced prices
to unheard Of figures, which reached
at one time In New York $1.90 a pound.
Omitting the war period and the
few years Immediately following af-
fected by the war scarcity, the general
OF prices between 1S49-50 and
1SS9-90 was from about IL cents a
pound to i3a cents. although at times
cotton sold at over 20 cents pound.
In 1S90-91 there began a long period
of low prices, which for about eight
years nearly bankrupted the cotton
growers Of the south. 1t is doubtful II
during that entire period the south
made a dollar on It's cotton crop.
In fact, considering the conditions
under which cotton was produced. 1t
is quite probable that the net result
of cotton production was a large loss.
These low prices eliminated In 1898-9s
with an average in New York for the
year of cents pound, which meant
that southern farmers had sold much
of their cotton at from to 5 cents q
pound. t@ig
From these low prices there was a
gradual rise, until during the next
three years the average was little less
than 9 cents. and then In 1902-03 cot
ton again reached its normal price for
a century. Of over 10 cents a pound.
The financial difference between low
prices and good prices Is indicated in
the fact that the crop Of 1S9S-99, OF
more than 100000 bales, the largest
ever produced, except that Of 1904-05,
was worth. including seed, 100000
to the growers, while last years crop
Of about 100000 bales yielded to the
growers $6S0,000,0O0, difference Of
$685.. 200. 900.
Can the cotton crop of the south be
increased? Several causes
are operating against the possibility OF
an early increase; the boil weevil, the
greatest danger which has menaced the
cotton industry. the deterioration Of
seed by reason Of the best seed having
been sold by the tenants and poorer
farmers to the oil mills, the deteriora-
ton Of soil under the tenantry system.
and the lack of labor. These are all
factors which cannot be ignored.
The boil weevil is a problem for
which there Is as yet no solution. We
can only hope for its destruction upon
the ground that In this advanced age
science will prove equal to meeting
the ravages Of an insect when an in
terest of such tremendous importance
Is at stake.
1t is the consensus Of opinion Of the
best authorities Of the south that there
has been a marked deterioration In
seed, thus lessening the vitality Of the
plants. and lessening their ability to
neet rnfavorable weather conditions
which a strong and virile plant would
overcome This can be remedied. but
1t will take several years to do 1t. 1t
may take the most active cooperation
Of the national government through
the agricultural department, but
whether it involves the expenditure Of
one million or fifty million dollars is
in View Of its Importance.
An Example Of Increase.
The industrial development Of the
south has increased to such an extent
that this section now has sixty thou
sand miles Of railroad against twenty
thousand In 1880, and one billion two
hundred and fifty million dollars in
vested in manufacturing against two
hundred and fifty-seven million dol
lars in 1880. This has made such
demand upon the fields for factory and
hands that the shortage In
cotton labor can only be overcome by
prices sufficiently high to tempt men
back from industrial employment to
the farm. This is not probable except
on a limited scale.
The only other way in which this
need for labor can be permanently met
is by the incoming Of hundreds OF