Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1905-04-12
A. H. Ellison Replies to A. W. Brabham.


county, says in The State that the farm
cas- will not reduce the cotton acreage.
A. II. Ellison, Secretary of the Oconee
County Southern Cotton Association,
says they will.
First, because between two and three
million of the intelligent farmers have
Joined this Association and signed the
pledge to reduce 25 per cent, and num-
bers of others are joining daily, and
have confidence enough in theae honest
farmers to believe they will stand to any
pledge that they have or may sign, and
not only many other farmers who have
not joined that will reduce their acreage
from 10 to SO per cent.
Second, because every farmer in the
South knows the reduction of 25 per
cent means 10 cent cotton this fall, and
that means prosperity, as any other sec
tion might enjoy, besides he feols it a
duty to his family, neighbors and coun-
try. On the other hand he knows that
an increase, or even the same number of
acres, means d to 5 cent cotton, and that
would be bankruptcy and ruin to the
raised cotton at and cents some years
ago have not forgotten the privations it
brought on tho country at that time,
when supplies and other articles were
equally low. What would it be to-day
with the price of supplies, labor and
other articles about double the price
paid then? 1t would be ten fold worse
Mr.. Brabham says the farmers are told
that the acreage and fertilizers will be
reduced % per cent and the Southern
Cotton Association would force cotton
up to 10 cents by June 1st That was
enough; every farmer is increasing his
acreage and phosphates. Now, / say it
will induce every intelligent farmer to
stand to his pledge, reduce his acreage
and carry out the plans of the Associa-
tion and thereby reap the benefit / be-
lieve they will do it.
Mr.. Brabham bases his calculations
greatly on tho amount of fertilizer sold.
/ believe there will be only slight re.
duction in the use of fertilizers, as there
will be great deal more used for corn,
small grain and other crops, of which
ing planted this year than heretofore, to
say nothing OF the amount used under
sorghum, peas, potatoes, melons, gar
dens, forage, ETC., but no more under
cotton per acre than usual.
Mr.. Brabham says this article sounds
very much like a circular letter from
Theodore Price, the great bear specula-
tor of New York. We think had Mr..
Price had the debating of Mr.. Brabham's
article he could not have worded it more
to suit him than he did. However, he
says he does not claim to be prophet
and only hopes that he is mistaken, but
sees in spite of himself that the farmers
are making great effort to make mon
ster crop OF cotton, and that nothing but
the Almighty can keep cotton above 5
cents by October lst 1905. We differ
with him. The .armers have it i'm their
power to raise tne price of cotton to 10
cents, and keep it at that price, by hold
ing what th.y now have on hand, and
reducing acreage % per cent as requested
by the Association.
He says he fears the Association has
Noho iholo h"i III Iiah Soou py raising
the price of cotton from 6 to u cents so
near planting time and will cause them
to plant 35,000,000 acres this season
| Now when cotton was ~ to 10 cents last
spring the price did not induce them to
plant over 3O,000,000 acres. We hardly
think u cents will cause them to increase
their acreage, but rather think it will in
dUce them to reduce % per cent or more,
and will raise more hog and hominy and
other supplies, and have plenty at home,
and sell their cotton for 10 cents and
feel fully compensated for their work
a. I'll. Ellison.
Walhalla, S. c., April If, 1905.