The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1905-01-06
g HOLD YOUR COTTON. Y.
such 10 the Advice Given the F'srm-
Sers on All sides. S

sum otuusch AZ AZ tho o<AuVice SSlvoni tno tc&rm
ers ON All sides. 6.
The concensus OF opinion on al
sides is that to sell cotton at this tim,
is little short OF suicidal. This is tn,
time, it is declared, for the farmers o
the south to stand firm stand pa
and not show their hand. To yield, tx
sell ut this time, Is to simply add tx
the panic and give the bears g still
further chance to beat down prices
1t Is argued thatlf the crop should
reach the unprecedented figures OF
100000 bales, not more than TO-.
09g,G0o bales OF this will be marketed
before the decreassd acreage OF 1909
is a fact beyond dispute. "A heavy cur.
tailment Of the acreage planted this
spring means a higher market and a
rush OF spinners to secure st ok fol
future use. There is common sense
In this view.
The Augusta Chronicle says the be.
lief Is strong among the cotton men
Of that city that the fieecy staple is
already far below It's real market val.
ue. They feel that the reaction is
bound to come. They argue that Jan.
uary contracts for expectation have al
ready been supplied and hence there
are few seekers of cotton on the mark
ct. But there are February, March
and April contracts yet to be arrang.
ed, and factors claim that the borrow
Ing scheme speculators and exporters
agents attempted just, before the holi.
days, Is proof that they fear the
consequences IL forced into the mark.
ct later as purchasers. The advice
from all sections Of the south is the
same, to hold c,tton. The further
advice is to the effect that throughout
the south the cotton factors and farm.
ers will hold what has not already
been marketed. It is a fact, the cot
ION men anirm, that the farmers were
never in e better condition to hold
the residue Of their crop not already
sold than now, and that not to do SO
Is to give up the fight wher every.
thing points to ultimate success-th
whipping of the fight.
Factors called attention to the fact
that New York financial papers adj
mlt that throughout the present
crisis cotton has been friendIess on
their exchange; "a friendless waifn is
their term, and had been umercifully
hammered down by the bulls, bent on
the freezing out of the southern hold.
ers OF the goods. Uoder these condi-
tioDs they are not surprised that cot
ton is as low az 1t is. They wonder
that the slump did not continue. That
1t did not they.argue is good evidenc.
that the bulls know the staple Is fear.
fully underya.ued. w. P. Brown, an
authority on cotton in New Ofle aus,
is cut In long interview along the
same line, urging the holding OF cot
ton at all hazards, and, as /. second
measure, a reduction or acreage next
year. He urges that the farmers OF
the south have the situation In hand
If they will remam qu1gCe nd hold co6.
ton.
The indications are that the advice
will be. carried out to the letter by the
people Of the South. Buyers and ex-
porters' agents report from all over
the cuntry that no spot cotton is be.
ing offered for sale. At Meridian,
Miss, factors refused to sell where
offers above prevailing prices were
made and the parties stood ready to
buy in any quantities. The New York
letters and papers are loaded with
kilograms from Southern representa-
tives to the effect that farmers are
determined to hold what cotton they
have and that none Is being offered
on the markets. They cannot buy.
They are not buying. The consensus
of opinion is that cotton sholld be
held and acreage reduced for the next
season. 1t is the hope of the southern
farmer. The belief Is firm that the
spectators and manipulators are In
the main responsible for the sevsre
slump OF the past few weeks, that
cotton is at least two cents below the
real market value, and that the pre-.
sent crisis is precipitated ny the bears
only in the hope Of breakiug the hold
of the farmers on the fieecy staple anc
thus easing of the situation which
they have created.
Commissioner Of Agriculture Ste
vens OF Georgia says: THE thing
for the farmers to do Is to hold on tx
the cotton they have now. If they
will only hold, and cut down the acre
age next year you will see the price
go shutting up instead OF down. /
every one would cultivate only ter
acres Of cotton to every plough ant
produce instead OF 10000 bales
only 5000, 900, then you would SET
the price go skyward In q hurry. a
man can make more money out of 8
5,000,0c0 bale crop at IL to 15 cent
than he can out Of IL 900, 900 cro]
at 6 cents. Then by combining him
self to ten acres Of cotton to the ploV
1t would give him an opportunity o
planting more grain, and more thing
upon which to live at home. If b.
doesn't want to do that he could ALLOW
his land to rest. If the farmers vii
see cotton bringing IL cents mex
year this time.
II am going to talk with Commits
slonef Poole, Of Alabama, oyer .th
telephone Friday afternoon. He i
president OF the CommlssIoner @
Agriculture of the Southern States
My idea Is TO have meeting in New
Orleans some time next month to dis
cuss the situation. II each commis
sioner in the cotton growing state
would write q personal letter to eacl
farmer in his state, advise him to hol
what cotton he now has on hand an,
to plant only ten acres to the piow.
believe 1t would have a wonderful ei
feet. It did In 1899 and we got tel
cents for cotton. have list of owe
so, 900 farmers in my office, and cal
get them out letters in very shor