The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1905-01-20
IDIOTS BURN COTTON.
This Is What Senator Tillman Says
About It.
He Says Sensible Farmers in the
South A.e Holding Their Cot
ton for Better Prices.

In letter to the Atlanta Journal
Senator Tillman says the news from
the South that therei..sis serious
talk among the cotton. planters of
burning cart of the last cottJn crop,
Is startling. In answer to your letter,
asking me to comment on tho situa.
tion, l will say that see no ne cessity
to burn, and I will briefly give NV
reasons.
The law Of supply and demand In
not at work now in regard to this
staple. During the last IL months
there has BEEN the most startling rise
In price Of cotton, followed by the
most unexampled fall In the history
OF the commodity. From II l.2 cents
IN February to IL in December.
breaks the record in the cotton m ar.
ket.
Speculation is at the bottom OF the
fall, just as 1T was behind the phe.
nomenal rise. There was no good rea.
son for cotton ever going to II 1.2
| and there Is absolutely no reason now
ror cotton to be selling at 1-2 cep ts.
That there is large crop, probably
the largest In the history of the
staple, Is no longer disputed, but the
world needs every bale OF 1t.
a short while ago the papers were
nlled with lark forebodlngs Of the dis.
asters Threatened to commerce and
the manufacturing Industries from
the shortage Of cotton. The Enplish.
German and French spinners were
looking about throughout the colonial
possessions OF those countries for
suitable land tu grow cotton to supply
Che shortage in the American crop.
Now the price Of American cotton
has run below the cost of production
and many silly people in the south are
SaiKlng oI cunning 1t. The world needs
al OF The cotton that has been grown
this year, and needs 1t at fair price
I'd the producer say Ia cents
which leaves a small margin for pro-
fit.
A 10000. 900 bale crop, such as we,
grew last year, ought to brlpg s12
cents, andsmost of that crop sold for
that or above. Twelve millions or;l2 :.
100000, which consid erg to be; The
maximum yield this season, ought moi
to sell below cents.
Sensible farmers In the south are
holding their cotton. It costs too
much to burn it. There is no
guarantee that there will he a large
crop In 1905, and the cotton world
was never 30 bare of cotton in its hIs.
tory as it was the first Of last Septem.
ber.
let aahst Oh
to 3 1-2 tts Inside OF 90 DAYS. and
there will be a million bales that will
not come to the market even at that
price. There Is absolutely no need for
panic anywhere, aud none but idiots
will burn cotton. The southern plant.
ers are in better condition financial.
ly than they haze ever been within nv
recollection. We ha7J had 9sr SSsg'D 'Drlce
for cotton the last two crops. Most
men are out Of debt, and have naoner
in the bank.
at least half of the cotton which
has not yet gone to market Is held by
men who are absolutely independent
and need not sell at all If thew do not
wish to do 80. DSduct, then /, 500. 600
or 1000, 900 bales from the last crop
to be carried over unless the price
suits and 1T will be seen that the law
OF supply and demand" will go into
'orce between now and next summer.
lac cotton Will not go into sight at
the present price, and 1 koow OF no
means to make men sell who do not
want Ito and who are not obliged to.
l will say In conclusion that there
will be very little burned and unless
the price raises between now and
April, tuere will be large fall off In
the acreage Of the next crop.
There is nothing to be alarmed
about, and the country will lg along
IN the ordinary way after the present
furry passes Off.