The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1905-01-18
IDIOTS BURN COTTON.
This l. What Senator Jillman Says
Shout It.
ae Says Sensible Farmers in the
Sou.h Are Holding Their Cot.
ton for Better Prices.

In a letter to the Atlanta Journal
Senator Tillman says the news; from
the South that there lis serious
talk among the cotton planters OF
burning cart Of the last cott, N crop,
IS startling. In answer to your letter,
asking me to comment on the situa.
t!on, I will say that I see 90 necessity
20 burn, aad I will briefly give: my
reasons.
The law OF supply and demand ID
not at WORK now 10 regard to this
staple. During the last ~ months
ihere has been the mcst startling rise
IN price OF cotton, followed by the
most unezampled fall In the history
! II the commodity. From II 1-2 cents
IN February TO 8 2 in December,
breaks the record in the cotton mzr-
ket.
Speculation Is at the bottom OF the
fall, just as it was behind the phe-
o>menal rise. There was no coed rea-
son for cotton ever going to II IL
and there is absolutely no reason now
for cotton to be selling at 1-2 cepts.
That there IS large crop, probably
she largest il the history Of the
staple, is no longer disputed, but the
~orld needs every bale Of it.
A short while ago the papers were
filed with dark forebodlngs Of the dis.
asters threatened to commerce and
she manufacturing industries from
She shortage Of cotton. The English,
German and French spinners were
looking about throughout the colonial
possessions OF those countries for
suitable land to grow cotton to supply
5he shortage in the American crop.
Now the price Of American cotton
has run below the cost OF production
md many silly people in the south are
sa.king Of burning it. The world needs
Ill Of the cotton that has been erown
this year, and needs it at a fair price
to the producer-say 8 1-2 CENTS
which leaves small margin for pro.
it.
A 100000 bale crop, such as we
grew last year, ought to bring 12l
cents, and most Of that crop sold for |
that or above. Twelve millions or II, |
100000, which I consider to be the |
maximum yield this season, ought no:
to sell below cents.
Sensible farmers in the south are
oolding their cotton. It costs too |
much to burn it. There is no
guarantee that there will be large
crop in 1905, and the cotton world |
was never 80 bare OF cotton in its his
cory as it was the first OF last Septem,
Der.
I predict that cotton will 90 back
to 8 IL cents inside Of 90 days, anc
there will be million bales that will
cot come to the market even at that
price. There is absolutely no need for
panic anywhere, and none but idiots ,
~ill burn cotton. The southern plant.
ers are in a better condition financial, |
ly than they have ever been within my |
recollection. We have had good price |
for cotton the last two crops. Mos
men are out OF debt and have money
N the bank.
At least half of the cotton which |
aas not yet gone to market Is held by |
men who are absolutely independent. |
and need not sell at all If they do not |
Wish to do so. Deduct, then l, 500, 900 !
3r 100000 bales from the last crop |
to be carried over unless the price
suits and it will be seen that the Law
Of supply and demand" will go int;
-orce between now and next summer.
Tae cotton will not go into sight at |
tue present price, and 7 kaow OF nt
means to make men sell who do no;
Hant Ito and who are not obliged to. |
I will say IN conclusion that there
aill be very little burned and un:es
the price raises between now and
April. there will be largo fall Of IL
the acreage Of the next crop.
There is nothing to be alarmed
about, and the country will jig along
in the ordinary way after the present
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