The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1905-11-02
THE COTTON SITUATION.

Perhaps nothing interests southern
farmer so much now as the price OF
cotton. The Southern Cotton Associ-
ton has done much for The farmers il
less than a year, and il tEey viii stand
- the Association and stand together
they will master the situation. Among
the most encouraging and sensible a.
frances on the question which we have
seen at all is the following editorial by
the Raleigh Morning Post:
"There should be great encourage
nent to the farmers in the present
situation. They are undoubtedly
coming into their own. We speak
Low particularly of the cotton farmers
G. the south. The price Of cotton Is at
a very fair figure and is destined to go
higher.
"When the farmers started into the
fi2ht only few short months ago the
Price OF cotton was about SIX cents a
pound, while to-day it is playing be
tween ten and eleven cents. When
tie situation is viewed squarely it will
+. seen that this is a remarkable record,
and one that has rarely, it ever before.
teen equaied.
sin times past the farmers have stood
apart, the proprietor OF one plantation
Knowing little, and caring less; of what
his neighbor on the next plantation
was doing in the way OF putting his
stuff ON the market. Certain it is that
the farmers have heretofore tried moth
ing like the EXTENSIVE cooperation that
his been tried this year, and the con-
sequence has been that the farmers
have all along been given the worst 81
1.-THE hot end OF the stick go to
speak. They are to be- congratulated
on the business sagac:ty they are SC
RAPIDLY developing.
ain all parts Of the south there are
people who ara disposed to pick q
Quarrel with the cotton association
They say it is all unnecessary, ard al
that sort Of thing, but we fail to see
Why the cotton association should moi
BE- given full credit Ter what it has &C
tualiy dore. Results knock theor;e
out the first round. The cotton asso
citation has done the farmer great good
1t has demonstrated to him the neces
s:ty for cooperation, for learning te
manage his own business, and ha
SHOWN him the way to batter things
/: has increased confidence In tn
ability of the farmers, as a class, t
take stand for a purpose and to stlcl
tolt.
"Who will undertake to prove tina
II it had not been for the cotton assc
citation prices would have gone u
like they have? The force Of tn
organization has had direct and il
disputable influence on the market.
has impressed the farmers with th
fact that their staple was worth some
thing and that it was to their intere:
to hold it until they could get goo
price Tor it. The farmers themselvt
have forced up the price of cotton b
their deliberate and persistent refuss
to sell the staple on down market.
SAT the present time, all over th
south, there are thousands OF bales
cotton stored away awaiting satisfact
ry market conditions, and the farme
themselves are going to be the judg
OF what those conditions ere. I'll
storing of this cotton has convinc,
the spinner and the Spectator that IL
farmers mean business and don't pr
pose to part with their products for
song, with even mandolin and guilt
accompaniment thrown in. Now tn
the farmers have demonstrated VII
they can do they should stand solid
and firmly by their organization al
make it stronger each year. The
with judicious management, they "
find that they have made paying
s rs 49,.