The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1905-01-25
Is the Solution of the Cotton
Situation Says McLaurin.
HAVING LITTLE FAITH
In Reduction OF Acreage. he Con-
tends that all the Cotton the South
can Produce May be Sold at
Good Prices by Enlarg-
ing Our Trade.

To the-Eiitor OF The News and
Courier: The drop...in theisprice OF
cotton is exciting al over the South,
and 8 Convention has been called in
New Orleans to consider questions re-
lating to the cotton industry. have
seen many remedies proposed for over
production, but have heard notnlne
about u,:der consumption, and herein
lies {in pay opinioD) the only parnan-
ent solution OF the problem.
With proper methods Of distriou-
tion. there is room for larger cop
Of cotton than has yet been produced
In the South. It is painfully appaI
emit that burping cotton, reduction OF
serese ee, etc, are only temporary ex'
rodents, and will afford no pe1man'
ent relief.
Can we find newer and wider mar
kets for oursstaple product:
That this would be a complete
remedy none can doubt, and that
snch markets exist none familiar With
the question will depV.
Facing US On the ether side OF the
Globe are the teemlng millions OF
China, and it was among them that
we found market for our surplus
when the large crops OF the late 'SUs
slptted al other markets.
Eive-cent cotton proved a great
stimulus to manufacturing and leo TO
the marvellous development FROM 1890
TO 1900, when there was an increase
In the United States OF 81 per cent,
while In South Carolina the output
from our mills ran up from ten to for
ty million dollars, finding ready mar
set in China.
Indeed demand far outstripped pro
dcction, and there was steady al
vance in the price Of spot cotton ua-
til the China market was practically
closed BY troubles in the East, ano
SPECULATION advanced prices atnorm-
ally. and, instead Of an expanding
market with advancing prices, we are
in the period OF a contracting market.
With falling prices. 1t is evident that
we are facing another era OF low.
priced cotton.
Can we take advantage OF the situa.
tion and create such widespread de,
mand for cotton goods that low prices
and over-production will never oe
heard OF again?
Cotton is now below the cost OF pro-
duction, lower by comparison than It
has ever been before. Its natural ao-
yantages are such that il we do moth
ing it will take care Of itself. as 1t
has In the past, tut by wisdom We
can hasten the day when the king
shall come to his own again, and this,
I apprehend, is the great purpose OF a
Convention Of the cotton growers.
China is an old country, with the
stored wealth OF centuries; her people
need our cotton, particularly the
cheaper fabrics.
I heard Minister WI say once that
the Question Of clothing was one o.!
the greatest problems that nfronteo
his people, but little cotton is grown
and the methods Of manufacture
primitive. They depend largely upon
silk, and he laughipely added that, so
great was the population, that II cot
ton were used IS in other portions OF
the world, and you could get each
Chinaraan to aGd one inch to the
length Of the tail Of his shirt, it
would consume the cotton crop OF the
South"
So far We have only touched with
our cotton trade one small section 10
North China, the exports never ex-
ceeding twenty-five million dollars in
one year.
It may seem strange that profit
or loss on an industry amounting to
$40, 900, 900 annually should be az
fected by the loss Of an export de-
mand Of $4,000, 900 or $50, 1000, 900,
but the sceptical have only to refer to
the history Of the cotton trade Tor
1901, during the Boxer troubles, when
exports to China almost ceased to be
convinced Of the value Of our at pres,
ent comparatively small E-stern
trade.
The year 1904 has demonstrated be-
yond doubt that in spite Of the boil
weevil the South can produce crop
of cotton far in excess OF the demands
from present markets, hence necessi
ty forces either the curtailment Of
the crop OF finding newer and wider
markets.
No one familiar with present condi-
tions believes that without sc me prov
identia! disaster the crop Of 1905 will
be materially reduced. II the acre.
age is curtailed better cultivation and
the increased use Of fertilizer will
make up the deficiency. We have the
large profits OF two well sold crops in
our banks and as long ds we can buy
mules and guano we will make cotton.
The South now has a practical mo-
nopoly in the production OF cotton.
This she should keep at all hazard,
fnd new markets, and make enough
cotton to supply the world at fair
prices.
Reduction OF acreage may do to
talk, but resolutions Will nOG teOuce
It. and I believe that there will be
men in the Cotton Growers Conven
tion who will take more comprehen-
siye view Of the situation.
Considering that n China alone
there is a population Of 400, 1000
whose trade with US per capita is now
infinitesimal compared with what it
is bound to develop in the years to
come, who will undertake to place
limit upon the quantity OF cotton
goods that the Orient will consume?
7'Traoe follows the flag Undcuot-
edly the time was never more favor
able for developing new markets; the
.sar now in progress seems nearing an
end. Japan will undoubtedly retain
L. ~ ACIr