The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1905-10-13
HOLD YOUR COTTON
AN ADDRESS BY PRESIDENT
HARVIE JORDAN.
Farmers Must Stand Together.
Can command a Fair Price
for Their cotton and Get II.

4
cotton producing state and territory
were present, a report on the con-
dltlon OF the cotton crop was care
fully compiled from returns of more
than $1,000 correspondents, show
ing a condition OF 73 per cent as
compared with a condition of "a
per cent for a corresponding period
OF 1904. An estimate of the crop
for this season based on reports
from the same correspondents indi-
Gated yield of 9,5SS, ,333 bales of
cotton.
Taking this information as a
guide in connection with the present
enormous demand for spot cotton
by the spinners of the world, the
present high prices of cotton goods,
and the heavy cost to the produc
ers for cultivating and harvesting
this crop, the committee agreed that
eleven cents as a minimum price,
basis middling at all interior points,
would be reasonable and conserva-
tive price to be asked by the pro-
ducers this season for their staple.
1t has been generally reported, and
not publicly denied, that spinners
can pay twelve cents per pound for
middling cotton at the present time
and still make good profits in the
manufacture of the raw material
into the finished fabric. Peace has
been recently declared between Rus
sia and Japan. The whole civilized
world is in most prosperous con-
dition and the spindles in all the
cotton mills of Europe and America
are running night and day to sup
ply the tremendous demands for
cotton goods.
| CONSUMPTION UNPRECEDENTED.
! The enormous crop of American
cotton reaching the unprecedented
figures of nearly 100000 bales
has been easily absorbed by the
spinners at an average price of nine
cents per pound. Of this crop
there was only a small reserve
stock of little more than q million
bales to be carried into the season
of 1866 on the first day of Sep
| tv-.1ers-- If no more unan ten ia,ii-
lion bales of cotton arc harvested
this season to be added to the small
reserve stock carried over from the
crop of 1904, the mills of the world,
at the present rate of consumption,
will face a famine in raw cotton
before another crop can be planted,
cultivated and placed upon the mar
ket.
Will the farmers take advantage
of the splendid position they oc-
cupy, and like men assert their
! rights to demand a fair price for
this crop at the hands of the buyers?
Will not the merchants and local
bankers throughout the south line
! up solidly in unbroken ranks with
the farmers against the combina-
tions that are so actively at work to
depress prices and defeat the will of
the people2
| MUST DO OUR DUTY.
Every man in the South, no mat
ter what his avocation, is expected
to do his duty during the coming
months and to throw his full moral
and financial ability in the great
fight that we have engaged in. The
bear" spectators of Wall street
and London are using every device
known to human ingenuity to de-
press prices. The international cot
ton spinners of Great Britain have
combined to crush the present efforts
of the farmers to maintain fair
prices, and exporters arc doing all
in their power to hammer down the
market. The solution of the prob
lem is easy and simple. The ability
of the farmers to win this fight is
unquestioned. Stand together like
brothers, battling for the protection
of your firesides and your homes,
your wives, children and your coun-
try. Stop selling cotton at present
prices. Call upon your merchants
and bankers to aid you in the heroic
struggle that lies ahead. Store your
cotton in the seed wherever possible
and do not have it ginned until
later in the season. Store the lint
cotton under good sheds to keep it
dry on the farm or place it in ware
houses, where the receipts are need
ed as collateral to borrw money to
meet maturing obligations. All
other lines OF business borrow money,
why not the farmers, when by 80
doing they can hold their cotton
off the, market and materially adj
vance it's price2 Pay no attention
to the ''bearish" literature being