The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1905-02-24
Friday February "a. 1905.
HOLD YOUR COTTON.

Will the cOUJOHl pIdIlUoI, puL 1i~o va
snili owners,fs what are the armer Go-I
ing 10 do about the next cotton crop!I
Will acreage be reduced or will the tai
mers, each acting for himself, plant as
much, if rot more than last year. in
the hope that ali the other planters viii
reduce their acreage and thus enhanced
the value OF his crop? 1t looks from
present indications that there will be al
general reduction Of acreage. h far
mers appear ito be more united and to
he acting in greater concert on this
question h ever before. Good re-
suits along this line from the New Or
leans convention seem assured. The
farmers at last have awakened to the
importance of united action and for
once seem to realize that the interest
of one OF their members is the interest
of ALL. Heretofore it has been imoos-
siblezto get this class of u people TO
work in unison. Men OF all other call
fngs and TRADE OF professions have
formed unions and worked each for the
benefit of all the others except the far
mers. They, strange to say, have work.
ed against each other.
Besides this movement ito reduce the
acreage of tine next crop there is an
other matter of great Importance in
which the farmers should act with un-
Outstanding and agreement. us
THE marketing Of the msold part of the
present crop. The codtCn hould be
hold ~ef @ZYa ~, r-1d+ until tho nrTiop iS
much higher. The demand should be
made to regulate the price. This can
mot be lone until there lis created an
urgent deracnd for the spot cotton by
the consumers. Let the farmers keep
the product off the market. Let the
mills and others who need cotton feel
fuhe pinch and begin ito pay for tine COM
modify what 1T is worth. In regard to
this matter there was a proposition
made some thine ago by men who want
ed cotton THAT were not willing to pay
the true value for it that they would
pay certain spot cash price for all cot
ton sent to tlHem and would pay in ad-
dition any advance over that sum the
cotton might brin gon amy day the Sci
Ter would choose to call ON them 10
make settlement. This seemed a very
fair proposition, but in fact it was a
scheme which if adopted by the holders
of cotton would have prevented the
rise in price. What reduced h price
of Gotten and kept it down was the big
market receipts. IF cotton continued to
come in as freely no matter ON what
terms r. was put ON the market the
price westId not rise. 1t was the full
supply which kept the price down. Let
cotton CONTINUE to roll into the markets,
whether ald en- time or spot cash, and
the price svill continue low. The de-
mand will be supplied by the actual
commodity, mo matter whether it is
paid for i'm psart or in full. Let the far
mers adopt his plan and 1T will be
found that IL, the time limit there viii,
be no advance in the price for them to
take advantage of to demand addI-
tional payment on that they nave put
en- the market Keep the market flood
ed with cotton. whether sold for fu1
cash or part cash and the other to be
paid or AN expected rise, and there will
be no expected rise in price The spec
ulators and the Ra1lls will be able to get
all the ootton they want and there will
be no indIcement 10 raise the price. ana
no necessity to do SO to get the cotton.
On this Snatter OF holding cotton and
refusing IT, accept the proposition OF
buyers to Jay part cash and the bal
ance on any day the seller mao choose,
satt,irg by the quotations Of that day
Vie Messenger some time ago advised
its reaiers againsc uch transaction TN
th.S subject 1he press bureau of the
Sou ahein Gotten Association sends cut
for publication the following:
T.o h Seslr COTTON tight and refuse C
deflve = it On any KIND OF trade. It wiz
be uni Sff to those Who are holding and
end. s txafld pat hold o u ground and
don't e we away at any point along the
line. " e are sure TO win.
IT is y 9Sorted to me that some of the
mills are proposing to local holders of
cotton a ] deposition oftake cotton from
them at o rssent prices n free of stor-
age and in suF.ance, provided such GOTTEN
is deliyere !, at the mills and amy further
advance " &c be paid between NOW and
September list. In the meantime the
mills can D Hoceed 20 spin bhNs cotfon
and to that Wteat will not have to go
into the mark ct no make purchases. If
this pan was generally adopted there
would son be no demand whatever
from the solpthe. n mills, which would
seriously affect %dRe present. holding
nlovement.
T do not charge kE3ae southern mills
are advising this cotnse 10 defect any
advance il prices. bee Hlse MANY Of our
snills are in favor of higher prices. but
the effect will be the same. I'm Missis-
sippi, louisiana, Texas ND other statsa
exporters are actively ao-lelfang cotton.
so I am INFORMED, undar the form OF,
an agreemeilt to pay Present prices and
any advances that might accrue III the