The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1906-03-13
Tuesday, March 13, 1906.
CUT DOWN COTTON ACREAGE.

The Fort Worth Record says very
truly that "the farmer makes a mis-
take when he thinks he can regulate
The price of cotton regardless OF pro-
auction. That is the mistake Mr..
Jordan's campaign for ffteen-eent
cotton has been based on, and 1t IS
going to hurt the south intellectually
if the farmers do not sharply curtail
their acreage under that Of 1904. .
Tn recent statement Mr.. R. D..
Hudson, Secretary Of the Texas Dl-
vision Of the Southern Cotton asso-
citation, explains that the states west
Of the Mississippi river were not Or
ganized, and consequently were not IN
sympathy with Mr., Jordan's procla-
nation for 'ffteen-cent cotton. These
states threw their cotton on the mar
ket without regard to what effect
such action on their part would have
on the price Of the staple. They play
. ed right into the hands of the bears
and the price went down naturally
and inevitably. There must be agree
ment among the cotton growers all
over the south if the men who make
the cotton intend to control the price
at which it shall be marketed. The
failure of the Western growers to CO.
operate with the growers in the other
cotton states has enabled, in the Ian
guage Of Mr.. Hudson, "the bears to
carry on their devilish work each day
and week since the New Orleans con-
Hention.'
It is reported now that the Texas
planters will plant this year for a
crop of 100000 bales in that state
alone. The price of the staple next
fall and winter will depend upon the
acreage in the other cotton producing
states. Every bale grown in excess Of
the world s demands will lessen the
value Of every other bale that may be
produced this year. The only safety
Of the cotton planters IS IN cutting
down the acreage this year. If they
want to raise cotton for fun, instead
Of for profit, let them go ahead and
plant all the land they can cultivate.
IF thew want to raise cotton for the
money there is in it, let them reduce
the acreage by at least 80 per cent
News and Courier.
The News and Courier is preaching
mighty good and sound doctrine in the
above comments. So sound and so
good that it should be told until it
reaches the ear of every cotton plant
er in the south.
Every bale in excess Of the world 5
demands will lessen the value Of every
other bale that may be produced this
year" Every sensible farmer real
ICES the truth of this statement.
Organization is good thing but if
the crop is larger than the worlds de-
mands then the value of the staple
will be decreased because the world
will know that the crop is in excess of
the demand and organization cannot
prevent it.
"The only safety Of the cotton
planters is in cutting down the acre
age this year, And we might add
IN Increasing the acreage of corn and
potatoes and such things as are need
ed for consumption on the farm.
Besides that the farmer Of this
section of the cotton belt especially
who undertakes to grow cotton with
which to buy the supplies needed on
The farm which can be grown on the
farm will lose money it matters very
little what the price Of cotton is. On
the other hand the farmer who raises
his own supplies on the farm will
make some money farming even if
cotton is selling at six and seven
cents. This is what we have preached
for many years and the more it is
preached the more strongly are we
convinced Of the soundness of the doc
+riro