The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1906-09-21
TEN CENTS FOR COTTON.
It is Worth That Much and Sha uld
Not be Sold for Less-Why Cot
ton Should be Worth Ten
Cents the Pound this
Year. Ell

Ae3s Ba@
T0the Editor Of The News and Cou-
rier: The agony is over. Ansel, Lyon
and Sullivan have been elected by
handsome majorities. Let us hope and
pray that the state is in safe hands,
that the grafters will get their just
deserts and that the railroads will be
made to respect the rights of the pub,
lie. Now let us turn our thoughts from
the melee of politics and from the per-
picking whiskey problem to the cot
ton situation and to the Southern Cot
ton Association and it's efforts to Sc
cure and maintain fair and remunera-
tive prices for its staple. Allow me to
thank you for your friendly notices of
the Association. l am also glad to
note that you have the name, "South-
ern Cotton Association correct, and
that your paper understands all that
is implied and embraced under that
comprehensive name. Your paragraph
er says: "Every farmer and business
man III the State should vote small
appropriation out of his pocket for
the support Of the Southern Cotton
Association before he forgets how to
vote.' Good for the paragrapher!
The Southern Cotton Association is
composed Of the farmers and the bust
ness men of the South. eve have your
name, Mr.. Editor, enrolled : as an
honorary member of the Orangeburg
Cotton Association.) 1t stands for
good prices for our great money crop
and hence for the financial prosper
ity of the South. True, it has made
mistakes. Who has not made mis-
tal1esq 1t is human to err. Let us not
condemn too harshly, but rather let us
hope and believe that the Southern
Cotton Association will profit by its
mistakes. 1t is worthy Of our support.
1t stands like stone wall between the
farmer on the one hand and the con-
sumner, the speculator and the gambler
on the other. The Southern Cotton
Association is opposed to violent
fluctuations in the price Of cotton, as
injurious both to the producer and the
consumer. Before the advent of the
Southern Cotton Association | have
seen cotton fluctuate from S cents to
II cents, bankrupting and demoraliz-
ing farmers and merchants, and up
setting trade relations and all che
calculations Of the spinner. TIe
Southern Cotton Association is a pow
er to be reckoned with and tends to
steady prices, as witness The price of
cotton for the past two years. d. M.
Van Vliet says: "The bumper crop
was sold at an average of ID cents,
and the last crop at II Id cents, and
consumptive demands are much lar
ger now than the former year and
equally as good if not better than
last year, That Means that about
twenty-five million bales of Ameri-
can cotton have been sold the past
two years at an average price of 10
Id cents per pound.
The Southern Cotton Association,
through its executive committee, made
up of delegates duly elected from each
of the cotton producing States and
Territories, has fixed upon 10 cents
as minimum price for this crop.
There conservatism won victory. All
things considered I believe II cents
would be but fair price to the pro-
ducer; but our farmers are not vet
educated to an appreciation Of the
true value Of the great staple which
at IL and IL cents per pound would
furnish the cheapest clothing known
to the world; hence I advocated the
adoption Of the 10 cents minimum.
I contend that 10 cents per pound is
very reasonable, very moderate, very
conservative.
Let us look into the situation a lit
tie closer This has been an expensive
crop. The rainfall has been excessive
and continuous, increasing the cost of
cultivation, and at the Same time de-
trimental to the crop. Very high pric-
es have been paid for mules, wagons,
ploughs, moving machines, all planta-
ton supplies, including fertilizers and
labor is scerace and growing dearer
every day.
Condition of ,ror r., hall, 4Lo No..