Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1906-02-07
Fifteen Cents Cotton.

l3, lSU0, without single ulssentiDg
voice, unanimously endorsed the re-
solution to hold the bals .ce of the
ansold portion of the present crop
for fifteen cents per pound, basis mid
ding, at the ports.
The Executive Committee of the
Southern Cotton Association, in an.
nual session at New Orleans, Janu.
ary Is, 1905, also unanimously en-
dorsed the action of the Convention
relative to the fifteen cents resolution.
Representatives of Southern Bankers
who assembled at New Orleans dur
ing the Cotton Convention, passed
strong resolutions guaranteeing the
moral and financial support of South
ern banks in the present effort Of the
Southern Cotton Association to Sc
cure fifteen cents for the balance of
the crop. The fight is now on to
finish between the spot holders and
friends of higher prices, backed by
Southern bankers, and the Bear spec
ulators, spinners. and enemies to fair
and equitable prices. The lines are
plainly drawn, and friend or foe, will
be quickly recognized by the voice,
pen or position taken.
We are dealing with product
worth many hundreds of millions of
dollars annually, distributed in its
raw and manufactured form, through
out the entire civilized world. The
producers of this most valuable pro.
duct of Southern soils have been the
slaves and serfs of the commercial
and consuming world for nearly half
century. Southern cotton grow
ers, financed by their local banks, are
gradually working revolution in
the old system of marketing their
staple.
Short crops and fairly good prices
from 1900 to 1904 freed the South
ern growers generally from the lash
of mortgages and credit. Increasing
the food supply crops, has been an
important factor in developing that
independence and thrift which should
characterize every farm. For these
reasons, it made possible the ham
ding of the great crop of 1904, on
profitable basis to the growers
against the combined organized brain
and money of the world. 1t is for
these reasons, together with ad-
vanced thought, study, and better
knowledge of legitimate supply and
demand of cotton, that will enable
the spot holders of cotton in the
South to demand and enforce higher
pricess for the balance of this crop
than are at present prevailing. It.
has not been denied that spinners
could have paid twelve cents to the
farmers for the entire crop of 1905,
and declared good dividends on
their investment at the prevailing
high prices of yarns and dry goods.
1t cannot be denied that Bear specu-
lators, backed by the spinners, took
advantage of the necessities of the
farmers in September and October
and forced prices down to o. cents
per pound, buying in fully one-half
of the crop around ten cents. If the
balance of the crop now held, and
which does not exceed 100000
bales, is sold at fifteen cents per
pound, the whole crop will go to the
buyers and spinners at an average
price to the farmers under II cents
per pound. Where is the exhorbi-
tant demand of the farmers? If the
cotton is worth it why should not
the producer be entitled to receive
its full value? Those gentlemen
who are raising such a howl about
II cent and Is cent cotton we're as
silent as the grave when cotton was
selling at cents.
STAND BY TIE PRICE.
Stand firm for fifteen cents. Sell
your cotton at that price, and do
not undertake to force the market
still higher. Our position is based