The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1907-09-18
PRICE OF COTTON.
Fifteen Cents a Pound Possible
If Farmers Stick Together.
Bot Not Unless the Men Who Raise
1t and Sell 1t Work in Harmony
to Maintain Price.

to Maintain Price.
Last week the Farmers Union Con
vention met at Little Rock, Ark, and
the executive committee of the South
ern Cotton Association met at Jack
son, Miss. The most important ac-
ton of each of these bodies was to
fly the minimum price for which cot
ton is to be held this fall, and each
of them agreed on Is cents. If the
farmers of the South to any great ex-
tent stand by this demand they will
undoubtedly get IS cents.
Cotton is now selling in South Car
olina above 13 cents, and the crop in
this State is generally said to- be in a
better condition than in the South
western States, condition which
would justify the higher price. But
the only way in which the cotton
planters can get Is cents is to hold
their cotton until they do get Is
cents. II the crop is rushed on the
market when 13 or II cents is be-
ing offered the price will never go to
Is cents.
In discussing the matter The News
and Courier says the question is how
far can the two organizations of far
mers control the marketing of the
crop? The Farmers Union and the
Southern Cotton Association are moi
exactly antagonistic but they work
somewhat on different lines and are
not affiliated in any way. It is i'm
possible to say how far their respec
tive organizations extend and to wha
extent they can secure an observance
of their resolutions.
They have taken similar action il
recent years and it is undoubtedl!
true that while their demands have
been respected by some planters who
do not belong to either organization
there have, on the other hand, beer
some members of each organization
who have not stood by their resolu
tions. and consequently the amour
of cotton has not been withheld from
the market that might have been ex
pected. When the Southern Cotto1
Association demanded II cents the
farmers stuck to il and got / cents
when President Jordan two years agt
demanded Is cents the farmers sole
for less and got good profit.
The truth of the matter is that thu
farmers of the South consider that /;
cents is a very fine price for cottol
especially as some of them have solt
cotton at five cents and managed tt
live. Of course the conditions thel
and now are different, but the fact
remain. The matter of supply AM
demand is supposed to fix the pric
of cotton as of other commodities
but it is not exactly correct to sa,
that this is the case with cotton
If however the farmers by comhina
ton in Withholding the commodit
from the market can decrease th
supply they can get their price.
The difficulty is that so much o
the cotton crop is sold before. it
picked, even before it is planted; tn
farmers who have to sell to NEE
their fall obligations cannot regar
the advice of their more fortunat
bretheren, no matter how good tha
advice may be. The organization
have recognized this difficulty ant
have endeavored to devise some wa,
in which the stronger may protec
the weaker by providing for the stor
ing of cotton, etc., but these mean
are not yet perfected and cannot b
at once put in operation.
If the farmers organizations sue
ceed in this effort and cotton goes II
Is cents there will be good times 4
South Carolina this fall. The none,
centres report that money is tight ant
the banks, even in South Carolina
are not putting out money with grea
caution; but if the farmers get /:
cents for their cotton and the crol
turns out to be as good as the pros
pect the farmers will be able a
Christmas to loan money to the bank
and has some to spare.