The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-06-10
-CROP CONDITIONS
 ARE EXAGGERATED
Texan Says Price of Cotton is
 Too High
IMPROVEMENT WILL COME
Waco Man Declares That Texas Cot ton Crop Is Not Much Injured and the Whole Crop VIII lm-
 prove Rapidly.

In my opinion the price of cotton is high enough, and I firmly believe that before the season is much further ad- vanced prices will decline. The Texas crop is now in fairly good shape and will make good showing with the continued good weather we are having now. From my from Waco to Birmingham, do not see enough in outward appearances to justify the tremendous howl that is going up that the crop will be out off from a third to half. cannot for the life of me see any reasonable basis for the present high price of cotton other than pure spec ulation."
 This Is the view expressed by a Texas business man at the Hotel Florence last night. J. P. McCaskill of Waco, who has just arrived from the Lone Star State, was very emphatic in his opinion that conditions in the cotton belt have been greatly exaggerated and that cotton will show a wonderfully improved condition before the next government report is made. MT. McCaskill lives in the richest cotton section of Texas and is thoroughly acquainted with conditions, not only in Central Texas, but throughout the state. Ellis and Hill counties, in which MT. Me Caskill has business interests. last year produced the enormous total of 290.0oo bales of cotton, of which Ellis county made 100000 and Hill county 1So,Oo0 bales.
 Much of the Texas crop has been re- planted" said MT. McCaskill, but that will not make such great difference In the general result for cotton will make a crop in Texas If planted in July. The farmers of Texas are not discouraged over the outlook at all but. on the contrary, are feeling good over the high prices now prevailing and are hoping that the price will stay at the top until they get their crop marketed.
 q really beleive that there is chance for us to see Scent cotton again and pos sibly 7-cent cotton. If the crop should make as rapid progress during the next few weeks as I confidently expect it to do. There Is no reason in the world why a crop of 100000 bales should command more than an average price of 10 cents when statistics show that the demand last year was not above 11,500,000 bales. Where the surplus has gone I cannot ex- plain, nor can I account for the present prices, but I must repeat that the out look does not at all justify the conditions in the cotton market.
 "A continuation of good cotton weather is expected right now and nothing short of another period of cold, rainy weather would now affect the growing crop and this can hardly be expected at this period of the year. I do not believe that any thing will give the Texas crop a setback but the boil weevil and such a big crop Is raised in the state that the boil weevil cannot cause great disaster
 "The farmers of Texas are worrying more over the matter of taxation at pres- ent than they are over the cotton corp. Capt Andy Mcdonald. the famous Texas ranger, who was appointed state tax as- sessor by Governor Campbell, is raising Cain among the farmers in his campaign for equalization of taxes and the farm CT who has been paying taxes on land assessed at $30 per acre, kicks like blazes against having that same land assessed at $50 or s75 per acre.
 "Of course the blame Is not laid en- tirely at Captain McDonalds door, for few men in Texas are as well known as the sturdy old ranger, and as well thought of but Governor Campbelrs administra- ton Is blamed for the extra tax burden and there is a general bitter feeling in the state at the acts of the last legislature which put itself on record in the Bailey matter and in the legislation that has run all the big insurance companies out of the state.
 From my knowledge of the people of Texas, particularly, the voters in the central part of the state, I believe that he cannot get much more from Texas politically, and in the language of the Central Texas voter Bailey is punched ticket. The next Texas legislature will have an entirely different makeup from the last one. and will no doubt take an entirely different stand on many public questions"