Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1908-09-18
HARRIS'S COTTON LETTER.


The following cotton letter from Mr..
B. Harris, president Of the South Car
olina Farmers Union was received by
The Enquirer this morning:
The great money producing crop of
the south-cotton-is now being har-
vested. The farmers should investi-
gate conditions and use good judgment
in selling this great money crop of the
south.
BY so doing many million dollars will
be added to her wealth.
First, we will look into conditions.
The supply of cotton is less today than
1t has been in twenty-five years. The
merchants shelves are scant of goods.
The population of the world is increas-
/ ing every day, and they have to be
clothed. Again, the output of manu-
factured goods has greatly decreased
this year from the fact the 1907 crop
was 100000 bales short. The short
age will have to be made good, as the
world needs the goods. AS to the con-
dition of the 1908 crop. We have
heard nothing for the last eight weeks
but bumper crop. Who is 1t that cir
culates these reports? 1 see in Europe,
5000 miles away statisticians are free
ly predicting crop Of American cotton
this year of 100000 bales, while
many of the knowing ones on this side
are sending out literature forecasting
the crop at 100000 bales.
The south is now being flooded with
circulars Of bear dope by spectators
and manipulators who are trying to
sell the market down under the influ-
ence of these bearish arguments.
The wholesale jobber in the cotton
trade are demanding concessions from
the manufacturer in the price Of goods,
while the spinner is holding back as
long as possible in order to be able to
lay in their supply as low as possible.
Never before have so many interests
combined to hammer down the price Of
spot cotton. There never was a time
that the growers will be called upon
to exercise the full limit Of their
strength in resisting the efforts to de-
press prices as at the present time.
There was never time that cooper
alton was needed as badly as 1t Is to-
day.
Our annual meeting Of 1.-The Farm
ers' Educational and Cooperative I'm
ion of America" met at Fort Worth,
Texas, on the first and was in ses-
sion four days. The attendance was
large, all the cotton growing states
were we'll represented by delegates.
The unanimous consent Of the dele
gates was to keep the minimum price
a secret within the membership.
A national cotton committee was
formed, with a delegate from each
state, for the purpose Of handling cot
ton.
President Barrett will call a meeting
the first Of January, as by that time
we will know the true condition Of his
crop.
AS to the condition Of the growing
cron. Every cotton producing state
was represented and there we had the
opportunity Of getting a true report as
to the condition Of the growing crop.
Not a single state reported anything
like an average crop. Some reported
40 per cent off, some 30 per cent, some
20 per cent, some Is per cent.
It will be impossible for us to make
an accurate report at this time. To
begin with, we had floods and wet
weather up to the 1st Of July, then hot,
dry weather. Rust and blight and a
dozen other pests we had never heard
of before.
East of the Mississippi river you
hear that Texas and Louisiana are go
ing to make a bumper crop. When
you get west of the Mississippi they
tell you: Mississippi, Alabama and
crops. When you investigate it you
find it is false. In the last three weeks
l have been in seven of the leading
cotton belt states. and in no place did
l find anything like an average crop.
From the time I left home until I
reach the Lone Star" state I did not
see a single field Of cotton that did not
have blight. either rust or black rot,
and was poorly fruited.
Farmers. all you have to do now Is
to just sit steady in the boat and not
put bale of cotton on the market un-
til the price gets right. Remember, 1t
all depends on you as to what it brings.
We cannot blame the other fellow for
getting it as low as he can. There are
plenty Of good warehouses, and advise
warehousing it and borrowing money
on your receipt to satisfy your indebt-
edneSS.
AS cotton is the great money crop
Of the south, l want to urge our bank
ers, merchants and other moneyed men
Of the south to help the weak farmers
to hold their cotton until the price gets
above the cost Of production, so the
grower may have a profit left to him to
have money to spend with other bus
mess enterprises.
If the farmer is prosperous all other
business is prosperous. and If he is not,
all other business is dull.
1t is the duty of every business man
OF the south, no matter what profess
sion he is in, to stand behind cotton
and make 1t bring a profit above the
cost of production to the grower.
How is the grower of cotton to be-
come able to maintain a profitable
price? First, he must diversity his
crops. and now is the time to begin for
another year. Sow oats, wheat, Grim
son clover. vetch. rye and barley. You
will need it next spring to feed your
stock. Instead Of buying. raise your
horses. mules. cows. hogs and corn
Quit buying hay to kill grass, to
raise cotton. to buy more hay with.
Make home self-supporting and self
sustaining, and prosperity is yours.