The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1908-07-31
HOLD YOUR COTTON.
President Harris Issues Letter
to the Farmers.


Remember Farmers that it all de-
pends on you. to make the spot cot
ton, that is now in your hands bring
the minimum price-ffteen cents. l
know the speculators will try to
scare you and endeavor to get you
to sell. Now let us see if this is true.
1 met farmer to day who told me
that buyer drove out to see him
and tried to get him to sell his cot
ton, stating to this farmer that in
an adjoining county he had bought
400 bales from the farmers. The
buyer told him that he had better
sell as it was going lowers that new
Gotten was coming in and that it
would soon be selling at eight cents.
Now, farmers, do not be ''bluffed" by
such falsehoods. The trouble with
that buyer is Just this-he is buying
for some broker who has contracts,
on which deliveries are due and he
is being called on to fill them.
Gentlemen, make him pay your price
before he gets your cotton; it is yours
and you have right to demand its
value and your demands are not too
much Fifteen cents is the price and
if the old crop is held by the farm
ers, it will come. They might try
to scare you with the new crop, but
let us see if it not wisdom to hold
it.
The new cotton crop cannot be
spun by itself until after sixty days
after it is ginned and packed and
there is not enough old cotton for the
mills consumption, so the mills have
to mix two bales of the old cotton
with one bale of the new cotton, be-
fore they can spin it to advantage.
Why did this drop in price occur
in the last fifteen days? Has the
price of the manufactured goods fall
len of and are trade conditions in
worse shape? No; some weak
kneed farmers got scared, and when
the price went up to IL cents, they
Just turned loose enough to feed the
spinners for twenty days, and the
SPECTATORS said, I'VE will drop 1t
down and scare them with the new
CROP" Now don't be frightened.
Remember last year there was a pre-
MUM paid for old cotton In septem-
ber. Why was this? Becau BE the
consumers had to have 1t to mix with
the new crop before it could be spun.
Now as to the condition Of the
growing crop. Our national presi-
dent, Hon. C. s. Barrett, called a
meeting of the state presidents to
meet him and the national executive
committee in Memphis, Tenn, On the
18th inst, and all Of the cotton grow
ing states were represented there,
with two exceptions North. CAROLINA
and Florida. We got a true ana cor
rect report of the conditions existing
in all of the states. The complaint
was that there had been too much
rain and the cotton crop had not
been well worked and was very un-
even. The plant was growing too
much to weed and was not fruiting
well. The above Is a true statement
of the facts concerning the growing
crop. The next forty days Is the
most critical period for the crop. The
weather will have to be perfect for
the balance of the season If we dupli-
cate our 1907 crop.
saw statement in today's paper
that Texas had sold all Of her old
crop, that was being held. This Is
only another bluff to scare you. Just
remember that futures" cannot be
spun into goods and our last years
crop was 100000 bales short, so
take a firmer grip on your spots and
victory Is yours.
B. Harris,
President, South Carolina State