The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1908-10-09
MARKET CROP sE0lFNBLl Y
- ---- -:---:-- .':.i -!
UNTIL PRIcEiFoR COTTON GETS
BETTER. ,s,
BETTER.
Farmers Should Use the. Warehouses
e If They Must Have Money to Meet. re =
Urgent Debts.

Urgent Debts. j., =.
!. MT. II: L. Alexander, President os
the North Carolina State Union, gives
some good advice to- the farmers.
He wisely says whatever your money.
crop may be, market it slowly. 1t
is poor business policy to force any
product Jon a .non-appreciative mar.
ket. The great bulk of agricultural
products are non-pershiable if kept
under shelter. OF course there IS
always the danger of fire, but you
can have that risk covered by insur-
ance for small cost. Feed the mar
kets on short rations and you will
| soon see prices boosted by an increas-
ed demand. Don't let the cry OF
'big crops" scare you into. parting
with your products at a price that.
will not give you fair and just
reward for your labor and the capital
that you have invested in your busi-
ness
You don't find men in other call
ings disposing of products which
represent a years work and inter-
est on their investment, at 4 price
below cost. The farmer has often
done this by following the suicidal
policy of forcing on the market il
four months time, crops which nlrst
meet and supply years demand
Of course these crops are not to be
and will not be consumed in four
months. They are bought by the
middle man" and held in storage
until the demand of the markets
call for them at remunerative
prices.
Farmers should not quarrel with
the middle man" as long as he con-
ducts a legitimate buying and sell
ing business. They should quarrel
with themselves for not handling
their own crops for TIL own benc-
| fit in the same business-like way that
the middle man. has been handling
them for his benfit. II products
were not offered for sale on the
streets of our towns at whatever
price they would bring, the middle
man" would soon go out of bust
ness. But as long as. farmers fol-
low the present method of marketing
their crops. there will be a lcgiti-
mate field for the middle man." and,
in fact, he is Necessary part; or this
mode Of marketing. In the case OF
cotton crop, which is the principal.
money of the South, we can we'll
believe that a fair margin Is made
by the men who stand between the
producer and the spinner; otherwise
| there would not be so maIy cotton
| buyers"
Now, how are farmers 10 get out
| of these ''old ruts" and upon the
highway of successful business-like
marketing of their crops? 1t must
he done by extending the selling
period throughout the year so that
the supply will just keep pace with
the demand Also by punching
their products and selling in such
| quantity as demanded by large buy
ers. This is cooperative selling.
How is it to be done? Through
the storage or warehouse plan. Go
Ito any large cotton market Gown ard
you will find the cotton buyers using
the warehouses to store their cot
ton in, ta he held until demanded by
the spinner. Farmers should DO this
for themselves and save the profits
that now go to the men who have
been doing 1t for them.
But, you say that you have bills
that are due and that you must
realize money from your crop at
once Unfortunately this is true
with great many farmers. Too
many Of them are still following the
old ruinous "credit SYSTEM" which
is the legitimate offspring of the
"all cotton system" and, next to its
parent. is the greatest curse ev*r
terests of the South. Well, If you
owe bills you should pay them when
payment is demanded. But do not
put all your cotton on the market.
Go to your local banker and borrow
On your cotton just as little money
as you can possibly do with, Leave
this money on deposit and Use a
check book Your check may posi-
bly, pay several bills and finally he
deposited to the credit of some other
man without any money being drawn
| from the hank.
We mention this because We know
that bankers are more ready to loan
money if it is to be left on deposit
with them. Follow this plan and
economize in every way possible un-
til you get out OF debt, and then
swear that you will stay out If
] farmers are ever 20 attain their com
mercia Independence they mus;
raise home supplies and quit buying
on credit. We don't know q single
farmer who has followed the al!
cotton system and made a success
at it.
Now, few words about the cottun
crop. The crop is greatly ovrr-cfti-
mated. At the Farmers Union Con-
ycntion in Fort Worth. Texas, we
had reports from every one OF the