The Robesonian., 1908-05-07
LUMBERTON NORTH CAROLNA THURSDAY, May T 1908
COTTON ACRE AGE.
Must Have a Reduction In Acre
age to Save the SONth-Means
Higher Prices for Balance of
This CIOp and all of Mex. One.

nlS 0cr FFLccS EOF Balance OF
This crop and all of Next One.
To the Gotten Planters:
/ have received so many letters
endorsing my efforts for reduc-
tion in acreage from nearly every
section of the South that | have
decided to continue the work ano
by request write another article
on similar lines that will be car
ried by the Southern weekly pa
pers all during this mouth ST.
every planter will have chance
to read it. Cotton for October
delivery sold this week at eight
cents per pound. Can you pro
duce it at a profit at this price:
No, Then in order to get a prof
it on what you raise this season
you must plant less than you in =
tended planting at first. Re
ports on the acreage issued SC
far show that the acreage viii
be about per cent. larger than
last year. This is probably due
To the new farmers that haVx
settled in Oklahoma and West
Texas putting in SO much new
land. We must more than Offset
this increase by reducing in the
rest of the belt.
[ again state that the main
cause for the decline in prices is
lack of confidence caused by the
fear of a large acreage which
means, with good weather condi-
tions, a large crop and even low
er prices than at present. Do
you want to grow a crop at an
actual loss? If not, reduce your
acreage; then if your neigh Dor
presists in planting large acre
age and you have to sell your
crop at loss you lose less than
he. If by reducing you add
| $500, 100000 to the wealth of the
South you will not only receive q
part of this but you can feel that
you did your part to add to the
prosperity of the country.
Is it good business to plant 8
crop where there is no profit il
it? No. Then let every reader
at once plant part Of his present
acreage intended for cotton IL
some feed crop, or let the lane
lie idle one season, as you Cal
get more money for the crol
grown on the part you do cult
vate. If you have it already
planted do not work it out as i
will be labor thrown away.
| Which do yon prefer? T
plant your present acreage AM
get from 7 to 8 cents per poun,
or reduce it and get II to /
cents and possibly higher? Tb,
present contemplated acreag,
and good weather means a rosor r.
to the old days of cheap cotto
of ten years ago while a reduce
acreage means a continuance G
the prosperity of the past fe'
years.
Let every planter that read
this at once make up his min
he will not be. the cause of Wa
Street bears fixing the price fO
your crop as they will do with
large crop. Go to work at one
to produce your own acreage an
see as many of your neighbors q
possible at once and get a unite
action in this matter, as this
the only way we can be indepe1
dent and prosperous.
| urge every merchant an
} banker throughout the South
advise their customers to reduC
their acreage as it means 10:
to you as well as to the planter
return to the old days of 10
prices again. It will pay you
write a circular letter and ser
it to every planter you have ar
dealings with urging a reductit
in acreage. Don't delay but g
busy, as there is no time to los
We must have a reduction
. acreage to save the South. 1t
as much your duty as mine
help in this work. [ get nothiI
: for it.
[ again urge the mem bers
theFarmers' Union and Southe
Cotton Association to work t
gether for a reduction in acreas
which means much higher pric
for the balance of this crop a
all the next one, as we'll as an
J fuence on future crops. | wa
to hear from every section of t
C. belt as to what you are doing
v the matter. Write me and v
give you all the assistance | CT
Don't delay but get busy now.
III j. A. TAYLOR,
President National Ginners /
E. sociation.
Memphis, Tenn, May 1st, 19