The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1908-10-28
FACING A CRISIS
SHALL THE SOUTH SURRENDER
S15O,o0O,O00 in Goldo
That Is What She VIII Do il the
Cotton Crop is Sold At Present

Prices.
The hippant way in which some
people speak of the present price
Of cotton argues that they do not
fully appreciate the gravity Of the
situation. This is intensified when
they say that the farmers have put
the price Of cotton too high and that
it is now seeking its natural level.
Such people leave the impression
that they are not looking beyond
their personal interests and therefore
fail to see the stream Of sold that
annually comes to the South from
foreign countries in exchange Tor
her cotton crop-this amounting &c
hundreds OF millions OF dollars, which
is the handspring to all business
life and activity in the South. Cur
tail this inflow Of gold and we a!
once crippel every industry In the
South. Augment it and at once the
electric effect is seen and felt in
every line Of industry.
The price Of cotton is today 2 IL
cents per pound less than it was a
year ago. If this depression Of price
is to continue throughout the season
It will mean loss to the South on
100000 bale crop of s15O,ooo,-
900, a sum equal to more than ha.t
Of the capital invested in the cotton
mills Of the entire South; likewise a
much greater sum than will be
spent in the South this year for pub
| lie education.
These illustrations are given to
more forcibly illustrate the enormity
| of the loss Of the South, caused by
the present depression in prices, and
| to endeavor to arouse a determlna-
ton among our people, irrespective
of vocation, that it shall not be so.
For the past few years the South
has been enjoying an unprecedented
prosperity for the cotton crop. II
seems that the cotton-Ouying world
has decreed that this age Of South
ern prosperity shall not longer cor'
tinue. AS evidenc of this there va:
during the summer a report sent tc
the cotton factory centers OF th(
world stating the Southern cotto1
crop would approximate 100000
bales and the prediction made tina
the price would go to eight and pos
sibly as low as cents per pound
| Such a report very naturally demor
allied the cotton trade and ever.
manufacturer wanting to get in OF
the ground floor was unwilling t
lay up stock, and SO curtailed pro
duction and bought cotton from hant
to mouth continually looking 10
lower prices. Another factor in de
pressing the price Of cotton is tn
closing of the Lancashire mills il
England. These mills are said t
represent half the spindle capacity 0
that country; consequently taei
closing will very materially aztec
the price of cotton.
;! Hold for Better SrlceS.
Such briefly Is the situation. Wha
are the remedies? An easy question
to ask, but far more difficult on
to answer.
In my opinion, the first thing nee
essary is for the cotton farmer
themselves to determine in all thei
might and manhood that they vii
not sell a bale of cotton at presen
prices except to satisfy existing Oh
legations: and then first endeaVo
to store the cotton and get advance
, On it to meet the necessity of tn
! occasion. AS long as sufficient cot
; ton to meet the requirements OF tn
mills is offered there will be no nee
for them to advance prices. Ther5
fore hold the cotton of the marke
until the surplus is worked of.
the cotton mill men can not Sc!
their goods they can not be eS
pected to buy cotton at its full value
so the thing to do is to not offer an
cotton for sale until the trade want
it at price that will justify tn
farmer to sell.
1t the present prices the purel
cotton farmers is making NO NOR
money on his cotton than he was te
years ago when cotton was sellin
at 6 cents per pound. At that tim
corn, meat, labor and other thing
, that the cotton farmer buys was sell
ing at but little over half the price
they are now bringing. Six-cen
cotton at the time multiplied mort
cages on the cotton farms Of tn
South. Notwithstanding the fey
years Of good prices We have ha,
have enabled most farmers to pay OF
the mortgages then incurred, a con
tinuation Of present prices and con
ditions will bring about a repetitio
Of those days. For that reason IT,
manhood Of the South should b.
against low priced cotton. 1t is no
| yet time for the South to assume tht
role Of a philanthropist AID sell cot
ton for price less than the cost q
production so as to furnish the Worl
with cheap cotton goods.
Do We want farm values t.. in
crease instead of decrease? Do we
want factories of various kinds tt
multiply and enlarge in the South
Do We want to educate our children
and beautify our homes, Do we want
an air of prosperity ell over this
Southland of ours, with new life
vigor and activity into ever linz OF
business, vocation and profession?
If 50, let US without regard to vo-
cation be unit, loyal to the South
and her every interest, and save to
her this $3.50, 100000 annually BY
! maintaining the price of cotton a
! a remunerative figure SO that pros
perity may continue to smile on our
people.