The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1908-03-07
By II. e. BLAKESLEE, JACKSON.

StoNSS obbN MS hhC
ing as to the cotton crop of last year
and in conference with Union officials
from other States. While on this trip
he made an exhaustive investigation of
the situation, and while passing through
Jackson on the return trip, gave out the
following interview that should be read
carefully by every man interested in
our great staple crop:
within the last thirty days I have
visited six of the most important cotton
producing States. l have conferred with
the officers of the union from all of the
cotton States except South Carolina and
Florida. | have talked with leading men
engaged in the cotton trade, and with
cotton mill men by the scores. All who
have been frank enough to express them
selves land many of them have) agreed
with me that the American crop, the re-
mainder of which is now on hand, is
about two million bales short of the crop
Just preceding it, and that the crop of
foreign countries which grow cotton is
two million bales short of last years
crop, making the worlds yield of cotton
for the year 1907 four million bales
short of the crop OF 1906.
The Southern mills have enough cot
ton to run them until about the middle
of Marcn; the New England mills have
only enough to run them until the first
of April; the European mills have
bought more freely, but they must still
have a great deal of American cotton to
keep their mills in operation the remain
der of the year"
But what about the talk that trade
conditions of the world will in a meas
ure counteract this shortage in the raw
material?'
This is only a scare-crow set up by
interested parties to make the weak
kneed break ranks and sacrifice their
holdings. 1t is true that trade has been
a little dull and the jobbers mot the
mills have reduced prices a little on the
lightweight goods, but that is only tenn
porary. It is a fact that New York for
some time has been crowded with West
ern and Southern merchants buying
fresh stocks. China and Korea, for the
first time in two years, have within the
last two weeks become active buyers III
American markets. These countries are
very large consumers of cotton and have
bought practically nothing for two years,
so their stock on hand is necessarily very
low. We may expect them TO be free
BUYERS in the American markets for the
remainder of this year"
what truth is there in the report that
the Farmers Union of Texas and Ar
kansas are selling large quantities OF
c~otton?"
THAT is an old chestnut and nobody
is paying any attention to it. A sale
of ten bales of distressed cotton in Ar
kansas is reported by sthe bear gang in
Georgia as a sale of ten thousand bales
of union cotton, and a sale of fifteen
bales of distressed cotton in Texas is
reported by the same crowd in Missis-
sippi as a sale of eight thousand bales of
union cotton. The fact is, that very little
cotton is selling anywhere . The buyers
tell me that the situation for them is
absolutely desperate.
"If the business interests of the South
would tomorrow change front and quit
preaching pessimism and talk optimism
on this question, the moral support thus
given would advance the price of cotton
ten dollars per bale within ten days, and
would Ilus make it possible for the boys
in the trenches to buy more pairs of
shoes and barrels of -four, which other
wise they could not buy"
1t is cleaned from this interview from
President Hightower that the South alb
s%olutely holds the whip rein as to the
price of cotton now on hand. The mills
are short and must soon buy, the de
mand is reasonably good and prices will
remain firm, we have the cotton and
must get the price fixed. Every union
man. as well as others who raise cotton
and still nave some Oh HdHu, Is uIScu
to read this carefully, cut it out and
preserve for future reference. Stand by
the union and the battle is won for this
season at least. If we get fifteen cents
co. the cotton being held there will be
no trouble to hold ten times as much this
fall.
W. P. Mclean of Alcorn county, re-
ports the killing recently of hogs nine
months of age that Melted 29S and 213
pounds of pork. 1t is safe to assume
that this Gil pounds of meat did not
cost Mr.. Mclean az much as three cents
per pound all told. Mississippi can and
| does realise as good meat as any State
in the Union and at a cost less than in q
majority of them. Pity it's that We do
| not raise more of it.
With the putting into force of the
| provisions contained in the Tallahatchie
drainage district bill, passed by the
senate recently, approximately 100000
| acres of the finest land in the word will