The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1908-11-03
MILLS OF THE WORLD
Would Cease Running Wore it Not
For Our Cotton.


During the twelve months ending
September 80, 1908, there was con-
sumed by the mills of the world H.,
100000 bales of cotton, each weigh
| ing 500 pounds. The year prior
or rather for the year ending Sep
tember /, 1907, the worlds con-
sumption of lint cotton was 19,500,-
600 bales. This shows a startling
| difference in the two years con-
sumption and the difference Is ac-
| centuated when tits remembered the
United States census bureau esti-
mated, August 81, 1907, that the de-
mand for cotton during the year fol-
lowing would be 10000 bales. In
deed the increase in spindles sug-
gests the consumption Of 500,OO0
| bales additional cotton annually.
The panic would have caused a
curtailment Of consumption had
ltnere been no other reason for re-
ducing the output of mills at home
and abroad, but in this case curtail-
ing was inevitable because there was
produced within the world 15,5Oo,-
600 bales only, nearly 100000
bales having been grown In the
United States. Of the 14,307,0O0
bales consumed during the year end
ing September 80, 12,117,00O bales
| was American cotton. These few
facts constantly borne in mind will
aid the Southern man to understand
the absolute need of American cotton
by the mills of America, England
and the continent of Europe; in fact,
without the cotton of Dixie the mills
must close down and in Lancashire
hundreds of thousands of innocnet
people would be compelled to accept
the kind Offering of charity. During
the civil war 250,000 people In that
great spinning center were fed bv
the spoon Of charity because the
Southern planter could not fight and
grow cotton at the same time and
because the ports Of the South were
pretty effectually blocked. What
happened then was a mere bagatelle
in comparison to that which would
take place should cotton from Geor-
gla and her sister States be denied
these British spinners some of our
poorly informed people think Eng.
| land will go elsewhere for cotton
should the people in the South be
too exacting in their demands. Such
fears are groundess. The South is
| the ONLY PLACE FOR OBTAINING
THESE MILL SUPPLIES. Should
these supplies be cut off for any rea-
son the mills would cease running
for want of raw material.
While the ginnings to Octobc:
lS,h seem large ard are large, yet
they DO not necessarily mean a large
crop. But, should the crop be ever
so large the world needs it. In
1904 we had ginned G.417.S94 bales
to October 18th and the total crop
that years was something less than
13,50O,000 bales; in 1902 the gin
ming to October 18th was 1858, ,OO6
bales and the total crop was 1O,5SS,-
$50 bales. The weather has been
exceptionally fine during the present
gathering season and help being
abundant, the early opening bolls
have been gathered and Ginned with
out any Of the customary delays
which so frequently retard the har-
vesting Of our cotton crop.
The Memphis convention called by
Harvie Jordan should have ten
dency to place the price on level
showing profit to the planter. Our
cotton is needed, hence don't rush L
on q glutted market. Let the sup
ply follow the demand made by
mills.