The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1909-09-09
Will There be a Cotton Famine?

Ginners' association has just been
issued. 1t Included the condition
of cotton up tozAugust "a, and gives
this condition, averaging the entire
cotton belt as GAL per cent, which
is the lowest in many years.
While in this section, over terri
tory of which Augusta seems to be
about the center, the crop prospects
up to few days ago were the best in
number of years, it had been ap-
parent for months that in other Sec
tions the prospects were the reverse.
Almost from the very beginning of
the cotton season conditions in the
rans-Mississippi states have been
unfavorable, and these unfavorable
conditions have continued. While
the condition of cotton averaged 64.1
for the entire cotton belt, these
states in the southwest which last
year produced one-half the entire
crop, this year show as low as 81
for Texas, 5S for Oklahoma. SO for
Arkansas and "a for Louisiana.
Georgia is reported at "A and
South Carolina at 76. But these fig
ures were based on the condition of
the crop as it was week ago. Since
then the "hot winds of August" have
got in their work. From almost
every place come reports of great
damage done to cotton, in the heavy
shedding of young bolls and squares.
The condition of the crop in these
sections will not now run as high as
it did ten days ago, which would
still further reduce the general aver
age, already found to be the lowest
in many years.
In addition to this there was a
slight reduction in the acreage. This
reduction, however small it appears
represented in percentage figures,
amounts to many thousand of acres,
and must tell in the receipts. Con-
sidering all these facts it appears
that at the very best the crop for
this year cannot exceed 100000
bales and may turn out as small
as. 10,500,000 bales.
What does this mean?
For the last four years the con-
sumption-home and export-of
American cotton has averaged over
100000 bales annually. The or
dinary requirements of the worlds
trade have grown to these figures.
Then it follows that under ordinary
conditions not less than 100000
bales of American cotton will be
required next year.
But there are extraordinary con-
ditions prevailing. There is a big
revival of business in our country,
and a revival to some extent in other
countries. Better business conditions
will require more cotton to meet
them, for with an increased earning
capacity the people of these various
countries will have more money to
spend for clothes.
So then the condition as regards
cotton is that there will be this year
an increased demand for it, and a
decreased supply.
There will be cotton famine, be-
fore it can possibly be relieved by
a crop to be grown next year. This
famine will not be absolute, but it
will be a shortage of supply suf1ci-
emily great to cause somebody to be
unable to get as much as they may
want The result of this will be that
in the effort to get supply to oper-
ate their mills the manufacturers
will outbid each other. The price
will be high.
This conclusion is inevitable, from
the facts as they are known to be.
Perhaps this high price will not
come at once. The new crop is just
beginning to come in, and the Of
ferings for sale are always largest
at this time The shortage will not
be Immediately felt, and in the ma
tural course the price would not be
Immediately affected. But as the
season advances and the shortage be-
comes an established fact, the scram-
BILE for cotton will begin, and the
price will go up. And unless some
extraordinary events change the reg
ular order it seems quite certain that
cotton will command a famine price
before the end of the season, begin
ming today, shall be reached.
This is the only conclusion that
can be drawn in regard to cotton
from the facts as they are known at
this time.-Augusta Herald.
CorfarSyi11e RecoyneS Calm