The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1909-11-16

be remembered by our readers.
Short Time in the Cotton Trade.
| (From the Manchester (England)
Guardian, October 27, 1909.)
There has been an interesting IN
terchange OF communications between
Mr.. NIAGARA, who is the president OF
the international Cotton Federation,
and the Arkwright Club of Boston. on
the subject of short time in h cotton
trade. The Arkwright Club has given
a general adhesion to the policy or
short-tme which was unanimously
of the Federation held at Frankfort,
but it is no secret that the club,
though it has some claim to be repre-
sentative, has no control over its mem
bers comparable to that which the
Master Spinners' Federation exercises
here. On October 18th the Secretary
of the club wrote to Mr.. NIAGARA a let
ter which enunciated certain opinions
held by the members. These are, In
brief, hat the price Of cotton is not
justified by a consideration of supply
and demand, and that s%pinners should
buy as little as they can. Undoubt-
eddy, says the secretary, you will sym
pathize with this method of supple
menting curtailment.' but he does not,
III lIllS 1cllcI Sdy duyl141S dOOuS
stopping machinery or running short
time. Yesterday. however, Mr.. Ma
cara received a cablegram from the
president of the ArkWright Club which
said that all agreed curtailment is
necessary, that it has actually began
in some Northern mills. and that many
of the largest Southern mills are closed
indefinitely. MIR. Macara replied with
an encouraging message and p~rofeSsed
satisfaction with the progress that had
been made. Perhaps we may see in
this a tactful endeavOr to maintain re-
lations that are no doubt as cordial as
they are slight. 1t is evident hat
there is very little short time in the
States except what is independent Of
stoppage of mills in the South is really
irrelevant to the question of progress
in this organization, though it Is an
interesting detail bearing on the gen.
eral situation. Lancashire %spinners
can not be expected to consider a cur
tailment of production as al obliga-
ton to their friends abroad unless
these do their share. We have to re-
member that American goods are
again making some progress in China,
which is one of the most valuable of
our markets, n just now one Of the
least encouraging. We should be at a
disadvantage if the lions
share in breaking cotton corners were
always assigned to us.
This paper said only the other week
the question of curtailing working
hours would be a matter of individ-
interest, and trade now is 50 good
and the spinner SO anxious to be on
the right side Of the proposition only
one thing can cause a shutdown, and
that is the shortage Of the crop.
England is jealous of her Oriental
trade, and while great friendship is
toward America, when the
breaking of cotton corners is up,
there is a bitter antagonism expressed
Uncle Sam undertakes to wrest
from England a portion of the trade
of the Celestial Empire.
The two reprints from the Man
chester Guardian should dispel all
doubts as to the position of the spin
ner toward the producer, and the edi-
torlal IN this issue Ga view of the cot
ton sltuation) should clearly show the
necessity of American cotton
10 these spinner who, through Mr. Ed
ward Stanwood. of Boston, and Mr. G.
w. NIAGARA, Of Manchester, are striyine
with might and main to adjust their
dlfferences and buy raw material for
their mills for a lower price. NIAGARA
Sully," though Mr.. Sully told the writer
one night in the Piedmont Hotel hat
such was not the case. If Mr.. Stan
woods and Mr.. Macara's interests re-
fuse TO buy cotton there will be no
market, and hence no price. When
the price goes beyond a point showing
a profit to their mills they will refuse
to buy. So long as they make mr.
chases 1t may be assumed the price has
not gone beyond that warranted nv
supply and demand. During the war
PERIOD they paid one dollar, and more
a pound for cotton.