The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1910-03-09
KNAPP ON COTTON PRODUCTION
GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL TALKS OF
GREAT INDUSTRY.
foihts OF Interest and Value Noted
concerning SOuth's StapIe--Hints
as to the Worlds Supply and
Prices Should be Regu'- c wv
ton States to II \h''

Il
have to say to you is simply plain
talk to commonsense people about
matters that interest them. I have
mott come here to give you encourage
ment unless the facts substantiate it,
1 have simply come to tell YOU the
plain truth about cotton production"
with these words, DR.. Seaman X.
krapp, special agent in charge of
farmers cooperative demonstration
work, bureau Of plant industry. re-
calls the remarks he made in Green
vile, Miss, short time ago on the
subject of cotton, the greatest of all
cash crops.
I'm the general cotton situation
DR.. Knapp said, "you have some
| things to your advantage, not only
| here but throughout this Southern
! country. Seventy per cent Of the cot
| ton Of the world is produced in the
cotton States of the United states.
| The two great necessities of world
as products fthe soil are food and
| clothing. 1t is seldom in human his
tory, If ever before, that one nation
has had monopoly of either Of these
great interests. Such is your peculiar
fortune to-day that you produce 70
per cent Of the material that largely
clothes the world, and clothing is
just as essential as the food supply.
| Look for a moment at the increas-
ing demand for cottoon. If YOU will
note carefully you will observe that
it has doubled once in about twenty
two years. We may estimate 13,O00,-
OO0 bales as minimum supply on the
part Of the United States for the
worlds clothing at the present time;
then turn back twenty-five years and
We shall find that little more than
6,OO00,O00 bales were sufficient;
twenty-five years prior to that 3,OO0,-
600 bales filled the demand, and
twenty-five years before that 1900
| GOO bales met the exfgencies of the
trade. If we pursue the same line for
the future, in 1892 it will require 26.-
10000 bales and in 1854 it will be
necessary for us to produce 52,000,-
| 600 bales of cotton to meet the de-
mands Of commerce.
Here is one Of the most wonderful
| opportunities of wealth that has been
known within the historic period.
Our lands and climate are exceedingly
we'll adapted to the production of the
fleecy staple, and the intelligence of
the farmers of the South and their
long experience with cotton have
| equipped them to do the work and to
do it, and do it well. Besides that,
our commercial interests are founded
on the cotton staple, and it is tre-
mendous affair to undertake to
change the coalitions Of a great State
or Of several States.
| 1.-The reasons for the increased ,.e-
mand for cotton are manifold. Each
|
used to, and he requires better clo-
thing. Another reason is that cotton
is more universally worn. Glasses of
cotton that combine with wool in
broadcloth have been found. so that
cotton is used not only in the making
of all cotton clothes, but also in asso-
| cl3tlOn nd
reason. is the force of civilization. The
railroads, the telegraph, and the fast
steamers are fast bringing all parts
of the world into close connection and
sympathy, and millions that never re-
| CURED clothing before are clothed to-
day, and that clothing is made Of cot
| ton.
| Il have sometimes heard it said
that this is the only country that can
! produce cotton. This is not true. 9th
er countries can produce it, and pro-
duce it proftably. For certain pur-
| poses they produce better cotton in
| Europe than we do, SO much so that
W. oi = hpoi llnS SoOO many Dal6S
| every year
There are some things that are
tending to prevent our holding our
own in cotton production One is
the tendency to put the price Of
! cotton so high that it will force pro-
duction in other countries. Once they
nave learned the art and secured COM
mcrcial adjustment it will be difricut
to win back our former supremacy in
cotton. The PLANTER is entitled to
Just compensation for the production
OF cotton, but if the price is forced to
a point above what the world can af-
IAEl to fnI, L 4