Bryan daily eagle and pilot. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1909-1918, 1911-09-30
THE COTTON MARKET
AND THE SOUTH
By THEO. H. PRICE.

of Texas, and having in the interval
travelled extensively in the cotton
manufacturing districts of both Eu-
rope and America, am moved to put
before the cotton producers Of the
South my Impressions with regard to
1.-THE present situation Of the cotton
market.
Last year at this time the market
was advancing rapidly, and although
the crop was short one, the farmers
were receiving reasonably generous
reward for their arduous labor.
l am greatly impressed with the
contrast between this year and last
have been through literally hundreds
of cotton fields in both North and
South Texas in the past thirty days
Making due allowance for the increase
in acreage, l am strongly impressed
with the fact that the yield per acre
will not be any larger this year than
it was last.
Yet, owing to an apparent niscon-
ception regarding the size OF the crop,
the farmers of the South are engaged,
in deplorable competition as to who
shall sell their cotton cheapest. The
fact that the crop has prematureiy
opened all at once, and Is, as far as
possible, all being marketed in a few
weeks, adds to the decentralization OF
situation which will become acute
unless balanced by self-control
The world needs all and more than
all the cotton that the South can this
year produce. On the average 1t takes
one pound of cotton to make five yards
of cloth. An advance of cents, a
pound on cotton, therefore, results in
an advance of / cent yard in the
cloth, which is consumed by world
population OF nearly one thousand
million people.
On the other hand. an advance OF
5 cents a pound in cotton means s2o
a bale, or something over $3O0,OOO,OQO,
which would be distributed among the
eighteen million people resident in the
cotton states.
| call upon the farmers of the South
to pause in the financial suicide in
which they are now engaged. There
is no necessity for it. 1t means great
distress and serious loss too many de-
fenseless men and women.
Deliberation, investigation and in
telligent action by the individual VIII
result in averting an enormous loss
to the people of the cotton states.
wonder If it is generally known
in the South that seed cotton held
after picking for two or three months
before ginning seems to continue to
develop-the staple growing longer
land the seed heavier. If have oppor-
4 tunity later on shall say something
more on this subject.
My business in Texas at present is
the introduction and commercializa.
ltion of the Price Campbell cotton pick
ling machine. 1t is now perfected. 1t
does the work of from thirty to forty
hands and does better work than hand
Ipickers at about one-tenth of the cost.
Its general introduction means less
hardship, more intelligence and great
ler profits to the farmer and the COM
immunity. More than this, and most i'm
lportant of all, it means normal and
refined lives for the women OF the
South, and education and Intelligence
for the children that they have borne.
1t has been examined and endorsed
by the United States department OF
agriculture, the Texas department OF
Horticulture, and hundreds of promi-
lnent men, whose written opinions we
can supply on application.
I shall be glad if all the men in the
South who sympathize with me in the
ideals have set before myself in this
Ienterprise will communicate with me.
| / would like every man in the South
who is interested in cotton 70 see the
lcotton picking machine at work. IN
fortunately / can not carry 1t around
land exhibit it, but it is commercially
lat work in the vicinity Of Dallas, and
is also on exhibition picking cotton
at the state fair at Oklahoma City. 1t
will be similarly at work at the state
fair in Dallas from October IA to DC
Itober 49, | earnestly invite everyone
to see it.
| am now at work dividing the vari-
GUS cotton counties of Texas into dis
: tricts of about ten miles square, and
lin each of these districts ! should ike
to have a company formed to buy and
operate one or more cotton picking
machines. These companies Will De
: owned and managed locally and inde-
: pendently, and will enjoy a privilege
THAT will ultimately become very val
liable.
| should like to come to know per-
| T.. oo,roonopdonan every