The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1911-11-09
state-Controlled Cotton Warehouses.

te-Controlled Cotton Warehouses.
One of the most significant and
certainly one OF the soundest propo-
si:ions, from an economic standpoint
advanced by the recent conference
o. southern governors, was a recon-
mendation to the effect that the vari-
GUS state governments OF the South
lend their encouragement to the es-
tablishment OF state-bonded cotton
warehouses. The plan largely paral-
lels that already authorized by con-
stitutional amendment in Louisiana.
The people of the latter common
wealth voted to allow private parties
to erect a. gigantic model warehous-
Ing plant, equipped with the latest
modern appliances and fire safe
guards, subject to regular and rigid
inspection, so that the receipts for
the cotton stored therein should have
all the validity in the worlds money
markets of a state-stamped paper.
It will be noticed, as the Atlanta
Constitution points out, that this
plan does not contemplate that any
extra expense shall be put upon the
taxpayers. The warehouses are to
be erected and maintained by private
enterprise and fixed charges. There
is no reason why the same plan, or
some modification Of 1t, should not
prevail in every state of the cotton
belt. One of the chief menaces to a
stable price for cotton is the fact that
it Is, as rule, dumped on the mar
ket, within three or four months of
it's being harvested. The facilities
Cor holding it are extremely limited,
and only within recent years have
they been generally placed at the dis
pGsal of the farmers.
4 cotton warehouse operating un-
der the authority OF sovereign
state would mean the extension Of
the selling period over the year, in
stead of over a period Of one-quarter
OF the year. It would mean that the
farmer depositing his cotton therein,
provided it came up to specifications,
could negotiate loans on the receipt
therefor and discharging his imme-
diate obligations, hold his cotton un-
til the market responded to the legit-
innate influences of supply and de-
mand. This system, in conjunction
with a reasonable method of fore
casting the worlds probable con-
sumption, would come as near hedg-
ing the South against loss on the sta
pie as is open to human devices. Err
raticism in the market would be re-
duced to a minimum and the millions
now annually sacrificed would go
where they belong-to the farmer,
and through him, into every South
ern business channel
The Constitution truly says if any
other section possessed the royal as
set of the cotton crop it would have
long ago adopted some such proceed
ure. So long as the South fails to do
go, it is depriving itself of a source
of just revenue and giving it as so
much velvet to other factors in the
commercial world. 1t is time the
South was coming to the rescue Of
the men who are making her rich
and great. What helps the cotton
planter, helps every man in the South
as we'll as In the nation. They have
been robbed and plundered by specu-
lators too long, and it should end,
and end at once. Who will lead the
movement in South carolina A
good leader in each Southern State
is all that is lacking to make state
controlled warehouses grand sue
cess and save to the cotton farmers
of the South millions of dollars.