Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1911-09-06
CHEAP COTTON RUINoUS.
Editor Edmunds of The Manu-
facturer's Record Strongly
Advocates High Price
For Cotton.

cOtCOn Is eSSeHlldl W IllS DSsO lh0Si
ests, if not to the very life, of the
cotton manufacturing industry. The
manufacturers who are anxious to
see lower prices by reason of the
probability of a large crop this year
are shortsighted. Low prices this
year would inevitably drive cotton
growers to other pursuits, and the
smaller yield next year, win con-
sequent abnormal high prices, would
bring back all the evils from which
the industry has suffered during the
last few years in which it has had
to contend with high cost of raw
material and low price of finished
goods.
''Tne world must adjust itself to
paying a higher price for cotton
goods. The sooner it is done the
better it will be for all interests, and
especially for the manufacturers.
The time has passed when southern
farmers were compelled to raise
cotton. In former years they were
forced by necessity to raise cotton,
and cotton alone. Conditions have
changed. Unless prices be high that
is, high as compared with former
years, they can make more money
doing other things. There is no
moral obligation to the world to
compel them to raise cotton, though
many people seem to think so.
IF New England could turn its
cotton mills into shoe factories and
double the profits on the investment,
and pay better wages to the labor
ers, nobody would say that New
England must continue to make cot
ton goods because the world needs
cotton goods. Now the southern far
mer can do a dozen things more
proftably than to raise and sell cot
ton at low price, and even 10 and
IL cents pound may now be count
ed as low price. He can do things
that he could not have done a, few
years ago. industrial development
is affording employment for thou
sands who were formerly compelled
to raise cotton. Urban growth is
drawing 4ens of thousands from the
country into city activities. City
growth and industrial development
combined are making it possible for
thousands to engage in diversified
farming and truck growing to sup
ply home needs.
In the last 10 years industrial
development in the south increased
largely over 100 per cent, while its
population increased only about l6
per cent. Thus industrial activity
gained six or seven times as rapidly
as population. The extension of
railroad facilities to all parts of the
south and the ever increasing de-
mand in the north and west for ear
ly fruits and vegetables make it
possible for very large number of
southern farmers to make more
money in meeting these require
ments than in raising cotton, even
at IA or Is cents a pound. The
south is now annually shipping to
the north and west of fruits and
early vegetables over Sl00,0OO,000
worth.
''The development of transporta-
ton facilities throughout the south
is making the extension of this in
dustry possible in sections which
were formerly compelled to raise
cotton. Under such conditions the
world might as well face the situa-
ton frankly and fully and under
stand its meaning. II is much safer
for manufacturers to squarely face
this condition than to blindly i'm
agine that we can again go back to
low-priced cotton over long term
of years. Last year the south's cot
ton crop, the seed included, was
worth 1908, 100000. If the south.
by raising small crop, can sell it
for such figure, it is certainly not
going to raise two or three million
bales more and sell it ssat two or
three hundred million dollars less.
Nearly three-quarters of CEN
tury ago report made to the Brit
ish Parliament advised the spinners
of England 10 do all in their power
to keep cotton at a low price, be-
cause, said this report, the farmers
of America would undertake to so
increase their production when
prices were low as to get as much
money in the aggregate as when
prices were high. The English spin
ners have always gone on the prin-
ciple that by forcing prices down
they would increase the supply.
Three-quarters. of a century ago, and
even up to few years ago, that was
the case. 1t is not SO any longer.
Conditions have absolutely changd.
Economic development has made
it possible for the south to turn It's
attention to other crops and to 9TH
or activities which yield a far
larger profit than cotton, unless cot
ton commands what manufacturers
regard as high price.