Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1912-04-16
THE PRICE OF COTTON.
Why II Has Gone Up-What the Far
NOR May Expect.

mer May Expect.
Why has cotton gone to ten cents?
Is it because of a normal demand from
spinners-so natural and normal de-
mand that farmers may expect 10
cents IL they make another bumper
crop? Or is 1t due to such conditions
as farmers should be warned against,
and warned promptly?
We believe the latter explanation
is the correct one. Let US present one
significant fact to prove our belief. 1t
was brought to our attention by Mr..
J. A. Brown, Of Chadbourn, N. c., a
former executive committeeman OF
the Southern Cotton association and
now state organizer in cotton crop re-
duction movement. Mr.. Brown was
in the Progressive Farmer office a few
days ago and strongly emphasized the
fact that although cotton has gone to
10 cents now, our cotton growers must
by no means assume that they can
plant another crop and get 10 cents
next fall. The truth is, that the spin
ners believe that the farmers are re-
ducing their acreage, and on that as
sumption they are now buying largely
beyond their present needs-believing,
as they do, that the reduced acreage
will mean higher prices next fall.
This explains the recent advance In
the markets all over the country.
In proof Mr.. Brown showed us a
telegram he had just received from
Secretary Hester, Of the New Orleans
cotton exchange. reporting that for
the first six months Of this cotton
year Git runs from September l to
September u the foreign spinners,
European and Canadian. had bought
5,45O,O0O bales American cotton,
while last year they only took 7,746,-
900 bales for the whole twelve
months.
This demonstrates conclusiyely that
these foreign manufacturers are buy
ing for future needs. In consequence,
there will be a corresponding de-
creased demand from them next fall,
and II a big crop is made, prices will
certainly go away below 10 cents. In
fact, II prices went below 10 cents last
fall, when mills were hungry and even
famishing for lint, what must our
farmers expect If they make a big
crop this year with mills we'll stocked
with our big 1911 crop?
In view of these facts, Mr.. Brown
made the following pertinent comment
which we heartily endorse:
1.-The foreign spinner has not for
gotten the experience Of a few years
ago. when a crop of 100000 bales
caused a slump in prices from about
16 cents (during the Sully campaign
to about 81 cents, following the next
year by the tremendous reduction in
acreage and series Of four years OF
IL to 14-cent cotton. The foreign
buyer is evidently anticipating a rap
etition of this action on the part OF
the southern cotton growers, and 1t
would be suicidal on our part to dis
appoint them.
Reduction and diversification are
the only salvation Of the south in this
crisis, and I sincerely hope that the
recent small advance in prices will not
fool the southern people. Unless there
is a reduction in acreage and practi-
cal diversification, then stagnation In
all lines Of business is sure to follow"
Ten-cent prices now are certainly
no guarantee Of these figures at SELL
ing time next fall. Keep your cotton
acreage down to the point you have
had in mind before prices advanced
Progressive Farmer.