The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1912-10-29
TWO-THIRDS CROP
SAYS F. D. SMITH
JUNIOR SENATOR ISSUES STATE
MENT on COTTON.
Urges Is Cents Minimum-Thinks
South Carolina Good Index as to
Yield in Other States.

Before leaving for the West, where
he goes to speak for the Democratic
cause, Senator E. D. Smith gave out
statement in regard to the present cot
ton. crop.
From information at hand" said
the senator, ''iit is my opinion that this
years yield will amount to about two
thirds of crop, or about 13 to 13 IL
millions bales"
Senator Smith says that, on account
of what he thinks a comparatively
short crop, cotton producers should
make every effort to obtain higher
price Continuing, he says:
In view of the fact that for num-
Der of years the size of the cotton
crop has been estimated from June to
November, thought it best this year
to wait until the bearing period was
over before I should issue any state
ment in regard to the probable yield
of cotton.
Il have not yet received responses
from different cotton growing States
as to the probable yield based upon
the actual outturn of fields picked to
the present time.
Fairly Good Index.
South Carolina is fairly good in
dex as'to the yield of the cotton grow
ing States Taking the yield up to
the present as compared with last
year, it does not indicate more than a
two-thirds production. If this is a
basis of comparison for the balance
of the cotton growing States and
giving liberal margin Of excess, 13
to 13 1-2 million bales of cotton would
seem to be the maximum.
The farmers of the South must not
forget that in spite of the enormous
production of last year, and the large
percentage Of low grade cotton, that
after temporary unwarranted de-
preston, cotton rose again to II 1-2
and 13 cents There is no reason save
the lack of organization and sensi-
bic financial system, why cotton
should not be bringing today Is cents
a pound or more If ever there was
a time in the history of cotton grow
ing when those who produce it should
exhaust every legitimate means in de-
manding a higher price, this is the
year.
You have heard the cry of over
production. Last year, according to
the figures of the department of agri
culture and the census department, we
produced 100000 bales. This has
been absorbed by the trade at a price
which, save for short period, was
far in excess of what might have been
hoped for had not there been an or
ganized effort Gil the part CT those
who produce it to refuse to take less
than living price for their product.
This is one leason. The other reason,
as powerful as this, was the detCrmi-
naticn on the part of the manufacture
ers in 1901 to break the power of
the farmers organization. The man
pfacturers attempted tc do this by
running short time thereby not con-
suming the amount Of raw material
normally demanded, and leaving {
surplus in spite Of short crops. This
of course produced a scarcity of man
ufactured goods.
When the price in 1911-12 dropp
on account of the prediction of an en-
ormous crop they of course bought
heavily to replenish exhausted stocks
and to furnish an exhausted market
So that the crop Of 1911 has been con-
sumed to supply the artificial exhaus-
ton produced by the conditions above
stated
In several of my letters of last
year I called attention to the fact that
from data carefully gathered the world
needed from 100000 to 2O,00O,O0O
of American cotton to supply its de-
lnand.
1T seems almost suicidal in the face
of these facts that the South should
take less than Is cents minimum.
Hopes for United Effort.
Il sincerely hope that throughout
the country there shall be united
effort on the part of the producers to
demand fair and legitimate price.
"You, the producers of cotton, must
not forget that eternal vigilance is the