Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1912-04-18
WHY COTTON
HAS GONE TO
IOC A POUND
Acreage Should Be Reduced
Anyway
(The Progressive Farmer.)

Why has cotton gone to ten cents!
Is it because of a normal demand
from spinners-so natural and norm.
al a demand that farmers may ex-
pect ten cents if they make anothe.
bumper crop? Or is it due to sucl
conditions as farmers should b.
warned against, and warned prom
pity?
We believe the latter. explanation
is the correct one Let us present
one significant fact to prove our be
lief. 1t was brought to our attention
by Mr.. j. A Brown, of Chadbourn
\. c., a former executive committee
man of the Southern Cotton Assoc
alton and now State organizer in the
cotton crop reduction movement. Mr.
Brown was in The Progressive Farm
er office few days ago and strongly
emphasized the fact that although cot
ton has gone to ten cents now, our
cotton growers must by no means as
sumo that they can plant another
crop and get ten cents next fall. The
truth is, that the spinners believe
that the farmers are reducing thei.
acreage, and on that assumption theE
are now buying largely beyond their
present needs-believing as they do
that the reduced acreage will mean
higher prices next fall. This ex-
plains the recent advance in the mar
kets all over the country.
In proof Mr. Brown showed us
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 lit runs fro mSeptember list to
September 1sD the foreign spinners,
European and Canadian. had bought
5,450,000 bales American cotton, while
last year they only took 7,746OO0 bales
for the whole twelve months.
This demonstrates conclusively 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 if a big crop is made, prices will
certainly go away below ten cents. In
fact, if prices went below ten cents
last fall, when mills were hungry and
even furnishing 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 com
ment which we heartily endorse.
The foreign spinner has not TO-
gotten the experience of a few years
ago when a crop of 100000 bales
caused a slump in prices from about
sixteen cents during, the Sully cam
paign) to about six and one-ha'f |
cents, followed the next year by 4
reduction in acreage AMI |
a series of four years of twelve to !
cotton. The foreigr
buyer is evidently anticipating a re-
petition of this action on the part OF
he Southern cotton growers, and +
would no suicidal on our part to dis
appoint them.
Reduction and Investigation arr
he only salvation of the South H.
his crisis, and / sincerely hope that
he recent small advance in prices
will not fool the Souther npeople. IN
ess there is a reduction in acreage
md practical diversification, then
'tagnation in all lines of business Is
ure to follow"
Ten-cent prices now are certainlr
10 guarantee of these figures at sell
ng time next fall. Keen your cottor
creage down to the point you have
lad in mind before prices advanced