The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1912-04-25
THE PRICE OF COTTON.
Why it Has Gone Up-What the
Farmer May Expect.

Why has cotton gone to ten cents?
Is it because of a normal demand
from spinners-so natural and nor
nal a demand that farmers may en-
pect 10 cents if they make another
bumper crop? Or is it due to such
conditions as farmers should be
warned against, and warned prompt
ly?
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.. former executive committee
man of the Southern Cotton associ-
alton and now State organizer in
cotton crop reduction movement.
Mr.. Brown was in the Progressive
Farmer Office a few days ago and
strongly emphasized the fact that al
though 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
reducing their acreage, and on that
assumption they are now buying
largely beyond their present needs
believing, as they do, that the re-
duced 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 1 to
September u the foreign spinners,
European and Canadian, had bought
5,45O,000 bales American cotton,
while last year they only took T.
746,Q0O bales for the whole twelve
months,
This demonstrates conclusively
that these foreign. manufacturers are
buying for future needs. In conse-
Quence, there will be correspond
ngdecreased demand from them next
fall, and if big crop is made, prices
will certainly go away below 10 cents.
In fact, if prices went below 10
cents last fall, when mills were hun
CRY 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 COM
ment which we heartily endorse:
THE foreign spinner has not for
gotten the experience of few years
ago, when a crop of 100000 bales
caused a slump in prices from about
16 cents (during the Sully cam
paign) to about 61a cents, following
the next year by the tremendous re-
duction in acreage and series of
four years Of II to 14-cent cotton.
The foreign buyer is evidently antici-
pating repetition of this action on
the part of the southern cotton grow
ers, and it would be suicidal on our
part to disappoint them.
Reduction and diversifcation are
the only salvation of the South in
this crisis, and l sincerely hope. that
the recent small advance in prices
will not fool the southern people.
Unless there is reduction in acre
age and practical diversifcation,
then stagnation in all lines of busi-
ness 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.
Afte,nntad Suicide on NJother'S Grave