The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1913-02-19
REDUCE COTTON ACREAGE.
WATSON URGES PLANTERS TO
CURTAIL COTTON CROP.
Commissioner Tells Growers Not TO be
Misled by Present Price Cooper
alton Asked.

Columbia, Feb. 1G.-"The planting
season is upon us now. stop and think
for a day or two before you listen TO
the siren song Of 13 cents" says f. J.
Watson, commissioner Of agriculture
Of South Carolina and president Of
the Southern Cotton congress in an
address TO the farmers of the South,
issued yesterday, in which he urges a
reduction of cotton acreage during
the coming season.
THE cotton growers Of the South"
says the commissioner, have passed
through two of the most trying years
in the history Of cotton. At this time
last year chose who have been in the
forefront Of the fight to maintain a
living price for cotton against abnor-
NAL conditions, made possible by
American and foreign market meth
ods, which as yet are permitted TO
exist, were bending every energy to
bring about a reduction of acreage,
or * least to prevent an increase of
acreage. Conditions following the
huge crop of 1911, and hard work
made this possible. The price on the
crop just harvested was kept steady.
"A more serious situation con-
fronts you now and hence this word
of warning. With the price Of the
1912 crop remaining fairly good and
steady all the season through the ar
gument of the manipulators will be
that the cotton farmer of the South
Will yield to temptation and do as he
has done hundreds Of time before
plant more acreage to cotton, on the
assumption that the price will stay
up. This expectation you have JUS
titled in the past and it will be used
from the start Under present laws
and established methods, though the
world demand be for crop possibly
larger than 14,5OO,OOO bales, I want
TO say to you it will be suicidal to in
crease your acreage. 1t is more i'm 4
portant to hold yourself and your ac-
reage in check this year than ever be-
fore. To yield to the temptation of
an increased price this season will be
equivalent to proving yourself devoid
of even common sense.
THE planting season is upon us
now. Stop and think for a day or
two before you listen to the siren song
of 13 cents. The danger to you and
yours is greater by far than last year.
If you must have a larger acreage on
Your farm, put the increase in corn
and other food crops. AS one who
has striven to aid you in the hour of p
need, and has been faithful to the
trust imposed in him, let me entreat
You to hold your acreage down and
prove to the world that you are not
obliged to rush in and do what every
cotton broker in New York, Liver
pool and elsewhere expect you to do
for your own undoing and the en-
richment of others
I'm this State I have endeavored to
get the general assembly to enact a
simple cotton statistics-g gathering law
that will force facts on the world
when they should be there-not when
it is too late; this measure, which
would aid in some degree, is not yet
law. Oklahoma already has it, and
your organizations have all asked for
it in every cotton State.
Again let me beg of you to watch
your acreage, and let good sense in
stead Of lack of judgment guide you
in the planting of your crop this year.
If you don't you will face in the fall
situation that may be the most Sc
rious you have ever faced.
IF you don't do your part now,
don't say then that you were not
warned.
1.-THE fight for justice to Americas
greatest money crop can not be won
by few men year after year; it must
command the personal cooperation of
every grower Of cotton"