Bryan daily eagle and pilot. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1909-1918, 1914-10-26
WHAT 1T IS COMING TO.

cotton and at the same time is in
debted TO his merchant should sell
his cotton and discharge his obllga-
tons as far as possible. This looks
hard and is hard. but every day the
pressure becomes a little heavier, and
in just a short time II will amount to
an absolute demand. The following
strong circular issued by w. l.. San.
ford, vice-president Of the Roberts,
Sanford & Taylor Company OF Sher.
man to "the Retail Trade" illustrates
very forcibly the trend OF affairs and
how the sentiment for forced sales is
daily becoming stronger:
I'VE are not in the cotton business.
but we know enough to say that an
article or a commodity IL only worth
what II win bring when offered for
sale. II s cents per pound or even
cents per pound. is all that a farmer
can get for cotton. then that is all
that cotton is worth. regardless OF
what II costs TO raise II.
1T is said that farmer cannot
raise cotton at less than 10 cents, yet
a great many thousand farmers got
rich, or at least Independent, raising
II at cents per pound. and that was
when everything else that he raised
was sold at very much lower figure
than is ruling today. and everything
that he bought cost great deal more
than today Besides this, ne didn't
get 81 per bale for seed, as he gets
today. tstst..ts-, sDt
I'VE give you the following compari-
sons:
He buys a hoe at so cents that used
TO cost rs cents.
He buys a file at Is cents that used
TO cost 35 cents
He buys a single-tree at So cents
that used to cost so cents.
HE buys a sweep at cents that
used to cost 10 cents per pound.
He buys a plier at rs cents that
used 10 cost So. ~ 600.
He buys nails at cents that used
to cost 10 cents per pound.
He buys wire at 3is cents that
used to cost 10 cents per pound.
He buys names at so cents that
used to cost rs cents.
He buys traces at IS cents that
used TO cost rs cents.
HE buys plows and other nipple.
ments at 20 per cent less than he used
10 pay. ,.
He pays so cents for picking where
he used to pay 81. .-
He borrows money at s Der cent
to 10 cent where he used to pay -
per cent and 10 per cent.
He sells wheat at 81 that used to
bring 60 cents.
HE sells oats at 80 cents that used
to bring is cents.
He sells corn at rs cents that used
TO bring 10 cents. sol.
HE sells hay at sl4 that used to
bring 81. .o,. aa
HE sells turkeys at 1926 and some.
times 81 that used to bring 60 cents
TO 70 cents. a. ,.g ..
He sells chickens at $3.50 that
used at sell at s1.25 to $3.50.
He sells horse at s150 to s225
that used to sell from $50 to 500.
When he was confronted with the
above conditions he bought land on
time. cleared 1t, fenced It and soon
paid for II, raising cotton at cents
per pound. But, II, indeed, he is
making less profit this year than for
merly, the same condition is true with
you, and with us, and with the bust
ness world at large. He ought not
put himself in the attitude OF a mendi.
cant, or as the Indian ward of the
government He ought to be a good
sport. He ought to take his losses
just as manfully and as gracefully as
the rest Of us are doing.
while the above figures are not
absolutely correct, nevertheless they
are accurate enough to demonstrate
that the farmer is getting the best OF
the situation and is enjoying life while
the balance Of us are sweating blood.
The retail merchant owes it to him.
self, to his jobber and to his bank to
insist on the farmers selling, at least,
part of their cotton. A man has an
unquestioned right to speculate on his
own money, but he has no right to
speculate on the other fellows money.
The farmer has a right to hold his