The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1914-10-27
AGAINST TOTAL ELIMINATION.


The legislature, whatever action
it may take in the matter of redue-
ing the production Of cotton next
year, has wisely put itself on record
as being unalterably opposed to
the total elimination of cotton.
The Manufacturers Record ir its
last issue, pr: the matter in a Lut.
shcll when 81 said:
"The sooner the South dismisses
from consideration the wholly Wis
| tonary anG impractical scheme ad-
vanced by business men or by men
in public life to eliminate all cotton
production next year, the sooner will
this section come to proper under
standing Of how to handle the pres
ent situation. 1t is difficult to con-
ceive any greater absurdity from
any intelligent point of view than
that of forbidding the raising of cot
ton during the coming year by legis-
lative enactment, national or state.
From. every point of view it is un-
wise. There are millions of acres,
of land in the South better adaptesi
to cotton raising than to anything
else. There are tens of thousands
of farmers, who, by raising their
foodstuffs can produce cotton at
price low enough tS justify a con-
TUNED cultivationf of this staple
without calling ON bankers or mer-
chants for financial assistance.
These bankers and merchants
should for their own protection (and
If they have not business judgment
enough to do this, they ere not fit
to be in business) see that they
do not advance money or merchan-
disc for the raising Of crop next
year except to the most limited ex-
tent, or unless the borrower makes
a binding contract to devote con-
siderable proportion of his land to
foodstuffs. Any banker or mer-
chant who, during the coming year,
operates on any other basis would
have no right to appeal to the pub
lie for sympathy and we have con-
fidence enough in the business abiIi-
ty of the bankers and the merchants
of the South to take care of them
selves in such situation as to see
that another large crop is not pro-
duced at their expense. A very
considerable acreage will of neces-
sity have to be put into cotton next
year, because it would be impossible
to entirely readjust the farming in
terests of the South in one season
without causing a greater loss to in
dividuals and to the section than the
raising of cotton crop of moderate
siZe-say one-half of the present
production.
There are other facts to be taken
into consideration. AS hard upon
the grower and the merchants and
the bankers as this present low price
is. it Will bring about Il very great in
crease in consumption. II will re-
suit in demand for cotton products
for many purposes for which it has
never before been used. 1t will
bring about a very much enlarged |
OF cotton goods through |
the production OF new lines, and
many cotton mills will find it
necessary 10 put in new equipment
to meet this demand, or to run to |
their fullest capacity If their pres
sent equipment is sufficient. Every
business man in the country is
studying the cotton situation and
new ways for using cot
ton. Millions of dollars worth Of |
cotton will go into baggiing for va
riety Of purposes for which jute bag |
ging has heretofore been used. Mil |
lions of dollars worth of cotton will !
go into dress goods beyond former |
requirements, because lower-price |
cotton will go into bagging for a va !
even If the spirit of enlargfng the de-
mand for cotton goods had not been |
developed by the present condition.
All OF these things will help very
greatly to increase the consumptive |
requirements of cotton during the !
present session. Evidence of this /
is seen in every direction"