The Anderson daily intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson, S.C.) 1914-1915, 1914-12-29

1 ototC VA tuc Goth.
"a thing is worth what yoA can
get for it in exchange This is the
fundamental principle of trade or
commerce.
An Of gold picked up by O
child from the sands of a stream
where 1t Is playing is worth 0s much
In the market as IN ounce Of gold
for which q miner has toilcd O whole
year.
A hat or a pair of shoes In q mer-
chants store, for which he can get
81, Is worth TO him, as merchandise,
81, regardless OF whether 1t cost him
5 cents of SC.
A round OF cotton for which 1 a
get z cents in the markets, Is worth
a cents, regardless OF whether that
pound Of cotton cost me 6 cents or
so cents to produce.
We have o cotton crop estimated at
about 10000. 900 bales, in 1914, prob
ably the largest in the history Of the
industry.
The demand for cotton. that is the
demand In sight, is probably smaller
than any corresponding months In
past ten years or more.
The demand for next. three or ak
months, or possibly ~ months, is
problematical.
What foundation is there for the
assertion we often hear, my cotton
Is worth 10 cents per pound and I
will not take less for it?..
II I have no obligation against me
and / have ten bales of cotton in my
yard. 1t is my business, no one else's
what I do with It.
If l have stored ten bales Of cot
ton In q warehouse and borrowed
money on 1t from the bank to a
my obligations, then It is my business
and the banks only, what I do with
the cotton.
II l w local merchants 5000 for
goods they furnished me for the COM
Tort n sustencc of myself and fam
lily, probably ever since fret of the
year, and that merchant sold me those
goods on the security OF my honesty
ana the hope of my raising a crop of
coleon and paying him for the goods.
then that merchant has a inst and
equitable right In the ten bales of cot
ton In my yard; and, IL I have n
regard whatever for honesty and right
l Will consider his interests or wishes
as well as my W in disposition of
that cotton.
- Know OF no part OF the United
states where merchnts are more lem
lent or liberal In extension of credit
10 FARMERS than in tho Southern cot
ION oeit. ! believe that the farmer with
. certain amount of property or avail
able res ources, q secure a larger
line OF c edit in the South than in anv
part or The United States. In view Of
these facts, which I bell AYE q careful
investigation will substantiate. can
the farmer afford to ignore his obIi-
cations to those whom he owes In a
time like this? =
Hold your cotton" Hold your
cotton.' This has been the slogan for
past four months. This has been mis-.
interpreted. / think what was really
intended was, PAY your debts and
then hold your c~otton!"
L agree with the farmers organiz-
ations that Is Is well to store large
part o.! crop so 1t san be marketed
gradually as demand develops.
But q man to hold his crop In de-
nance OF his Just obligations is con-
tIary = every principle OF economy,
BUSINESS, prudence, right or reason.
I" Credit" which plays so imnortan,
part In modern business, is founded
on Confidence" that contracts will
be kept or obligations met promptly.
When confidence is destroyed busf-
ness must stop for readjustment.
The farmers and consumers of
u Carolina r destroying the
commence b a the merchants have
ceen placing In them, and are doing
nothing less than forcing the mer-
chant to do business on q cash basis. |
ana o farmers who seem to have
80 little regard for their obligations
will almost certainly find that their
credit with the merchants next year
will be naught.
The customer can no more do with |
out the merchant than the merchant
can do without the consumer. Each Is
equally essential to the otherf II IN
equally essential that each should |
cooperate with the other for mutual !
good.
There Is NO doubt there. has been |
TOO much credit business done in the
south Tor the best interest OF all. |
me farmer should make an effort to
RAISE such products that there will |
an income throughout the year. in
stead or all at one time.
For merchants to reduce credit
bueiness 30 per cent at once would be |
9 crushing hardship 10 many fsrsnn--
consumers or the South. but un-
less there Is more cooperation be-
tween the consumers and merchants |
there VIII be more than oae-haif re-I
duction In credit buSiness In south
in 1915 because the merchant
VIA be forced to do this TO save them
selves from absolute ruin.
whether or not we approve or thet
policy OF the German government pre-
the present war. " Q must al.
mlfe p thing In the German people.
me manne in which every clement
pl the country cooperated, each one
s~nouldering Q part o fthe burden in
such p manner as to make n united
German nation. which has DrohahIv