The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1914-10-08
PLANT NO COTTON AT ALL
FAVORS LAW AGAINST PLANT
ING OF CROP NEXT YEAR.
Stackhou>e SAYS if it is constitutional
to Enforce Curtailment it Is to
Forbid Planting.

The following appeared in the pa
pers Sunday:
have just returned from New
Orleans, convert TO planting no cot
ton in 1915. Ii the ten cotton States
will pass laws prohibiting the cult
walton of cotton next year, We will
get positive relief from this crisis
and will enrich the South in three
ways: First. such laws will give an
increased value to the 1914, 1915
and 1916 crops of more than one bill
lion dollars. Second, such laws will
prevent a depreciation in personal
property and real estate of from one
to three billion dollars. Third, such
laws will stamp out boil ,weevil and
remove an impending danger hang
ing over this State like a nightmare.
Taking up the three ways of en-
riching the South and South Caro-
lima in particular, one critic says
your figures of one billion dollars to
the South or one hundred and twen-
ty million dollars to South Carolina
are only wild dream. Get out pen
Gil and paper and make few calcu-
lations. If you felt sure not stalk
Of cotton could be planted next year,
don't you think you could sell cotton
now made at an average price of
IS cents per pound? l don't mean
you could get Is cents at once, but
by August, 1916, you car average
that price Our present crop at 10
cents will bring the South one billion,
one hundred and twenty-five million
dollars. Our cotton seed from this
crop would advance wonderfully in
price and would bring US more than
one hundred million dollars. We
could plant our present cotton lands
of 81 million acres in corn in 1915
and would make at least four hun
dred million dollars of corn, provld-
ed we only made Is bushels per acre,
and can sell it at Is cents per bushel.
Our 1916 cotton crop would be fully
as valuable as the present one. The
seed from 1916 cotton crop would
bring $50 or more per ton on an ave-
rage. If we are to continue to plant
cotton, even so per cent. Of present
acreage in 1915, doubt if we Will
average more than 1-2 cents from
this crop. IF we get more than this
price the balance will 60 for interest,
storage, insurance and damage from
exposure. Even with existing condi-
tions no one looks fov' less. than a
ten million bale crop in 1915. Add
to this five to six million bales, whicn
we expect to carry over, and We Will
have a lower price in 1915 than at
present. This lower price will ex-
tend to 1916, and about that time
boil weevil will come along, entail
ing a continuation of depression. Do
not be deceived with an idea that this
war will soon be over. am satisfied
it will last fully a year and possibly
may continue two years.
Second, if we shall sell this crop at
around cents per pound net and
low prices continue for two years.
the value of personal property and
real estate will drop so per cent. If
you have made a report to Bradstreet
or Dun that you are worth $4,000,
you can report next March that you
are worth only $4,000. This decline
in values will take place regardless
of whether your investment is in cot
ton lands or city real estate.
Third, we know the boil weevil is
marching to the Atlantic sea board
with the same pitiless, resistless and
destructive results as did Sherman
in 1865. The boil weevil has brought
bankruptcy and ruin in its path from
the Mexican border almost to the
Georgia line. 1t is true, after four to
six years its ravages become less,
but in wet seasons no cotton is made
after August l in any of the terri
tory now invaded. Moisture condi-
tions and the large swamp area in
South Carolina in all our vast terri
tory from the sand hills to the ocean,
favor the boil weevil; and it is my
Judgment that this territory will be
forced to abandon the cultivation OF
cotton for all time to come. feel
sure our sea island cotton industry
will be obliterated. We are told the
boil weevil can only propagate IN
cotton squares or forms. and that ii
all cotton shall be destroyed for one
year in territory now covered, that
We will have rid the cotton States OF
this pest
If this statement is correct, even
if cotton was worth - cents per
pound, it would pay us to abandon
the cultivation for one year.