Bryan daily eagle and pilot. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1909-1918, 1914-09-03
REDUCE THE COTTON ACREAGE,

In the matter OF relief for the cot
ton farmers OF the South, which is
now engaging the attention OF the
National Congress, State Legislatures
and many organizations. the question
Of reducing next years acreage is be-
ing widely discussed. Some are OF the
opinion. notably the Galveston News,
that II is yet too early TO consider
the acreage reduction proposition be-
cause the size OF the present crop is
not yet determined. and this will have
10 be known before an intelligent con-
clusion can be reached as to what ex.
tent the acreage should be cut.
While this is true, there is still
greater reason why the question OF
reduction should be taken up now. A
large per cent. far more than half
the cotton acreage. is farmed by
tenants. and rent contracts for next
year will be practically closed up
within the next sixty days. For this
reason II occurs to The Eagle that
not a momeit should be lost In the
consideration OF this matter. because
after the rent contracts are closed II
will be too late.
II is certainly a matter Of vital i'm
portance to cotton growers and upon
the movement depends largely the
fate OF next years crop. The Calves
ton News. in discussing the subject,
says:
Citizens OF Rosebud are reported
TO have sent a telegram to Governor
Colquitt urging him to call a confer
ence Of Southern Governors for the
purpose Of concerning measures look
ing TO the reduction OF next years
cotton acreage by rs per cent. The
holding OF such a conference, II seems
to the News, is desirable: but the
News Is quite as clearly OF the opinion
that the present is not the time for
holding II. That may well be deferred
for two or three months at least. and
II may be that there would be wis
dom In deferring 1t even longer. No
one can tell just now how much Of a
reduction Of the cotton acreage will
be advisable. and any agreement OF
this kind will be effective somewhat
In the degree that the percentage OF
reduction agreed on commends itself
to the judgment of men made up from
the facts OF the case. The News can
perceive no likelihood that there will
be any need to reduce the acreage so
radically as these gentlemen of Rose.
bud suggest.
Some reduction there will have to
be. undoubtedly; or rather, We should
say, some reduction undoubtedly
ought to be made, and not only made,
but guaranteed In advance to the ex.
tent that any agreement of this kind
can be guaranteed. Consideration
both Of self-interest and the public
welfare command 1t. Failure to re-
duce next years cotton acreage, and
failure to make II evident that next
years acreage will be reduced, would
have decidedly Ill consequences. For
one thing such failure would further
depress the price of this years crop,
and for another thing II would doom
next years crop to low prices. For
stlll another thing, the failure to give
some such assurance would deter the
bankers who are now showing so
much disposition to make advances
on this years crop. The size of next
years crop will materially affect the
security that will be offered to them
on this years crop, and unless they
are pretty well convinced that there
will be no huge crop next year to de.
press the price OF the cotton on which
they make advances they will be
ohary of giving the assistance expect
ed of them. The cotton growers are
relying on the bankers to help them
out of their predicament, and the
bankers, II seems to the News, are
manifesting an earnest desire to dc
so. The farmers. to deserve that help
must reciprocate by giving the bank
ers some assurance that the safety
of loans secured by cotton will moi
be menaced by the prospect of bis
crop next year. A reduction of cotton
acreage will entail no sacrifice on the
farmers, since they are likely to de
rive more profit from food and forage
crops next year than they will from
a cotton crop of anything like norma
proportions"