The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1915-10-09
$50. o62 S1,17s,124.oo

The movement is thus equivalent
to having an industry with an aver
age annual payroll of 1924 ,531.00.
But as large as the amount is it is
much smaller than it should be, both
in comparison with the movement in
former years and in comparison with
the total production in Alabama,
from which state the major part of
our export cotton is drawn. BY re-
ferring to the above figures it will be
noted that our movement of cotton in
1915 was only 82,061 bales-44, 900
bales or IS per cent less than in 1914.
Measured in terms of dollars the
movement of 1915 brought to the city
$SS, 10000 less than that of 1913 and
$157, $1,000 less than that of 1914.
AS the larger part of this heavy
loss fell on the wage earners of the
city, is it any wonder that we have
heard the cry of ''hard times" from
the merchant and "lack of work" from
the wage earners?
To illustrate further: During the
past two years the production in Ala
bana has increased and the export
movement through Mobile has in
creased and the export movement
the movement through Pensacola has
decreased. The Alabama crop in 1913
amounted to 1.483, $50 bales, of which
| Is per cent was exported through Mo-
| bile and Pensacola. Of the total
amount exported, Pensacola handled
eight per cent and Mobile nine per
cent, or about half to each port. The
1914 crop in Alabama amounted to
1871, ISL bales. Of this 30.s per cent
was exported through both ports, and
while Mobile got 21.3 per cent of the
movement, Pensacola only received
| 9.5 per cent Of it, or 21-4 bales
through Mobile to one through Pen
sacola. Accurate figures for the 1915
season are not yet available, but from
the information now at hand, it rather
seems that the ratio in favor of Mo-
bile for that year will be greater
than in 1914.
The only conclusion to be drawn
from an examination of these sta
tistics is that some other port is
taking away Pensacola's share of AL
abama's export cotton, and with it
the 50 per bale that goes to labor at
the port of transhipment.
This is situation that should not
be allowed to exist, and must not be
allowed to continue. Last year the
Chamber of Commerce, noting the
trend of events, sent its secretary
with a representative of the cotton
| interests of Pensacola and a repre-
sentative of the G., F. & A. railroad
into the cotton producing territory
opened up by the G., F. & A., to try
to secure a part of the business from
that territory, all of which had for
merly gone to Mobile. AS the result
of that trip and the strong subse-
duent efforts made by the cotton fac
tors, more cotton was handled into
Pensacola by the G., F. & A. railroad
in September, 1915, than the entire
wear of 1914. However, solicitation
is not the solution of the problem of
how to get more cotton through Pen
sacolt, ind it is somewhat uncertain
lust what the proper solution is, but
one thing is certain and that is that
BY making these cotton loans you are
removing one Of the most annoying
features of the problem, and hasten
ing the day when Pensacola will be
one of great primary cotton markets,
although much work remains to be
done by the steamship and traffic men
before that day arrives.
AS stated before, Pensacola's pres
ent cotton business is equivalent to
an industry with an average payroll
of nearly 1926, 10000 per year, and
this payroll is capable of indefinite
expension. Anyone assisting in its
expansion is bringing more business
to every merchant in Pensacola and
more work at higher wages to every
laboring man.
l hope you will continue and, if
possible, extend the policy you have
inaugurated.
Yours very truly,
JAMES F. PHILLIPS,
Secretary.