The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1916-11-30


of the merchant and banker -
now he does not have to sell ex-
cept on his own initiative as he
has sold the big end of the crop
at good prices, has money in the
bank and can stand out as long
as he pleases ON what is left. We
see the world importing from A
nierica more cotton this year de-
spite the great advance in prices,
than it took last year at the low
er prices. This is due to an end
less demand for goods at prices
showing enormous profits 10 the
spinner.
Furthermore, the great ar
mics of Europe are chewing up
all kinds of cotton goods on a
ratio of four hundred per cent
increase per man, as compared
with the demand in time of peace.
Many foreign, as well as domestic
spinners, can now make a profit
on the basis of 25c and higher for
raw cotton. This being true, why
should the farmer sell at 2Oc what
remains in his handsf Egyptian
cotton has advanced to 35c
pound and mill buyers for that
grade of cotton can pay zoe AMI
make good money. Very many
people fail TO realize that cotton
Is both a peace and war article
and the world cannot get on with
out it. Should peace now be de-
clared cotton would jump &c or
DC as all Europe is practically
bare of cotton and would have to
lay in a big supply in order to re-
open its textile industries for
purely commercial outlets. Should
America enter the great war, cot
ton would advance Zoe rapidly a.
our newly made army would have
to be equipped with uniforms, ov-
ercoats, blankets, underelothes
tents, etc. (sufficient wool for
purpose cannot be had) requiring
enormous demand for our raw cot
ton at a time when it cannot be
spared for that purpose.
81 do not, for the life of me,
understand why cotton should not
assert itself and seek its normal
position in relation to other com
modities, for cotton is one of the
greatest world commodities of all
raw materials. We find the cop
per men getting nearly three times
the former price for their metal
and we all know about the SEN
sational advance in paper
throughout the world. Wool has
advanced to unheard of levels;
linen is almost unobtainable; silk
is a scarce article; indigo is sky
high; wheat is virtually at two
dollars and corn at one dollar; (;
beef, pork, and mutton have al
most been eliminated from the
diet of the poor man; leather has
scared into the blue; steel and
iron steadily advance despite al
most record prices. Cotton is up
scarcely 80 per cent, the others
being up 200 to 400 per cent
1.-The linen and wool mills are
running out of raw material and
the cotton mill men are growing
uneasy for fear the same VIII be
their fate as to raw cotton L
think prudent and farsighted
mill men will see the Importance
of the situation sufficiently to
protect themselves Why should
not the farmer share IN all this
great prosperity as well as other
lproducers of raw matrial such as
metals, grains and meats No one
can say what next years crop
will be nor state the price it Will
command. We do know there Will
be a gap of nearly eleven months
between the present time and
when new crop cotton will be IN
sufficient supply to in any de-
gree relieve the present scarcity.
There has been an exodus of
negroes from the plantations to
the munitions plants, mines, rail
roads, manufacturing establish.
ments, etc.; fertilizers will con
tinue to be poor, mules will be
scarce and high; the cost of food
stuffs Is also sure to be way uI
, in the air; so that next year q
, crop whether large or small, will
be one of the most costly evel
raised. i never felt so conf
dent as to the future Of cottoI
for a period of twelve months al
} 1 do right now, and, az statet
before, cotton seems to be slowl,
= 'cornering itself"