The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1916-12-01
RAY SHOULD NOT COTTON SELL
AT % CENTS AND HIGhER

Some little time ago a man from
S'earsalls News Bureau interviewed
Mi. B. S. Castles as TO his views On
the value of cotton At that time MI.
Castles expressed the strong convic-
ton that cottonn would sell at 20c
before Thanksgiving Day and might go
very much higher later on, possibly
tnuching 25c before spring. His zoe
prediction has already been borne out
by an advance of all old crop months
TO beyond that level. Therefore Pear
sails again sought Mr.. Castles at his
home, and asked if he cared to again
give his views on the subject Of the
salue of cotton. We print below Mr
Castles answer:
81 have not changed my conviction
as to the value OF raw cotton. IL
appears to me to be sleWly cornerins
itself To sum up briefly, the farm
L. is today the master of the situation
aud finds the textile industry of the
world locking TO him for material with
which to make goods, there being an
3nsasiable demand for the latter at un-
heard of prices. If the farmer has
good common sense, and believe he
has, he will hold the balance Of his
crop. putting a minimum price tag
On it of 25c. He Will find the spin
ners disposed to protest this figure
for brief time but will soon see then:
anxiously absorbing every bale he
holds at this and probably much high
ser prices. In fact, the demand is
greater than the supply this cottoa
wear The farmer need have no scru-
pies about making. the most q his
opportunity as he will not be working
any hardship on the mill men who
even now can make money on the
basis of 25c for raw cotton. Many
farmers, feel certain, are not fully
rosted as to the extent of the presen,
wave of imitation and hardly realize
the true value Of their cotton How
ever. the farmer of today is not like
the farmer of i or 20 years ago when
he was at the mercy of the merchant
and banker-now he does not hacve to
sell except on his own initiative as he
has sold the big end of his 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 America more cotton
shjs year despite the great advance
IN prices. than it took last year at
the lower prices. This is due to an
endless demand for goods at prices
showing enormous profits TO the spin
uer. furthermore, the great armies OF
Europe are chewing up all kinds OF
Gatton goods On ratio of four hum
S5reG per cent increase per man, as
compared with the demand in time
OF peace. Mony foreign. as we'll as
domestic spinners, can now make D
profit on the basis Of 25c and higher
for raw cotton. This being true. why
should the farmer sell at zoe what re-
mains in his hands? Egyptian cotton
has advanced to SIC a pound and the
mill buyers for that grade of cotton
r.an pay zoe and make good money.
Veg many people fail to realize that
cotton is both peace and War ar
tIcls and the world cannot get on
without it. Should peace now be de-
sIarea cotton would jump or sc as
all Europe is practically bare of cot
ton ard would have to lay in a big
supply in order to reopen its textile
industries for purely commercial out
lets Should America enter the great
war, cotton would advance 10c rapid
Ty as our newly made army would
have to be equipped with uniforms,
overcoats, blankets. underclothes.
cents, etc Sufficient wool for this pur-
pose cannot be had). requiring eaor-
mou. demand for our raw cotton at
a time when it cannot be spared for
that purpose do not, for the lie
of me. understand why cotton should
not assert itself and seek its normal
position in relation to other commo-
ditities. for cotton is one of the great
est world commodities of all raw ma
terra Is. We find the copper men get
ting nearly three times the former
price for their metal and we all know
about the sensational advance in the
6rice of paper throughout the world.
Wool has advanced to unheard of lev
els: linen is almost unobtainable; SILK
ia a scarce article: indigo is sky high:
svheat is virtually at two dollars and
CO., at ona dollar: beef. pork and
smutton have almost been eliminated
from the diet of the poor man; leath-
W c! IT the blue; steel and