Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1918-12-03
The Price OF Cotton.

The Price OF Cotton.
II there is any other commodity OF
human use that is more nearly meas
ure Of money values throughout the
civilized world than cotton. It Is steel
I'm, as To which OF the TWO ranks high
or in this regard is yet unsettled by the
wiscst Of mankind.
Either steel or cotton is as much
fundamental Of world finance as is
gold. and nobody understands that pet
ter than the financial giants who de-
light TO occupy themselves in Shaping
the trend Of progress through the de-
preston ana eAp4"siUn vi values.
Cotton is a basis Of world finance
and no political pOtentate or govern
mrnt Of the world exercises greater
influence over the daily lives and af-
fairs Of men than do those who ENJOY
the high up supreme control OF the
production, manufacture and dlstrlbu-
ton of cotton.
lot Of talk about what the leading
statesmen OF the world are going 10 90
with the German navics and merchant
marine. how they are going to estab-
Iish the freedom Of the seas, ana now
they are going to fix regulations that
will ensure the long time economic
subicction OF the Central powers and
other powers that have been hostile or
neutral. to the advantage Of the pow
ers that have prevailed In this war.
All this is necessary. reasonable and
inst because since the enemy powers
we're looking only TO the promotion OF
their unjust advantage through force'
the obvious thing is TO take such steps
as promise to longest restrain them
from getting in position TO try 1t again.
AS We have already said, the two
commodities which will most strongly
figure in this economic reorganization
will be cotton and steel.
Steel is in strong hands that know
what to do with il, having to reckon
only with the labor by which it is pro-
duccd. Comparatively speaking the
price Of steel ranges high, much high
or than it did few years ago. and
that is not so much because OF war
conditions as because the intelligent
efforts of labor have compelled more
equitable return for its part III the pre-
cess of production.
Because the producers Of steel de-
mand and secure for themselves Il fatr
share Of the proceeds Of their labbr
the greatest industrial prosperity Nat
America knows is To hc found in th os'
sections devoted to the prOdurtionN OF
steel
There is not Il staple commodity in
the world that is produced on small
er margin of profit to the producer
than cotton, and there is no country in
the world that can show Us little pros
pcrity for its long years of earnest ana
persistent labor as this cotton country.
Steel workers lifted themselves up
through intelligent organization and if
cotton producers would lift themselves
up II must be by the same means.
Under conditions as they exist at this
time there is hardly any reasonable
limit to the commercial value Of raw
cotton. The whole world is hungry for
this commodity now, and while OF
course II will not pay cent more than
is necessary. it is hound to pay what
ever is asked.
American cotton manufacturers have
been proceeding on this knowledge,
and they are getting for their product
previously unhcard Of prices.
Manipulators OF world finance have
had no concern for the producer Of the
cotton. Their policy IS to buy the raw
material as cheaply as possible from
the producer and TO sell the manufac-
tured product rs dearly rs possible to
the consumer.
That recent order from Liverpool to
sell coo. 600 bales Of futures on the New
York market of course was intended to
beat down prices. and the suggested
game is like this: Now with world
hungry market, we will join with the
American spinncrs in buying up all the
raw material as quickly as possible be-
fore other manufacturers in neutral
and enemy countries can get ready TO
run. and with monopoly Of the entire
supply of goods and cotton to make
goods OF. we will raise prices and make
a killing before our competitors can
get into the game"
But the cotton growers of the south
can protect themselves II they will. 1t
is up to them to organize to hold, and
to that end to use every means at their
command. financial and political. to
protect themselves. They must re-
member that financial means can be
controlled by political means: that po-
litical means are being used to bring
financial means against them, and that
II they would control financial means
1t must be done by political means.
Cotton is basis Of world finance.
Let those who wish to manipulate
world finance by means of cotton do
so; but let them understand that be-
fore they begin there must be a fair,
reasonable and just profit to the pro-
ducer OF the cotton.
mcpE ucMTIoN