Imperial Valley press., 1918-01-12
COTTON PRICES
NOT HIGH YET


: follows:
Bacon Ribs advanced 115 per cent
Leaf lard advanced $50 per cent.
Corn meal advanced 240 per cent.
Flour advanced 125 per cent.
: Oats advanced $50 per cent.
= Corn advanced DDS per cent.
; Wheat advanced 145 per cent.
: Farm implements advanced 200 pei
cent.
Standard cotton goods advanced SOC
rer cent.
Standard woolen goods advanced
200 per cent
Standard shoes advanced 100 per
cent.
Cotton advanced rs per cent.
Livestock was Uot included as the
reports, though from responsible deal
ars. varied so that no dependable ba-
sis for percentage could be arrived at.
This was no doubt due TO the market
being disturbed by the erratic demand
or war purposes. Reports Indicated,
however. that livestock had not ad-
vanced in proportion to other staples.
Fertilizers were left out also. While
the price has greatly advanced the
quality has greatly declined, hence. It
vas difficult TO reach a percentage
that would be trustworthy. It Is quite
evident. however, that the advance has
been fully equaIed, and probably more,
10 the average Of other products.
Labor Is Eliminated
Labor was left out for the same rea-
son that fertilizers and livestock were
lot incIuded. 1t was found where the
aborer was leasing land the owner
,auld hire him whenever he had any
die time, around $3.50 a day but
there was not sufficient of this kind
IF time to Indicate the real cost Of Ia
or. Outside labor Is earning from 81
o $3.50 a day in other industries and
he supply, even at these figures, IS
-eaIly Inadequate. The fact is, the
scarcity Of labor is most serious
menace, and viii unquestionably be
3ne Of the determining factors III
shaping the supply and the price OF
cotton for the coming year, and with
every prospect Of doing so for quite
Z number Of years to come
Gotten Has Been Low in Price
Ever since the war began, cotton,
II viii be noted, has been well below
q normal parity with almost every
other staple product. We mean a par
fcv which bore a normal relation TO a
condition Of war, and not a condition
q peace. This difference n the parity
against cotton has been a coustruc
tive factor in the market, that has all
along been finally stronger than every
adverse influence. The figures above
Indicate that this factor has not yet
been Iiquidated. This is emphasized by
the fact that the manufactured pro-
duct has advanced IN price 200 per
cart and the raw material only l25
per cent. The obvious ability and de-
termination of the producer TO force
the price Of cotton TO normal rela-
ton with other staples and, especially
with the price Of cotton cloth, unques-
tionabTy gives great citality TO this
factor also.
Price Fixing Propaganda
Some newspapers and cotton future
brokers in New York have been and
are still engaged in promoting pro-
Daranda evidently with the view Of
having a low maximum price fixed
for cotton. 4 price as low as Is cents
has. by the cIearest inference, been adj
vocated. The records above have an IN
teresting bearing on this matter They
show that cotton ar go cents, which Is
rhe basis Of calculation, is not on a
parirv with wheat at the price fixed
by the government. The records point
rather definitely TO a price being
fixed at a higher level than yet real
lied, If any price is fixed at all Tbs
records also Indicate that the prici
Of the manufactured product might a
/ the same time be reduced
The basis for our constructive view
Of the market remains unchanged
The price, however, should make trad
ers. not nervous, but nationally con