The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-02-04
SUPREMACY IN COTTON AFFAIRS BRINGS
 WEIGHTY RESPONSIBILITY
By w. W. MORRISON

During the last 10 years there has been
 a steady trend toward the south becom
 .ng supreme in cotton affairs. This
 supremacy has now become an accomp-
 Hshed fact. It is one of the epochal
 and far-reaching events of the year just
 closed. Since immemorial times the
 trade has always been much concerned
 as to the attitude of Liverpool and New
 York toward prices. It Is obvious
 that they must now be principally con-
 cerned about the attitude of the south.
 Since this supremacy is logical de- velopment of economic and industrial life, It can be expected to endure.
 It seems an opportune time to point out that while this shifting of the iniative brings to the south the major part of the prestige and profits of the cotton in dustry, it brings also the major part
 of the responsibility for the well-being
 of that industry. The welfare of the cot ton industry intimately concerns not only the well being of the south and of this country, but the well being of the hu- man race in every country of the world. Hence. this priinacy of the south in cot ton affairs, along with it's opportunities, brings to the southern people serious world obligation to humanity.
 This view is emphasized by the fact that cotton is the only cheap product of which there is a sufficient supply to clothe mankind All other products are not only high, but the supply is made quate. This view is further emphasized by the fact that many industries, which in recent years have come to funda- mentally concern the welfare of human ity, are absorbing steadily increasing amounts of cotton and of cotton prod ucts. Nothing else so far has been found to take it's place. Upon the whole, with out further analysis it is plain that an adequate supply of cotton, or the lack of 1t, vitally concerns the good or i'll of civilization in many ways.
 It Is we'll to recite here that most of the attempts to grow cotton outside of this country have proven practical fail ures, though in most cases they were literally supported by the government They failed, it is important to note, not from lack of suitable soil or sunitable climate, but from the lack or suitable labor. Most of the countries where conditions are favorable for grow ing cotton are inhabitated by backward races To train these races into a de- pendable organization for producing cot ton would be the work of many years. In fact, 1t would be almost like produc- ing new civilization.
 The south really has sufficient soil to supply, under intensive cultivation all the cotton that will likely De re- quired for the next 100 years. The su- , perior scientific methods, which 1t IS
 reasonable to expect would be ap- piled to production here. and the greater proximity to the manufacture ing centers and the proximity, too. 10 the principal sources of absorption, make 1t unlikely that cotton produced in other countries could successfully
 compete with cotton grown in Amer ica for many generations to come. While some rather imaginative writers
 have claimed otherwise during the
 last quarter of a century. the rec
 ord continues to support this view. So 1t looks upon the whole as if the responsibility for supplying one or
 the prime world necessities will rest directly upon the south for very long time yet. The new. economic free dom and supremacy of the south will give new emphasis to the business opportunities which have always in- hered in this responsibility. It is ob- vious that small crops and high prices, popularly advocated at times. would
 minimize these opportunities and Wouiu De, Tn sense, an lmpeacnment of the vision of the southern people. The enlightened policy will be to keep consumption on steadily expanding basis by supplying all the raw cotton necessary to that end. The south can
 market such supply now at req sonable profit. It could not do so 20 years ago.
 This primacy emphasizes the souths responsibility, also for the well being of the spinning industry as it was never 1 emphasized before. This applies with peculiar force, as it relates to the spin
 ming industry in this country. The more i cotton manufactured here. the better 1t will be for the American spinner and the better it will be for the American producer. The soIth should see to 1t that American mills are able to supply every demand made upon them. especially ev- cry foreign demand during the war For
 the stronger the position of American
 cotton goods in foreign markets when
 the war comes to an end. the stronger