The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-06-15
Cotton Prices ana Cotton Acreage

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The following is copy of letter
which has been addressed by Mr.. a
B. Jordan, of Dillon. S. c.. to the
members of the South Carolina dele
cation in congress-:
II am addressing you this letter af-
ter consulting with number of prom
inent business men and farmers. The
prevailing opinion -. that unless
something is done and done at once
the fall cotton crop will sell at from
IL to 10 cents. This will mean flnan-
cial embarrassment and probably
bankruptcy for big portion of the
South.
The farmers have invested heavily
in Liberty Bonds. in many cases MAX
ing the initial payment of 10 or 20 pei
cent. with the idea of paying the bal
ance from the proceeds of the 1918
cotton crop. II cotton sells for less
than 20 cents a pound the banks car
rying these bonds will have to dump
them on the New York exchange in
order to get money to warehouse
portion OF the crop. These arc thd
views Of thoughtful men in close
touch with the situation down here
AS n means Of avoiding this ca
lamity IL has teen suggested that
prompt measures be taken to curtail
the 1919 crop by limiting the farm
er to an acre of cotton for every
care of grain planted.
This plan would decrease the 1911
cotton crop to a maximum of 5000
600 bales and would more than double
the food production in the South. l.
would have the effect of solving to &
large degree two problems that hav.
given the administration much cor.
cern, viz. The overproduction O
cotton end the undcr-production @
food.
IF this plan cannot be put into Of
feet by virtue of the authority given
the president under the War Emo.
gency Act. it can be done by an Act
Congress. and 1 believe you will rem
der not only your own State but the
entire South great service by putt'na
such n measure before congress.
Il shall be glad to have your view.
on the matter"
The view which Mr.. Jordan takes as
to the cotton outlook Is more serious
than that of other observers who's;
opinions we have read. He bases il
upon "the prospect for $1,000, ,OOc
bale crop" the fact that there is {
surplus in warehouses from the 1917
crop. the lack of bottoms to carry the
surplus to Europe, and the probable
serious curtailment of exports on 9th
err accounts.
The News and Courier does not gt
as far as Mr.. Jordan in estimating the
gravity Of the situation, but we agree
with him that in the light of the gov
ernment estimates recently published
and of conditions generally, it is well
that cotton growers and Southern bus.
iness men should begin now to la,
their plans against slump in cotton
prices this fall such as he predicts and
fears.
The plan which Mr.. Jordan propos
es for an absolute reduction in cotton
acreage In 1919 is the simplest and
most direct which could be followed
What remains to be determined is its
feasibility. 1t was along this line tina
an effort was made In South Carolin.
In 1914. at the time of the disastrous
drop in cotton prices. which occurred
Immediately after the outbreak of the
war to secure the passage of legisla
tion limiting the size Of the cotton
acreage next year.
That program The News and Cour.
Ter opposed on number of grounds
Conditions have vastly changed i'm the
past four years. however, and some
oi the reasons which then made linz
itation OF cotton acreage by law an
Inw.se and unsound move no longer
exist. For instance, the position upcn
which this newspaper laid the mos
emphasis was that il would not be
possible to take care of our large ne
gro population III the cotton acreage
were cut In half; that they had been
brought here because they were need.
ed to cultivate and gather the cotton
crop and that we had to provide work
for them.
In the light Of the labor situation
today that sort of argument now is
smile provoking. so great is tho
oh In,