The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1918-08-19
SEA ISLAND COTTON WILL Be SCARCE
PEOPLE WILL FIND It TO THEIR ADVANTAGE TO HOLD ON To
THE PRODUCT AS LONG AS POSSIBLE

The Star has been looking into the
cotton situation, and has found moth
ing to change it's first advice of sew
eral days ago-namely, that every
body should hold to their cotton as
long as possible.
The Star has interviewed the three
leading ginners of this vicinity,
namely, Nathan Mayo. Arthur Cobb
and George Giles. and finds the fol-
lowing:
In the first place, the famous agree
ment not to begin ginning until Oct.
1 is advisory. not mandatory, and no
ginner has to abide by it if he doesn't
want to. 1t would be better for the
growers if it was observed.
In the second place, there has not
been enough cotton brought in to
warrant the gins starting, if there
was no agreement.
Mr.. Mayo says no cotton has been
offered him. He can't possibly think of
starting his gins until at least forty
or fifty bales have been brought in.
He has considerable storage space,
and will store cotton for his patrons
to the amount of his capacity, but adj
vises all who have storage facilities
at home to keep it there. Mr.. Mayo
can't start his gins at present any
how. He is changing his power from
oil to steam, and it will be some
weeks before his machinery can start.
Mr.. A. C. Cobb says no cotton has
been offered him so far. He has
storage, space for about seventy-fve
bales, and his patrons are welcome to
use it. He can't start his gins until
the city puts in transformers for his
electric power. which it will do in
few days.
George Giles says he is not ready
to gin. and probably won't be until
some time between Sept 10 and 20.
No cotton has been offered him except
a few small lots. He has storage ca
pacity for about 100000 pounds,
which is at the disposal of his pat
rons.
1t must be remembered that the
ginners can't very well begin work
until they have good supply of cot
ton on hand and prospects of its COM
ing in steadily until the season is
over, for their expenses always heavy
are larger this year than ever before.
The Star has received the following
letter from Mr.. Mayo:
IT, +ha Cn%fnr Crnuorc
Owing to the critical condition of
the cotton situation it has been deem
ed advisable by all that are in posi-
tion to know the true circumstances
not to buy any cotton until there is a
ready open market. Therefore we nor
any other legitimate licensed ginners
or buyers are offering to buy cotton
at present.
There is in the public storage at
present quite large quantity of cot
ton owned by the ginners and farmers
held over from last season, which
they have not been able to dispose
of. 1t is also a proven fact that there
has been imported from Egypt this
year approximately $4,000 bales of
Egyptian cotton. However, we are
glad to state there will not be any
more of this Egyptian cotton allowed
by the shipping board to be brought
in this year and by holding the COM
ing crop, which has been estimated as
a very short one, off the market until
some of the present stock that is on
hand is consumed. we think that we
will find a ready market at a good
price for same, but it is going to take
cooperation to do so.
We have always had the farmers
interests at heart. as tae writer is a
ginner, supply merchant and a
farmer himself. therefore the farm
ers' interests are in direction connec-
tion with mine. The writer sees no
reason why, if we all hold, off and do
not buy and the farmers do not offer
to sell, that we should not receive the
highest price this season that has
even been known, yet on the other
hand, if the coming crop is thrown on
the market with the great amount
that is already on hand, the bottom
will certainly drop out and there is
no telling how low the price will go.
There will be perhaps man here
and there who will think now is his
chance to buy some cheap cotton and
take advantage of the small farmer,