The Dillon herald. [volume] (Dillon, S.C.) 1894-????, 1918-07-11
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The interest In the cost OF produc-
hg cotton n becoming almost univer-
al throughout the United States.
Those in the non-producing sections
arc chiefly interested because, ac-
cspttnS the unsupported statements
Of interested propagandists-
tsed or unorganized-they believe
the price Of cotton is too high and
that the South is rapidly growing
rich at the expense OF the consumers
Of cotton products. The producing
sections Of the country is also becom-
ing interested in the facts upon
which an estimate of the cost of
cotton production must be based,
because they are anxious to be able
to meet with facts and figures the
inaccurate or prejudiced statements
Of those who want to see the price
OF cotton reduced.
Many not familiar with farming
End some Of those who are familiar
with every detail Of cotton produc-
ton have endeavored to arrive at the
cost Of cotton production according
to the methods of the accountants,
- used In manufacturing and other
commercial lines. In fact, this has
been the method employed by prac-
tically al who have written on this
subject, but there are certain con-
ditions which make 1t impossible to
arrive at conclusion with any assur-
xnce OF accuracy which will represent
the average by the ordinary cost-ac-
counting methods. The reasons why
these generally used methods are not
applicable in estimating the cost Of
cotton production are about as fol-
lows:
First. There are 80 many factors
which largely influence the cost of
cotton production. that are not un-
der the control Of the producer, and
these vary 80 widely that a very
great number Of accurate cost &C
counts would be necessary for every
section of varying soil and climate
on which to make an estimate.
Second. farm bookkeeping is 80
difficult, because Of varying condi-
tions. and unknown quantities. which
do not enter into general commercial
cost accounting and farmers are 80
little interested or skilled in book
keeping that q sufficient number of
accurate records do not erist and for
many, years must remain unattain-
able. A very large number of records
would be necessary for each section
and season for long term of years
and these simply do not exist, nor
do the data exist upon which any
such re cords could be predicated.
In the same soils with the same
methods and with the same farmers,
the cost Of producing a pound of cot
ton in Alabama, for instance in the
year 1916, was easily 2 1-2 to 3
times what it was two years before
In 1914. And for the whole cotton
producing area the variation between
two years Of the same 10 year per-
Tod may easily be as much as 35 to
40 per cent because OF the differ
ences in yields per acre. In short,
with the numerous and large varia-
lions from year to year, from farm
to farm, and from section to section,
making necessary very large num-
.ber of records extending over a
term Of years on which to base an
estimate, and in view of the almost
total absence Of these records and the
impossibility Of obtaining them, no
estimate Of the cost of cotton produc-
ton in the past, by such a method, is
worthy Of more than incidental in
terest.
Such a few records we have Mere
ly show the estimated cost of pro-
ducing cotton on the individual farm
for which the accounting was done.
and for the year or years for which
such records were kept. These vary
so greatly and are open to such SER
ious critism in SO many ways that
on the face of them they are worth !
less as a means of determining the
average cost of cotton production for
the country as whole or for even
the individual farms to which they
apply, except for the specific years
to which they apply.
Moreover, there are many factors
entering into the cost of cotton pro- I.
duction for the measuring of which
no ready or easy method has yet
been devised The cotton laborer is
entitled to the same pay for the days
he works or for the time he devotes
to the making of his cotton crop as
is the laborer OF like grade of in
telligence and efficiency in other
lines. But tina; does not mean, as
some have SUPP; ID, that he should
receive the same { i'y money COM
pensation. The cotton !aborer may
not be able to work as many days