Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1918-10-03
LOCAL BANKER IS OF OPINION 1nAV
 NO FIXED PRICE For Cotton By Governcent a the Present Time and
 Maybe Never. COTTON BALE AND
 SEED BRINGS $2OO Advises Selling of Cotton Now and Not Waiting for
 Higher Prices.

s. c. Alexander, President of the
 Merchants and Planters Bank, writ
 ing in the Merchants and Planters
 Review, the monthly organ of the
 above bank, says in respect to the
 cotton situation:
 Cotton.
 "It does not look as if the Gov
 ernment will fix price on cotton
 at this time, as we all thought it
 would. Circular letters have been
 sent out asking for inventory of all
 cotton on hand. This will show the
 number of bales and the grade of
 each.
 "The Government can then act in-
 telligently in the distribution of the
 cotton and it will also show the
 amount of low grades on hand which
 will assist in the distribution to the
 mills spinning government cloth for
 the army. No one should object to
 this. It will be benefit, especially
 to the holders of low grade cotton "The Government started out with the idea of buying nothing below middling white cotton for its use, but the scarcity of this character of cot ton has changed it's views and it is now buying an average grade, which takes in cotton as low as middling with some spots and light tinged. "The Government Ginners report is out showing 3,719,915 bales ginned up to Sept. 25th, against 2.493!3S1 for the same time last year. This is the largest on record for Septem- Der and shows the premature open ing of cotton, which proves the great The Government report on condi-
 damage caused by the drouth. tion to September 25th, is 54 4-10. against 55 7-10 for August, this shows
 deterioration of l 3-10 for the
 past month and an indicated yield
 of *54 1-1O lbs per acre. It also shows an indicated total crop of It, 818.00O bales.
 Last years crop was about Ill., 600,000 bales and when the season wound up we had 2,500,0O bales of it on hand unsold Now if the pre- sent crop points to larger yield than last year, with the surplus on
 hand, don't you think 32 1-2 cents per pound is fair price for hill cot ton? It can be sold at this price and possibly for more.
 "This is debt paying time and if yours are not paid, you should not
 let this opportunity pass. A bale of cotton with the seed amounts to s1S5.OO to $2O0.00 and will liquidate debts on satisfactory basis. Don't Hold Cotton. "The war is now over and the Knowing one's' believe it will last two years longer If it lasts one year
 longer and you hold your cotton for higher prices, I believe you will re- gret it. The cotton crop is very short in Arkansas and especially in the hill country, but we must not lose sight of the fact that the price is three to five cents per pound high CT than last year and this crop promi- ses to be larger as indicated by the
 Government report. "With these facts confronting us,
 don't you think cotton should be sold at present prices?"
 Other articles in Review: "Pine Bluff War Activities" "--shoWing to- tai Jefferson county subscriptions to various war funds, including amount ] of purchases of Liberty Bonds and War Savings Stamps. Spanish Influenza"-Adv use of antiseptic. spray for nose and throat as preventative.
 Article on Thrift.
 "Time to Seed Fall gains"-By c. H.SThomas, County Agent Cover page-Patriotic picture of soldier, sailor and Red Cross nurse. -------------------