The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1918-03-28
Regarding Cost Of
Cotton Production

1T is only within comparatively re-
y cent years that the cost of pro-
ducing cotton has been scientifically
or accurately determined. The first
investigation of this character was
undertaken under the supervision of
James L. Watkins for the United
states department of agriculture in
Up to that time the cost of "mak-
ing" cotton was largely matter of
guess. But it is now reduced to
science, as much as the cost Of produc-
ing iron or steel. This fact in itself
tends to encourage the farmer to use
business methods in all of his opera
lions and become a business man in
the field, equal to the business man
of the city.
H. F. Bachman & Co., New York
bankers, have issued pamphlet of
26 pages which contains the results
of an exhaustive investigation of the
cost of raising cotton, made by their
Watkins bureau. 1t should be in
the hands of every cotton farmer.
In nutshell it was this way of date
February 81, 1918:
Average cost of production, 1918,
1928 cents per pound.
Average price obtained by farmers,
27.50 cents per pound.
Average Of net profit, S31.55 per
acre.
Bachman & Co. point out that at
no time within the memory of this
generation has there been so marked
variance of opinion as at present
in the matter of the actual cost of
cotton production. Hence their en-
ployment of expert cotton statistieians
to get at the bottom of the question.
Each states production is shown,
with the cost and selling price. 1t
is not often that statistics are pre-
scented in such an interesting way
Every cotton grower will profit by
the study of it
Bachman & Co., in their conclud-
ling remarks, say:
"The present relatively high price
of cotton is due not at all to specula-
ton, for indeed there has been no spec
|ulation in cotton at any time during
this entire season. The reason for
high prices is perfectly plain. The
total consumption of American cotton
for the past three years was 1885,
1000 bales, while the total production
amounted to only 36,617,000 bales.
The only possible remedy for this con-
|dition must come through largely
Increased production
y y y
DR.. Muck and the
Boston Symphony
MHoW that the government has
y " taken DR.. Karl Muck in hand
the patriotic public will experience a
feeling of relief.
AS conductor Of the Boston Sym.
phony orchestra his sinister attitude
toward our national anthem, soor
after the United States entered the
war, was not only displeasing to all
good Americans, but it should have
caused his resignation to be accepted
instanter. When, however, Col
Henry l.. Higginson, founder and fl
nancial hacker of the Boston Sym
Iphony, prevailed upon Muck to retail
the conductorship, the Boston people
as whole, tolerated the situation
Ialthough some of them protested
lopenly.
| Colonel Higginson's patriotism il
|unquestioned, of course. But assum
ling that no one in Boston is more in
ltensely American than the financia
head of the symphony, he made a Sc
rious mistake in holding on to the pro
German conductor.
| All the talk about music being in
ternational and above and beyond ma
tional conflicts is the veriest drive
lin crisis such as this country hal
been facing. Muck is a persona
friend of the Kaiser, his heart is witt
Germany, and as an aliens enemy h
SHOULD have been sternly dealt will
months ago.
i 1t would have been better for Col
lionel Higginson, better for the fai