The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1919-10-12
From the Oklahoma State Board OF
Agricultural

Agricultural
There Is more or less confusions
between the purposes of the American
Cotton Association and the World Cot
ton Conference to be held at New
Orleans on the 18th to 10th of Octo-
Der
The American Cotton Association
is an organization in which the cot
ton farmers, cotton bankers and cot
ton merchants are grouped together
for the purpose Of protecting the inter
est of the great staple crop Of the
South. While we produce two-thirds
Of the cotton Of the world and should
command reasonable price showing
profit, evidenced by better schools,
better homes and better equipped
farms, we have never received since
the Civil War, until the last two or
three years, a profit on this staple
crop, which we practically have a
monopoly on.
The spinners and cotton spectators,
aided by the foreign buyers Of Eu-
the market until the South has been
cheated of its birthright for the last
80 years After organizing the Am
erican Cotton Association, the spin
ners ana Rpeculators, especially the
spinners Of England, became very
much alarmed at the concrete organi-
Zaton and purpose of the American
Cotton Association, and they immedi-
utely called convention to be held
in New Orleans in October presumably
in the interest Of greater production
and better facilities Of storing and have
inyeigled many Of the bankers and
in some instances big planters into
believing that this was in the interest
Of the farmer. But the memory of man
does not run back to the time when
the spinner and speculator was inter
estrd in the farmer getting a better
price for his products They may be
interested in tenser economies, where
b. the cotton farmer might eke out
a bare living, working his wife and
children long hours denying the chill
dren the right of an education, where
by he might be able to produce more
cotton, more economically that they
might have it at a much lower price.
Immediately after the armistice was
signed, they placed cotton ON the tobog-
gan for pre-War prices and pushed it
back from 3jc a pound to 1Sc and zoe,
fully confident that they would take
their toll as they had been in the past.
But through the time of the organiza-
tion Of the American Cotton AssOcil-
ton, the farmers and especially the
bankers who were holding a great deal
Of cotton paper, We're saved from a
great financial loss by being able to
put cotton back to 30c to 3jc.
Cotton is a peculiar product, in that
the longer it is kept safely stored, the
better it gets and thereby always re-
acts against the growing crop; while
wheat and other grain can not be
Kept profitably for more than eighteen
months after it is produced; can not
against growing crops, or the grain
growers would be practically in the
same condition.
Cotton Occupies False Position
Cotton has always occupied a false
position in the economic life of the
South. We inherited from slavery con
ditions an idea that cotton could be
produced very cheaDly and it never
has been upon sound, economic,
business basis since the war. While
.he New England manufacturers,
througi: a protective tariff, were tax
ing care Of produce Of cotton goods
Sll irsuling themselves 10 liberal prof
it for the manufacturer, the South,
year after year, was producing large
crops Of cotton that was not paying
he cost Of production.
Now that the banker and farmer are
80 closely allied with their business
interests, it is natural to believe that
some Of the good judgment Of the fl
rancers of the South will be injected
into handling and holding for Il safe
margin of profit, a large part of the
production to be put upon the market
in a safe and systematic way that it
viii always insure a profit.
The American Cotton Association
at its meeting held in New Orleans
September 4th, designated 3Gc a pound
as a fair initial price for cotton, with
an increasing scale of half a cent o
pound per month until December
the 1st, for cotton held The
report of the Board of Agriculture
from Texas, Arkansas and Louisiana
indicate that much cotton is being held
foi the farmers waiting for the initial
price to reach 36c. Since that meet
ing, cotton has gradually advanced
until it is bringing from 33c to 34c
at this time. However when it reaches
3Gc reservation cotton should be mark