The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1919-03-20
PREPARES TO PAY 10 CENTS.
Liverpool Expects Farmers to Act as
Usual.

pound" said Commissioner Harris
Saturday. believing that the South
will plant large crop or at least a
normal one this year, Liverpool
which is one of the largest markets
in the world is counting on very
low price. This information is re-
ported by Liverpool dealer who
has just come from England. And
this is just exactly what will happen
il the cotton planters of the South
do not heed the warnings of those
who know conditions.
Thine and again it has been prov
ed clearly that a 100000 bale
crop has brought more money than
100000 bale crop. Why should
the farmer raise 100000 bales OF
cotton for nothing? Just look at the
waste of time and energy and OF
money, too.
''In 1918 the government urged
the farmers to plant large acreage
in food crops. 1t was necessary in
order to win the war. In spite OF
this great opportunity and disre-
garding the appeal of the govern
ment, the farmers of the South plant
ed the largest acreage in cotton that
they ever had;. and if the good Lord
had not cut the ba les the South
would have been ruined. 1t has been
well said that He has a special provi-
dence over children, drunkards and
fools
''I hope the farmers will do the
right thing this year. Our farmers
have been warned of the disaster
that will befall them if they do not
give heed to the advice of those who
have been watching the ebb and flow
OF conditions for many years. Now,
what is the right thing for the farm
er to do? Here is the advice Of the
combined thought of the leaders of
the South.
''Hold your 1918 crop until the
price reaches 35 cents and even then
sell sparingly. Cut your acreage
33 1-3 per cent; and reduce your
fertilizer under cotton 33 1-3 to so
per cent. If this is done, we will
win the fight and save the South
from bankruptcy and slavery.
Investigation shows plainly what
the South has been losing annually
by the slipshod method it has had
for selling cotton. The South has
been losing annually s1s0,0O0,000. I
can prove this and may do so at
another time when space permits.
Can this system of selling be chang
ed? It can. How? By organization
and cooperation of the farmers,
bankers and business men of all
classes.
Have we ever had over produc-
ton of cotton? I would answer
no. but we have had under-con-
sumption, as I will prove. There
has been no over-production so long
as our people in the South have not
enough clothing when the weather
is cold and bad. It was not over
production of cotton that caused the
price to be low-but under consump-
ton of cotton goods. 1t is fact,
strange as it may seem, that the far
mers who produce the cotton and
the labor that spins and weaves it
into cloth are the most poorly clad
people in the country, as a rule.
There has not been one family in 500
that could not have used three times
as much cotton goods if their real
needs could have been met, but the
price of cotton was so low, the pro-
duct selling at cost of production,
that no money was left to purchase
clothes. I have known many far
mer to not have enough money left to
buy even one garment apiece for his
family after he had sold his last
bale.
when is the system of cotton 60
ing to be changed? 1t is starting in
now, in 1919, and in 1920, the far
mer will have the privilege of say
ing to the world, You will give me
my price How is this going to be
brought about? By the organization
and cooperation which I have point
ed out, and by sticking to it.
81 will say to the farmers, when
this is done, you will break the Hin
denburg line. The bear speculator
or the Hun, is about ready to sign
the armistice, as he must have cot
ton to deliver to the spinner who is
calling for cotton as the supply OF
the mills is very, very low and they
cannot spin wind contracts into
thread and cloth. Now when he puts