Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-12-17
The Case of Cotton.

Scarcity Of wool has been given . great deal
Of publicity in the last few years. It was
stated that the world would have to turn more
and more to cotton as q substitute. Subse-
quently the price Of cotton rose and it is now
bringing about four times as much as it was
before the war. indicating a scarcity such a.
to throw serious doubt upon its availability
as substitute for wool to the extent that
had been expected
Prot. John A. Todd, one OF the British dele
gates to the world cotton conference in New
Orleans last October, told leaders in the tex
tile industry when he got home that the worlds
supply OF cotton for the next 10 years is Sc
riously threatened That production would not
be able to keep pace with the growing demand
as normal Industrial and commercial condi-
tons were restored he held foregone con-
clusion.
He said the first step to be taken should be
to assure the grower Of . reasonable price to
cover the. cost Of production and to reward
him adequately for growing improved cotton.
He pointed out that the present system Of mar
keting did not encourage the production Of
better cotton and insisted that the British gov
eminent might we'll do a great deal more than
this to extend the cotton industry. He pleaded
for rigorous economy in consumption. The
American cotton crop, said the professor, was
the limiting fxctor in the worlds supply. This
crop mad developed an extremely undesirable
see-saw movement of acreage. crops and
prices There had been fve bad crops in sue
cession with high prices accentuated by world
imitation.
Before the war, said the speaker, large
part Of the American growers were on . small
margin Of profit and when prices did not pay
they reduced their acreage. This occurred
during the war and the acreage then lost had
not since been recovered. American acreage
was reduced in 1919, and, owing to bad weather,
this years was "a disastrous failure and q
calamity The result was that prices had
been forced up to very high level
Europe and Asia are without stocks of cot
ton goods, said the professor The amount Of
cotton which the worlds mills could spin, and
weave is now restricted by destruction o.
machinery in the devastated regions Of Europe
and restriction of the hours Of labor, but these
conditions would not be permanent.
One thIng Whlcn alarmed nlm was the en0r-
nous development Of the use Of motor cars in
America with a consequent demand for 500 600
bales Of staple cotton for fabrics in tires This
demand existed at q time when the whole
| world supply Of staple cotton, he said, has
! been reduced to 100000 bales.
Most Americans believe that prices Of fab.
RIGS in which wool and cotton figure are unrea,
| sonably high. They think they are being ex.
plotted and no doubt they are in great many
| cases. Actual conditions are made . pretex,
for carrying price imitation even beyond rea,
sonable limits. II Professor Todd il accuratel,
informed. however, It will be necessary to cor
rect some Of our popular notions on tn,
| subject.
| For instance, instead Of tho two-lsgget
American hog getting 1t ALL some Of the blam,
undoubtedly should be placed upon the four
legged variety. The high price Of pork, Will
more certain returns, has turned great man,
southern farmers toward swine raising ant
away from cotton growing The wQrld ma,
have less cotton. but it has more meat.