The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1919-10-02
HOLDING WILL WIN
HARRIS CONVINCED
FARMERS MAY EXPECT THIRTY
SIX CENTS FOR COTTON.
Position Now Improved
Growers Are Reminded That They
Are Not Producing Cotton
to Give Away.

Columbia, Sept. 27.-That the
holding of cotton off the market sure
ly will cause the farmer to get
minimum of thirty-siX cents pound
for his staple is the position taken
by B. Harris, State Commissioner Of
Agriculture, Commerce and Indus
tries. in a statement given out today.
Mr. Harris asks the cotton producers
Of South Carolina to ''stand by their
guns" in the fight the American Cot
ton Association is making for them.
In Better Position Now.
I'VE are in better position to win
this fight" said Mr.. Harris, than we
have ever been. We are in decidedly
better position than we were last year,
when we had 100000 bales more in
sight than we have this year. We
won last year our contention for thir-
ty-fve cents and l see no reason why
we should not get our thirty-siX min
imum asked for this year If we will
keep our heads and hold our cotton
we will come out on top. To win this
fight means to win permanent DOM
ination of the situation. To lose
means that we slip back into position
where we will be despised by our
selves as we'll as by those who have
been showing the Southern farmer
down. Cotton is sure to advance.
Why?
because at the lowest calculation
there we're in sight this year 4,0OO,-
900 bales less than at the same time
last year and cotton was selling for as
much or more last year. A year ago
the whole world was at war and Eu-
ropean industries were idle. Today
cotton should be moving more rapidly.
A year ago We were told that the sub
marine menace prevented exporting
our cotton. Today there is no embar-
go except profiteering.
"In fact there is every condition
to make cotton more in demand to-
day than it was year ago. | beg
the farmers to think about things be-
fore they rush their cotton to the mar
ket. The famine in cotton and cotton
goods is we'll known to the world.
Farmers must realize that the world
must come to them for their monop-
DIV. We do not wish to be eXtor-
tionate, but why should we grow cot
ton to give away?
Bears Alone i'm Market.
"The reason why cotton is not now
selling for forty cents is because there
IS nobody in the market but the bear
spectators. This condition will not
last long. A reaction is coming and
the price is going upwards. The time
is not far off. The distressed cotton
IS now going to the market, say with
regret. but when this is out of the
way the remainder of the crop will
bring a fair price. have been tell
ing the farmers that the bears have
sold an immense lot of cotton for Oc-
toher delivery and the spectators are
making a frantic effort to get their
hands on the real cotton.
''Under such conditions there is no
competition in the market. and there
will be none for the present. The
only way for the farmer to get a fair
Erice for his cotton is to hold it off
of the market. 7 am told that the
mills are running from hand to mouth
buying just enough for their imme-
diate needs.
eft the American Cotton Associa
ton had been thoroughly organized
and had been able to finance the dis
tressed cotton we would Immediately
see cotton selling for fair price. in
accordance with the laws of supply
and demand. The American Cotton
Association is gaining momentum. 1t
has required time to get it organized
throughout the cotton belt. 1t is not
merely for today. 1t is to stand for
the fight of the farmers against out
side combinations, and those combi-
nations will keep on fighting.
Must Stick Together.
''The farmers cannot get the best
that is in life and all that is their
due unless they organize and stick.
The association should have the sup
port of every farmer, for it offers the
remedy for the evil conditions of the
present that have come to us from
the past.
eve won the fight for thirty-flve
cents cotton. T wish we were fighting