El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1919-05-09
COTTON CAUSES
SOUTH ANXIETY
Marketing of the Crop Pre-
sents Difficulties IN
known to Wheat.
tContinued from page ID

relatively not as great as the depend
ence here on cotton. The south has
been living for years now in sort OF
economic helplessness because money
10 pay for the cotton crop has been
needed so badly each year that control
Of the market has been largely a con-
troll Of the credits-and this has been
accomplished by other sections Of this
country or European traders only
Losses During the War.
When the new banking system came
into being under the Wilson admins
tration the south began 20 see its
emancipation from the foreign yoke.
but the European war upset things a
great deal and the people Of the
United states generally have no idea
Of the losses which were occasioned IN
the first two years Of the war when
the British embargo and blockade cur
tailed shipments and caused cotton TO
drop below ten cents.
In contrast TO the situation in wheat,
IL is pointed out that the wheat grow
ers have not suffered such great
losses Naturally, when the market
began TO rise, the south saw its oppor-
tunity to recOup losses and didn't want
to see the price fixed.
Wheat vs.. COTTON
On the other hand the Gotten men
here believe the price Of wheat was
fixed for entirely different reasons
Wheat was scarce but cotton was
plentiful. Il is still contended that
price fixing was economically sound
when applied TO a commodity in which
there was shortage but unsound with
reference to articles Of which a plen-
thora existed but shipping was scarce.
Planted Big Acreage.
Again, men who are not themselves
interested in cotton assure me that the
= HHHa ne Hamna
grower has been able to get IS much
less considering his toll and labor.
than that which the wheat farmer gets
at 1920 a busheL The south. in re-
Spouse TO the governments appeal
planted the second largest acreage in
the history Of the country. Weather
coudi tons caused much loss. And it'll
cost the south just as much 10 raise fits
small crop as il did TO plant the big
crop-to some extent this was relieved
by the high price-but the south
doesn't feel that IL got anything ex-
traordtnary in the way Of money
In fact. just now il thinks the west
got much the better Of II with a price
OF S2-20 for wheat, when the figures
might have been much below that If
the government had not forestalled
such a possibility by guaranteeing the
crop for two years.
40. the south, far from feeling
that IL got better treatment than
the west, rather thinks the shoe g.
on the other foot. But the south
learned some lessons during the
war, taken from the brother wheat
growers experiences First. the
farmer has seen the Importance
Of using some Of his acreage to
produce fOodstuffss second. in
stead OF having the government or
any intermediary agency fix
prices the farmer himself will
now regulate the supply.
Thus he win regulate the price and
the unusued acreage VIII be put 70
other uses for the production Of neces-
sites Of life which viii reduce the
cost OF living 10 him and. therefore,
the cost OF growing the cotton
The south is very anxious 70 have
the treaty OF peace ratified The cities
which have visited since the official
summaries were made public seemed
TO think the document good compro-
mise among the allies and a stern
judgment upon Germany.
But a proclamation OF peace is want
ed also because of the hope that it
VIII speedily return prewar conditions
OF commerce.
This region f. anxious to trade
directly with Europe, first with
the neutral countries and later
with the central pONerH.
During the war, buying commission l
ers have represented italy, France and
England The British. through their
control Of import licenses and ship
ping. have been able TO control the
amount OF cotton that could be sent
abroad.
Now the south wants TO get into the
open market again and establish di- I
rect contact with the purchasers.
Peace cannot come too soon TO suit the
south
And as for discrimination in favor
OF this section and against the west. I
well. a comparison Of the farmers
books in the south and the earnings
Of the producers OF $500 wheat would
answer the question mathematically. Z
Copyright, 1913, by New York Eve
ming Post. Inc.