The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1920-10-12

ment for that purpose, but now used
in statistics along side of spinnable
cotton. Then the present crop IS
small, the sixth small crop in sue
cession. Adding these two factors,
the small carry-over and the small
crop, we have supply inadequate to
meet demands. l have said for three
years that there is a cotton famine.
There is not enough cotton in the
world today to last the spinners who
have been living a hand to mouth ex-
istence instead of laying In large sup
plies of cotton.
Now, having SHOWN the inadequacy
of the supply, I will touch briefly on
the demand. When l was telling the
farmers back yonder in July that
their cotton was worth intrinsically
more than they were offered, l calcu-
lated upon several factors. The prin-
cipal one Of these was the restoration
Of the cotton mills in that part OF
France and Belgium that had been
war ridden, and the resumption OF
the trade in Germany. And the buy
ire capacity of the world has increas-
ed. While there has been anything
but : normal condition in Europe
yet the purchasing power OF nos CT
the countries has increased in inc
course of g year. The balance OF
trade, 50 largely in our fsvor last
wear, shows that Europe is sending
Us imports in great volume.
Upon the law Of supply and de-
mard the price of cotton should have
been more than 50 cents for the pres
cnt crop. That law has been SUI
pended arbitrarily and immorally BY
somebody, somewhcres. But It Is
none the less law OF common sense
and CT fact and It will again come IT.
to- action. What l dread is that the
farmers may be forced to sell the'-
cotton under abnormal conditions,
end the spectators will be the ones
to benefit when the normal Is restoT-
cd, rs it certairly mast be and Will
be.
Cotton Ssi.l Valuable.
| say again that the intrinsic value
C cotton is more than so cents to-
Gay. The mills claim that they have
no buyers for goods. They know
full we'll that if this matter of price
were settled, there would be plenty
Of demand. Lam proud that our
mills are SO prosperous. They have
had their hard times, too. But why
rot all cooperate to see that the
farmer gets his share?- Some seem
to ridicule the desire Of the farmers
to make money and to become inde-
pendent and to edacac their children
and to have some Of the comforts of
life in their homes. Our country as
a whole will never have the full
measure of happiness and content
ment until the farm homes are more
attractive to ecp young people cut
of the NAV of the cities.
no, 1 was not among the false
prophets, and anyway, would rath-
er be so regarded than to be false
friend. | saw the farmers hopes
wrecked in 1914 by the catastrophe
of war; | saw their bright prospects
hammered down in 1918 by the med
ding of the federal war trade board !;
and rev again it is departmental ac-
tiv;tv, or such is the .ali5i that IS Of
fered, that is used 10 beat down the
price of cotton and to keep the South
from getting what she is entitled to.
# the farmers had been let alone,
ard # the law of supply and demand
were not interfered with, we would
rot, to use the words of Mr.. Clark,
make wall Of complaint" Is there
any vail in standing up for cur
rights? Some of us did it IN 1876
after the law Of habeas corpus had
been suspended to Our hurt. 1t was
70 wall of complaint then. 1t was a
fight of manhood. And, if l DO say
so, / consider today's cause a: just