The Dillon herald. [volume] (Dillon, S.C.) 1894-????, 1920-09-08
PLENTY OF COURAGE AND
PATIENCE

4.
Within a. few days the new cotton
crop will be moved over large part
af the belt.
We eat and breathe cotton. 1t is
still the controlling master IN our
zxricultural and economic life.
80 we are not experts on estimating
0rops. upon the cost of production
and on other factors that enter the
eotfon problem.
We only know there is a large
number of bales Of the old crop on
hand. Another crop is coming on.
Money is fairly tight. So the stage
5s sci for keen duel between the
producers and the manufacturers OF
COTTON
We know that If the entire cotton
crop had been sold at quoted prices
the south would mot have made a
large amount of money. We know
that the present crop cost more mon-
.ey than any other grown during the
last fifty years.
We also know that the price that
manufactured cotton goods were sold
and are being sold that the raw cot
ton was the cheapest element In their
production.
The manufacturers feel that they
have the whip handle. They are going
To insist upon new conditions OF sale
and they are going to hold out just
Ne long as they can in an effort to
reduce the prices. :.
The transportation situation Is
had and money rates are high, but II
transportation is bad for US 1t Is bad
To the manufacturer, IL money rates
ore high to us they are also high to
him.
We will not be able to get along
unless we sell our cotton. The man
ufacturer must close his mill unless
he buys cotton.
We may get into a state OF freeze
out
We do not anticipate long tre-
mendous struggle, but we do want
our own cotton growers to make up
their minds that they are going>to re-
.zist every effort to have them dispose
of their cotton at price lower than
the cost of production and in this
fight the big man and the little man
have a common interest.
II cotton is dumped upon the mar
ket at a great rate it will make diff
ficult situation for producers. II there
is any sort Of disposition to weaken,
the other side will be encouraged TO
hold out until the weakening ones
stampede.
This brings us down to few sug-
gestions. Our planters should get sucn
covering as they can to prevent their
cotton from deterioration, II they
hold it a while.
Every plantation ought to have
large or small warehouse. Every lit
lie fellow should put his cotton under
the shed next to the stable, in the
stable loft or in part Of the cotton
crib.
If there is a good demand and
fair price for seed 1t should be freely
sold 30 as to help the producer sus-
tain himself.
A little patience and plenty OF cour-
age ON the part Of the southern grow
en- of cotton will enable them to get
q fair price for it this fall, and by
fair price we mean about the figures
that ruled last fall, But there must
BE- some cooperation and generally
pulling together.
We cannot get anywhere by ours
ing out the manufacturers OF the east
and the big bankers.
There is no politics whatever In the
matter. All the statesmen under the
sun could not add dollar to the price
OF q bale OF cotton, though they could
do things that would reduce the price.
1t Is purely business problem In
which the producer, the merchant,
the factor, the banker, and all the rest
OF us down here have a common In
terest, and II we keep in touch with
one another we can secure, through
our efforts, a living return, and that
is all we want and all that anybody
has a right to expect.
p. S.-In the meantime, our peo-
pie should give most serious atten-
tion to the matter of building ware
houses of the style suggested by the
Cotton Warehouse Construction De-
partment of the United States Depart
ment of Agriculture. 1t is remarkable
how cheaply these warehouses can
be built, even in these times of high
prices. If any one is interested to the
point of building warehouse to hold
from so to 1000 bales of
cotton, let him at once write r. l..
Newton. Investigator in Warehouses,
Bureau of Markets, Washington, D.
C.