Arizona republican., 1920-09-28

different than anticipated few months | ago, is the chief concern of the Salt River valley is admitted by all The | shift in conditions has come so sud | denly as to cause considerable con- fusion. Every day new rumor arises. l The following interview with refer 1 ence to the present cotton situation in the Salt River valley has been given 10 g. representative of The Republican by Edward F. Parker vice president and general manager Of the Southwest Cot ton company: When will the market open and what is to be the price?'' MT. Parker was asked.
 NO one can answer that question definitely" replied MT. Parker. "The present lack of market demand for long staple is due to the necessary curtail- ment in the textile mills. This. in turn, IS due to the general business condi- tions of the country. AS a result there is surplus of tires and a surplus of tire fabrics and cotton from last years crop which must be absorbed before there is a market for the present crop. Therefore it would seem to be to the best interests of the growers to hoh the crop until there is a reasonable de- mand for it. I believe the financial in- terests will assist in that procedure so far as they can.
 Today, less tires are being manu-
  There are accumulated stock through out the country which must be con- stunned. believe it is but a question of a few months before the curve will start in the other direction.
 Tire Companies Will Want Cotton
 Practically all business in the Unit ed States is hit hard by the present conditions. The automobile and tire industries especially feel the effect of curtailment, partly because these indus tries were expanding at such a rapid rate. The tire companies have been the principal bidders for the cotton out here Therefore when the tire com panies are obliged temporarily to de- sert the local market the effect is inn mediate. When present stocks are consumed and the tire companies are obliged to come back into the mar ket again, they will want this cotton. ''All rumors to the effect that this cotton will be displaced by short cot ton are absurd. Such rumOrS are put out by cotton spectators to bear the market. The tire industries can get along without long staple, but it ab solutely cannot make as good a tire out of the short staple. The ideal tire is that with maximum strength for minimum weight. Makers of the high est grade tires thoroughly understand that. There is no fiber grown that makes better tire fabric than Pima cotton.
 .aThe makers of. high grade tires will not only compete for this cotton, but they will get into the market just as soon as their business. temporarily re- duced, permits them again to stock up with raw material for subsequent man. ufacture.
 Upturn Probably January
 q cannot fix a definite date I don't believe anyone can. Personally I be- lieve the real turn will come shortly after the first of the year. I believe that for two reasons. First, because stocks of cotton fabric and tires will be greatly reduced by that time, and second, because bet on the ability of the United States to continue to do business"
 MT. Parker snapped that last sen- tence out with precision. The reporter was reminded of a statement that Nor gan made years ago to the effect that any man who consistently took the bear" side on the future of the Unit ed States eventually went broke.
 The following question was put to Mr. Parker as a statement:
 ssIt is rumored that the Southwest Cotton company is going to sell out all it's holdings and desert the valley. Ii is stated by some, that farmers cannot grow cotton profitabIy and sell it at 50 cents per pound. That the gin charge is. too high and the seed price too low Can you answer those state- ments?'
 Now. let's go back few years Mr Parker replied, "and trace our condi- tion up to the present"
 Tn 1916 the valley had only several thousand acres in cotton. Land values were much less than they are today This season there is an estimated acre age in this valley of about 190 900. That is a remarkable development and il hr0 bf ffD and some benefit to all. Such is the situation today Now let us inquire il this is stable and permanent indus try which has been built up so rap idly.
 United States Supply
 'In 1915, the Sea Island district was large producer of staple. Due tc insect pests that section is now neg ligible factor. Today, with all tie in creased acreage of the southwest, the United States produces very little more high grade long staple than it pro- duced in 1915. In the meantime the de- mand has expanded tremendously. Il the demand is temporarily off in this valley we must also remember that practically every other section of the United States is in the sarSe condition
 "sThere are about S. 00O, 900 cars in use in the United States now. Severa million more will be manufactured 1T 1921. The expansion of the passenger busses and the freight trucks hat hardly started. Goodyear 3s now build mig six-wheel passenger busses tha will carry 42 people This is only ou1 experimental department, but recen tests prove the efficiency of this ve- hicle.
 "The saturation point for cars in thi. country is set at 15,0000 900. Roughly that would require about 60,O0000i tires per annurn, and that would mear apDroxirnatelv soc. 900 bales of cotton
 ''Those districts that can produce long staple of high quality and cai show large per acre yield are certaiI to be permanent producers at a goot agricultural profit.
 Problems of Valley
 Admitting the intrinsic value of tbi cotton and the probable demand. ye this valley is but one source, and relatively small source, of supply Egypt remains the largest suppl source, though others are being ant will be. developed. This valley tha1