The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1920-08-11
THE UNFAIR FIGHT ON COTTON

In this weeks bulletin issued by
the state department of agriculture
Commissioner B. Harris wakes warm
on the subject of The Unfair Fight
On Cotton. The commissioner states
that the report that New England
Mills are shutting down on account
of having over-sold the retail mar
ket is all tommyrot. The real reason
of the shutdown Mr.. Harris says is
so that the mill men may have a
chance to clean their machinery and
tighten all the loose bolts and nuts
for the long run on the new crop of
cotton which they are going to get
too cheap if the cotton farmer does
mt ':get weather wise anG peat them
at their own tricks"
Here are some of the things the
commissioner says to the men of
South Carolina:
"What will the price Of cotton be
on the 18th of September? That is
the paramount question for the peo-
pIe of the South. If the Legislature
of South Carolina would double all
appropriations next February, the
total expense would be nos more than
five million dollars. Yet this would
almost produce revolution IN South
Carolina. Our people have had their
eyes glued to the spigot so iong that
they do not watch the intake. If we
produce, say, 100000 bales Of cot
ton this year and lose only five dol
lars a bale the State will be poorer
by six million dollars. Is it, then, not
worth while to make a iignt to save
this much to the State? A difference
of one cent pound would mean five
dollars bale. And that one cent a
pound would pay double all of our
State taxes.
with this statement, : wish to
call attention to the fact that great
drive is being made by the bears to
keep down the price Of coc:on. They
are sparing no means. Although the
Department of Commerce estimates
that 100000 bales .. American
crop will be needed for next years
consumption, the prospects at the
most favorable indicates that the
1920 crop will be not more than 49,
100000 bales. The carry-over from
last years crop will be- not more
than $500 bales of rear cotton, I
don't mean statistical cotton, but
spinnable cotton. Before the war
period the carry-over was something
like five to six million taies. so, there
you are. The spectators realize that
they are short, and what are they
trying to do? To depress prices be-
fore the new crop comes in. They
realize that upon the action of the
law of supply and demand the price
must go soaring and they are seeking
all sorts of fictitious causes for pull
ing the price down. 's- wy
therefore we hear lot OF New
England mills shutting down on ac-
count of having over-sold the retail
market. That's tommyrot. Every
summer at this time the New England
mills shut down. The real cause IS to
give the machinery complete clean
, ing and Tightening for the long run
on the new crop. The truth of the
matter is that the mills have no cot
ton on hands and don't know what
to do. Labor will not make any con-
cessions and demands high wages.
The mills are seeking some way to
make the cotton grower the goat.
They wish for him to bear the losses.
while they and labor and the middle
men enjoy the profits of the hard la
bor of the Southern farmers. And
that is the way it will be unless our
farmers stick together and say that
they will not sell one pound of cot
ton below the price named at the
New Orleans conference early in
September.
"The 1919 crop started to move at
28 cents a pound. In the spring OF
1920 it was bringing 35 cents q