The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1921-04-25
CHEAP COTTON +.
CAN NOT KEEP
SOUTH BROKE
Economy and Management With
Fine Natural Resources AL
ways viii Win

Washington, April Although
the South has gone broke four or
five times during the last half cen
fury because of low priced cotton. it
has never stayed broke" for any
great length of time, writes Archer
Wall Douglas, in the May issue of the
Nation $ Business, the official publ
cation OF the Chamber of Commerce
oil the United States Mr.. Douglas
points out that in the case OF past
business depression the South has
often recovered much more quickly
than seemed likely.
AS chairman of the committee on
statistics and standards Of the Cham
Der of Commerce of the United States,
Mr.. Douglas issues monthly report
q. general business conditions
through the country.
For enc thing says Mr. Douglas,
the South is ecOnOmizing very rig
idly. There will be much less cotton
acreage planted this year than last,
although this varies greatly in differ
ent localities. The crop will receive
less fertilizer than last season, but
much greater intensive cultivation.
Those unfamiliar with the situation
express wonder that the South should
plant cotton to any extent with an
enormous carry-over in sight, and no
great increase in demand in prospect
in the near future Every section
must have Il cash crop to provide
ready money for the farmers, and cot
ton is the logical one in the South
There is a limit set by soil and eli
mate In many southern states as to
the production of wheat and small
.grainS.
TO grow more corn and feedStuffS
means, to produce more livestock to
consume them. and while this process
is now going on, it takes time to bring
il about. Besides, there would be no
market for the great amount of food
stun which the South cou ID produce
should she turn the greater part OF
her Gotten acreage to this purpose.
Nor have the southern states the
storage facilities for grain and food
Stuffs that any large increase in their
output would necesSitate. Cotton can
be stored in any old shed, but the
South is as yet shy on her full COM
/ plement of barns and elevators to pro-
tect grain from the weather and pre-
datory insects. and from thieves that
break through and steal.
Turning to the general business sit
uation Of the country Mr.. Douglas
says that the most significant, and
possibly most cheering, feature of the
situation is that the automobile bus
mess seems to have been not dead,
but sleeping. There is resumption OF
operations. in a modest way, by some
| factories which were shut down, blu.
which now have orders in hand. Also
/ there Is increasing sale for used cars
There is better demand for hm-
Der and prepared roofing and paint
because of somewhat more building
and construction. Mining in general
is very quiet with many mines shut
down. Manufacturing is running
mostly on short time. The percentage
or how busy or quiet it is. depends
upon the naturet of the business, in
the shoe trade, the demand for wo-
mems shoes is much better propor
tionately than for mems footwear,
which is apparently paradox when
1T is considered that mems shoes are
very much of necessity, while OBJ
viously women's shoes are very much
in evidence nowadays distinctly as an
ornament.
The best general index of the stu.
alton, the volume OF distribution by
Jobbers and retailers, showed a dis
tinct gain in March over February
1921. though not comparable to that
OF March, 1920, as is not yet to be ex-
pected
The general spirit of moderate op-
timism for the future is encouraged
thereby. without at the same time los
ing IT'S consciousness that much lies
ahead OF us before reimbursement can
be complete