The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1921-02-09
100000 BALE
SURPLUS COTTON
This Amount Will Be Left Before
The 1921 Crop is Picked

SITUATION must De QrlVeH. HOHe 10 eV-
cry farmer in the State, the South
Carolina Division of the American
Cotton Association has issued a
statement appealing to every organ
ization in South Carolina to assist it
in~fts efforts to secure an acreage
reduction in this State this year.
Statistics are given which tend to
show~that on the first of next Aug
ust, before bale of the 1921 crop
is picked, there will be on hand
surplus of over 100000 bales, or
almost a one-third crop. 1t is de-
clared that the planting of anything
like a normal acreage in cotton this
year will be a simple suicidal busi-
ness policy not alone for farmers
but for every business interest in
the South. For this reason it is de-
clared that the business and profess
sional men should be active in the
movement to secure acreage reduc-
ton.
1.-THE gravity of the situation con-
fronting the South as regards the
planting of another cotton crop and
the apprehension on our part that
there are thousands of people in our
State who do not comprehend just
what we are up against impels US
to issue this apepal to the farmers
business and professional men of
South Carolina says the statement
issued by the South Carolina Divi-
sion of the American Cotton Associ-
alton. we feel that it is our duty to
place the facts squarely before taem
as startling as they are, in order
that every organized agency in the
State may join with US in our ef-
forts to see to it that no farmer in
South Carolina plants over one
third of his cultivated land in cotton
this year. To do otherwise will be to
invite disaster and financial bank
ruptcy;
Zone of the most alarming fsa-
lures of the present situation is that
there are so many who contend that
they cannot meet the requirements
Of the association that they plant 'on
ly one-third Of their land in cotton.
They seemnot to stop to consider
that it would perhaps be better that
they plant no cotton at all than to
plant it and be forced to sell next
fall at a price far below the cost of
production, which, we believe they
will surely have to do if over a one
half crop is raised this year. To
those who still have their last years
crop on hand we would say that pre-
sent indications are that they would
profit by not planting a bale be-
cause a half-crop this year would
mean that they would get more for
their last years crop and this years
crop combined if over half-crop is
planted this year.
"Now what are the facts about
the cotton situation? Here they are,
and we hope every farmer in South
Carolina, white and colored, who
can read, will read them and that
somebody will read them to every
one that cannot read:
"On August 1, 1920, there was
surplus of American cotton on
hand according to Hester of g.
OS6,OOO bales.
cit is thus seen that the surplus
on hand on last August 1 was al
most six times larger than the aver
age amount on hand at that time.
"The probable amount of surplus
cotton on hand on August 1, 1921,
is estimated by those who are in
in good position to know, at over g.
100000 bales, or almost a one-year
crop.
Ten Year Average
The greatest consumption of
American Cotton ever known in
one year was 100000 bales. Ten
year average of consumption of a
merican cotton prior to the great
war was 100000 bales. With SO
many of the foreign mills shut down
you may figure yourself as to how
much Will be consumed this year.
"The American crop of 100000
b,1oe tL,sc x,aor ipdicotoc a ,,,or1J i