The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1921-01-12

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We would be glad for you to write
an article in the Times and give us
your ideas about tobacco in 1921. Of
course we all know that no one can
know definitely, but we believe you
should know better than the average
man can know, and we have conf
dence in your Judgment.
Thanking you in advance for this
kindness, | am.
Yours truly,
j Bolton Baker.
Brookneal, Va, Jan. 5, 1921.
Editor The Manning Times,
Manning, S. c.
My Dear Sir:
am in receipt of letter from Mr..
ID. Belton Baker of the New Zion sec
ton, which l herewith enclose and
ask that you publish same
In reply to Mr.. Bakers letter,
will ask that you publish the follow
ing article:
The outlook for the 1921 tobacco
crop is an unknown quantity. can,
however, give some statistics and
personal knowledge Of how things
ow stand and the farmers can then
draw their own conclusions. will
say in the outset that the 1920 crop of
tobacco was one of the largest ever
grown in the United States. The last
government report gives it rs being
S,064 900 pounds. One billion
pounds is considered about normal
production for this country. l will
state, however, that the tobacco prices
which have prevailed for the 1920 sea-
son arc very good, l think, taking into
consideration the large crop. The
State of Virginia has sold, up to the
present, something over 1O0,0O0,OOO
pounds which have averaged around
$1,000 per hundred. The state of
North Carolina has sold, up to the
present, above 200,000,00O pounds,
which have averaged some less than
the Virginia markets. The averages
IN these two states would have been
n great deal more but for the fact the
r"nn ie vorv common. .luc e c.cessive
rains during the growing season. The
better grades of cutters have sold
from $4,000 to $4,000 and wrappers
have sold from $65.O0 to $500 per
hundred. Good filters have sold from
$4,000 to $500.
l think 1T rather singular that to-
bacco is selling as well as it is in the
face OF the Independent Companies be-
ing loaded up on high priced tobacco
from last year, and as the result they
are not buying scarcely any of this
crop. Secondly, the foreign MAJ kets,
especially Europe, are not doing much
importing or buying from us. This is
due to the low rate of exchange and
the fact that Europe has not been
able to build up or establish a credit
system that will meet her adequate
needs since the war closed.
OF course you farmers are doubt
less fully aware Of the fact that this
is the trouble with our cotton market
too. 1t is to be hoped that since this
relief bill,' money can be gotten by
the farmers which will at least enable
them to finance the present crop Of
cotton to time when it will bring the
cost of production. The rcviving of
this war finance corporation should
have tendency to help our export
trade.
| cannot write this article without
paying my respects to w. P. G.. Hard
ing, governor Of the Federal Reserve
Board. He stated sometime ago, when
Il Southern Delegation called upon
him in behalf of the Southern Cotton
Planters, that the Federal Reserve
banks could not loan money to hoard
products for speculative purposes. He
further stated that this country should
consume its own products. | think,
however, that the revival of the War
Finance Corporation will have a ten
dency to loosen the old mans purse
strings. The Southern farmer did not
ask him for money to hoard their crop
for speculative purposes but for money
to enable them to hold their cotton un-
til they could get the cost of produc-
ton. | could not write this article
without mentioning these facts and
want to also state that the Federal
Reserve Banks show gain according
to their last report Of over $50, ,OOO,-
10000 over last year. SO you see it
wasn't a scarcity Of money.
Now lets get down and talk about
the tobacco situation little bit for
1921. Personally I do not think it
will be a good idea for the tobacco
fa mers to over-crop themselves in
either tobacco or cotton this year. Mr..
Darlington, President of the United
States Tobacco Association has re-
Gently written all tobacco warehouse
men letters in which he urges npon
them the Importance rEI having the
| farmers curtail the 1921 crop. He
states that they should not plant over
fifty per cent Of past years production.
He saws however that no dooen,t ,noop