Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1922-06-30
FAIR Price FOR COTTON
Sensible View of Foremost British
Manufacturer.
GROWER MUST Be ALLOWED TO live
Stupidity of Spinnsrs Has Brou9n'
Conditions That Threaten Famine OF
Raw Material-Revival Of Production
Now a Serious Problem.

Raw Material-Revival Of Production
Now a Serious Problem.
Probably no other industry so en-
tirely ignores the question OF its sup
ply of raw material as the cotton IN
dustry. II goes further than TINS III
apparently. doing everything to curta'i
It's raw material by beating down tne
price of cotton to below the aetuai cost
of production. The industry today Is
facing serious situation through the
reduced acreage lin cotton and the raw
ages Of the boil weeyil and pink poli
worm which made the last crop the
smallest in many years. 1t has been
saved thus fra by the carry-over OF
last wear and reduced consumption.
However, with the carry over back 10
normal and consumption increasing
manufacturers are beginning to take
an interest in the question Of cotton
supplies.
In reply to a request from the Amer
ican Cotton association for an expres-
sion of the attitude of the British cot
ton spinners in regard to the payment
of a price for cotton that will enable
1t to be produced .on basis OF cost,
plus a reasonable proflt,aa Sir Charles
w. McCara, one of the leading British
cotton manufacturers and a world au-
thority on the cotton industry, made
the following frank confession:
IT should be very glad indeed to be
able to do so, but, unfortunately, | do
not yet find that enlightened opinion
abroad which will allow me to say that
the cotton trade has begun to view our
supremely important industry in a
comprehensive way-that it has begun
to take into account noc merely the
question and cost of the production OF
warn and cloth, but how ii must ensure
for the future full and in every Way
adequate supply OF the raw material
1t is an extraordinary thing how indif-
ferent the people engaged in the man
ufacture of cotton are to their welfare
in this matter. ~ -
"I have never ceased to put before
the spinners of the world the absolute
necessity Of seeing that price is paid
to the grower of cotton that will re-
munerate him for his labor and enter
prise.
1T is amazing that the planter is so
little regarded. seeing that he is the
basis of everything. If cotton could not
be got, then none of us would be want
ed. What / have always contended in
the numerous articles and books have
published out Of an unrivaled expert
ence of the cotton trade all over the
world, Is that, we must regard cotton
production and manufacture as one
whole industry, and that we should al
WAYS put in the forefront the proper
remuneration of the cotton planter
The planter, of course, should be en-
couraged to avail himself pt all mod
ern appliances, scientific methods, and
inventions, and to cultivate his land
economically and to the greatest ad-
vantage, but when he has done this his
enterprise should be fully acknowledge
ed and appreciated. Especially should
consideration be given at time like
the present, when the work Of the
planter is not only costly, but sur
rounded by extraordinary difficulty.
81 have been uneasy about the cot
my advice been taken at the outbreak
of the war, cotton would have been
withheld from enemy countries and
the war shortened by a good twelve
months; and again had O. reserve Of
cotton been formed OF the large sur
plus which existed at that time we
should not have had the price falling
to 4d a pound owing to the glut, nor
should we have seen identically the
same cotton run up to 45d a pound Ia
ter on, and all the consequent chaos
caused by prices of clothing soaring
sky high and then being rushed down
by an artificial and disastrous cam
paign of slump.
ut was my misfortune, however, to
be defeated by the folly Of the govern
ment and the stupidity OF the English
Spinners Federation. the members Of
which thought of nothing beyond the
immediate advantage Of procuring q
quantity of cheap cotton, and never
paused to think that the planter might
retaliate by reducing his acreage under
cultivation and make them regret their
cupidity later on. The whole thing was
a frightful mistake. and cost the coun-
try dear in two years trade deprcs-
sion from which we are just now
emerging.
MY American friends, however, may
rest assured that l shall continue to
work wholeheartedly for recognition
of the full status of the planter be-
lieving as do that it is not only to his
own but 10 everybody's interest in the
cotton trade that his claims should
have first consideration"
In his recent book, "Recollcctions,