Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-08-04
COTTON INDUSTRY
LOOKS FOR REPORT
Crop Situation Declared Un-
certain, Due to Weather.
Estimates Awaited.
BY J. c. RoYLE.

Special Dispatch TO The Star.
NEW YORK, August 4.--The report
of cotton consumption for the year
1879 by the leading authority has
proved somewhat disappointing to the
cotton industry. but now that time has
been given to analyze 1t. the sentiment
is showing a decided change.
The report in question showed IA
600. 900 bales of lint cotton consumed.
This compares with i6,3l5,000 bales Tor
the 1867 season. Linters consumed
this year totaled $4,000 bales, as COM
pared with 1,053,000 for the previous
year. making total consumption OF
1899, 900 bales, as compared with IT,
1856 900 for the last IL months
The fact remains. however, that con-
sumption for the year. despite the drop,
was the second largest ever known. 1t
was exceeded only in the 1857 cot
ton year. when the world had the
largest supply on record. Average con-
sumption of lint cotton for the last
decade has been only l2.lT3.000 bales
and the average carry over OF lint cot
ton has been 4.822 900. The carry over
for the 1928 year is estimated at
slightly more than 100000 bales.
Supply Offsets Consumption.
Consumption has been smaller. owing
to the decrease in the supply. The
leading expert makes the actual world
growth for the last cotton year. which
includes linters. 1906 900 bales, against
100000 bales for the previous an
nual period. The commercial crop OF
lint and linterS actually marketed was
i4.443.934 bales, as against l9,205.939.
The manufacturers of the United
States. Great Britain and Japan made
organized efforts to reduce consumption
to enable them to work off the surplus
stocks of goods accumulated during the
big crop year of 1867 These figures
indicate that the world In the present
crop year. which has Just started needs
a crop of between l4.500.000 and 49,
100000 bales to supply its needs and
maintain the existing surplus They
also suggest that the world would alb
serb such croD easily. However. spin.
ners are diSinclined to make forward
commitments. although the price of the
staple has declined about $3.50 a bale
since the Government made public its
large acreage figures showing $685., 900
acres planted.
The future of both the crop and the
market Is perched high atop the fence
until weather conditions shall blow
them to one side or the other. The
situation may be somewhat clarified by
the Government report and estimate Of
the crop to be issued August g. The
crop is in low condition In some Sec
lions and some territories have had
excessive moisture.
Manufacturers Uncertain.
On the other hand. Georgia. Alabama
and South Carolina are counted on to
produce much better cotton erou than
last year unless the boil weevii become
more than usually active. To date
poisoning has been effective and cot
ton plants IN those States are thriving
The cotton goods manufacturers are
m state of uncertainty. They feel
That If weather Is favorable they can
buy raw staple cheaper but thev fear
that the crop will suffer and that high
er prices will result. They know from
long experience that attempts 10 raise
goods prices when raw cotton goes I'm
Is always met with determined resist
aance. and with lot of labor trouble on
lneif hands many of them are thor
oughly uncomfortable