The border vidette., 1933-07-08
MUST HAVE FACTS OF COTTON
SURPLUS

| OOnCGoS
Two major facts must be
kept constantly in mind by the
cotton farmer who debates
whether be will cooperate with
the Government in reducing his
acreage this season. These two
facts. reduced to their simplest
terms, are these: ID Present
indications-point a carryover on
August /. 1888, of at least IL
million bales of American cotton,
and ~ prospects are that this
years crop will be at least aver
age and yield, unless reduction
control measures are carried out.
Officials charged with carry.
ing out the responsibilities of
the Agricultural Adjustment Act
say there is no escaping the
effects of those vital facts.
They say further that the pres.
ent carryover is nearly equal to
the amount of cotton consumed
in a year at the present rate of
consumption. This means that
very little cotton would need to
be produced this season to meet
requirements. Yet more fertil.
izer has been used this season.
Apparently more land has been
planted~to cotton. The crop is
up to a good stand and is enjoy.
ing a favorable growing season
to date.
Suppose the crop is about
average, or around IA million
bales. 1t takes only the simplest
kind of figuring to add IL million
and ii million together and
arrive at the figure of 26 million.
It there are 26 million bales of
American cotton on hand this
fall, the grower can arrive at his
own conclusions as to how pros.
porous be will be when his crop
is marketed. It would be i'm.
possible to consume the bulk of
that supply within a year. The
greatest yearly consumption of
American cotton on record was
Eslightly below is million bales
in 1926 ~. In the meantime,
another crop will be planted and
produced. and the surplus which
is breaking the wearying back
of the southern cotton grower
will not be relieved.
Surplus piled upon surplus
cannot relieve the excisting con.
ditions. A reduction in the acre.
age will help to do this, and the
Government plans to make it
worth the while of the grower to
cooperate 10 this. Heretofore,
reduction in acreage has been
done by the patriotic farmer in
an effort to better conditions for
himself and bis neighbor. The
usual result was that the man
doing this suffered because the
other fellow expanded prod auction
and thus cancelled any benefits
that would have come from in.
dividual reduction.
Under the provisions of the
Agricultural Adjustment Act,
the person who reduces his crop
will share in the profits.
For some years now farmers
have asked that the Government
do something to relieve the agri.
cultural situation. The Agricul.
tural Adjustment Act is the
answer to this request. Yet it
is not something that will be
forced upon a people, It's sue
cessfu! operation will require a
partnership in cooperation. On
the one hand, the Government
offers its powerful resources to
aid the cotton grower in obtain.
ing a fair price for his staple.
Ga the other hard. the grower
is asked to help remove the ex.
listing surplus of this staple by
gro wing less cotton, and since
he has already planted large
acreage, to remove some of his
present acreage from production.
Those 10 charge of administer.
ing the Agricultural Adjustment
Act believe that some three mil
lion bales should be removed
from production this season.
this means that some 100000
acres must be retired from cot.
ton production. To accomplish
this, every grower Of cotton is
expected to share in the reduc-
| ton.
to Vail, on U. S 80.
Considering the comfort ford.