The Durant news. (Durant, Miss.) 1882-1985, 1946-04-25
Cotton Takes National
Spotlight As AG. Sec.
Visits The State
Secretary Anderson
Will Speak At
DeIto Meeting
BY Fred J. Hurst

by Fred j. Hurst
Cotton-mainspring of Southern
farm economy and chef contribu-
tor to national wealth-will be in
the national spotlight on May 9th.
On that date Clinton P. Anderson,
Secretary of Agriculture, will ad-
dress the annual meeting of the
Delta Council at Cleveland, Miss.
Coming into the Deep South for
the first time since he was named
Secretary of Agriculture and speak
ing in the very heart of the Cotton
Belt, Mr.. Anderson is expected to
devote the major portion of his ad-
dress to cotton and the multitude
of cotton problems that press for
solution.
Not only the South, but the entire
Nation, has big stake in cotton
Cotton is the Nations most impor-
tant cash crop. The 1914 cotton crop
contributed ST, AGO, 100000 to South
ern farm income and national
wealth. Manufactured cotton pro-
ducts were worth ten times the
calue of raw cotton. The short 1915
cotton crop was worth over a bill
lion dollars.
Nearly three million Southern
farm families derive a major por.
ton of their cash income from cot
ton. In 1914, cotton provided 70 per-
cent of Mississippi's farm income,
81 percent of Arkansas farm in
come and 80 percent of 'Louisiana's
farm income.
There are about Is million people
engaged in producing, handling pro-
cessing, transporting, and manu-
featuring cotton. In the South, cot
ton is the main source of income,
business and wealth.
Cotton is the handspring of farm
and business prosperity.
Cotton is Americas most impor-
tant fiber crop. From 1885 to 1899,
cotton furnished 81 percent Of the
fibers used in the United
States. Nearly everybody who wears
a cotton shirt, or a cotton dress, or
who uses any kind of cotton ma
terial, now realizes the importance
of cotton as a source of wearing ap-
parel.
Cotton is a major source of vege-
table oil, ranking with lard and but
ter as cooking fat. Although the
South is short on hogs, the annual
production of cottonseed Oil is equi-
valent in fat and oil output to sew
eral million hogs.
For many Southern farms cotton
seed meal is the main source of high
protein concentrate feed. A reduc-
ton in the production of cottonseed
meal such as resulted from the short
l945 cotton crop hits dairy farmers
and beef cattle growers too.
The U. S. Department of Agri-
culture reports that the earnings of
workers in the cotton industry
averaged IA cents an hour during
l909-14, but earnings of these work
ers climed to 81 cents an hour in
l945. Average earnings in all man.
ufacturing industries was $1.04 an
hour in 1945.
But DESPITE the tremendous eco
nomic worth and the high value of
cotton and cotton products, cotton
farmers have the lowest incomes of
any important group of people in
the United States. The United States
of Agriculture reports
that in 1914, for every 500 of in
come cotton farmers received, other
United States farmers received 1924.
In 1914 the per capita farm income
n the 10 leading cotton states was
S419, whereas in the other 38 states
It was $1,024 And 1914 was high
cotton income year, the crop being
worth about $2OO,0OO,00 more than
he short 1945 crop.
1t also is pertinent to ask how the
income, not only of other farmers,
out of those engaged in marketing
and manufacturing cotton and in
selling cotton goods compares with
he incomes of cotton farmers.