Newspapers / The Scottish Chief (Maxton, … / March 7, 1919, edition 1 / Page 3
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THE PRESENT COT TON sjpi A Suggested Program For Dealing With It <By B. W. Kilgore, Director, N. C. Exp. Station and Extension Service, Treasurer N. C. Cotton Association.) The South, and North Carolina par ticularly, wrought wonderfully well during the war period. Large crops, except cotton, have been made, par ticularly food crops. The cotton crops of the country for the four years of the war—1916 to 1918—were 11,700, 000 bales, 11,302,000, 11,460,000 and ll;192,000, or an average of 11,411,000 hales, against the four pre-war chops of 1911-14 of 16,135,000, 14,156,000, 13, 703,000, 15,693,000, or an average of 14.922.000 bales, which is an average of 3,511,000 bales more annually prior to, than during the war period. The acreage of last year was but 942.000 less than for 1914 when the bumper crop of 16,135.000 bales was produced. The low production for the past four years has been due mainly to bad seasonal conditions in Texas and Oklahoma. Good winter rains already have been had in these States, and with the same acreage as in 1918, near 36,000,000—and good sea sons, a crop well nigh as large as our largest can and likely would be made, which is far beyond what there are any reasons to think the world will consume. Big crop, Low Price. Our bumper cotton crop of 16,000, •000 bales in 1914 brought $800,000,000 anil our 11,500,000 bale crop of 1917 brought the South $1,600,000,000, or twice as much as the bumper crop. We know what this means—“big crop, low price.” Cotton at present prices is at, if not below, the cost of produc tion, and not an inconsiderable num ber of North Carolina farmers have cotton of two years on hand. It would seem that the world needs and will consume at cost of produc tion, plus a fair profit, the small crop of 1918, especially as this is one of four small crops In succession, the av erage for the four years being 11,411, 900 bales, or 14,000.000 less for the four year war period than for the four year pre-war period. To Make This Effective. What can be done tc make this ef fective? 1. A well-defined co-operative pro gram on the part of the banker, the merchant and the farmer for holding and selling should bring results. 2. Along with the movement to en able the farmer, the merchant and the banker, or whoever has cotton, to bold i^Ul jhe,yi^time jo geU, mu,t go a program to abuse the staple. S. What is perhaps more important when measured in terms of its effect ggttt Him future of Our farming in dustry, is a plan for preventing the production of a cotton crop this year greater than the world will require. A reduction in acreage of from one-fifth to one-third has been suggested as the method of doing this. Thi3 would mean /or North Carolina in round numbers, a million acres instead of a million and a half of cotton. This would leave a half million acres here tofore devoted to cotton available for "food, feed and soil-improving crops. Better Land for Cotton. • Cotton should likely, in most cases, "be put on the better land, including some at least of the land planted to soil improving crops during the past "year. It should be fertilized with the view of economy so as to meet the needs of the land thus used and the -crop, and increasing the acreage pro duction and reducing the cost so as to meet the almost certain lower price for cotton next fall. 4. Another matter of serious con cern is the price of fertilizers. The prices of fertilizers are the highest we have ever known, and while the cotton grower cannot afford, if possi ble, to allow bis acreage yields to •decline, fertilizers must be used, as to quantity and kind, to best meet the meeds of the soil and the crop. Food and Feed liroos. 5. It will be easily agreed that all reduction in cotton should go into ■ food and feed crops and pasture in an effort to make all the food and ifeed for the State on the farms of j . -the State, so as to save transportation charges and intervening profits, to make easy the holding of cotton, to bacco. peanuts and other money crops, iand to encourage and support our Igrowing livestock industry—beef cat Itle, hogs, poultry, sheep and dairy cows for the family cow, our dairies and creameries and for our new cheese industry—these, together With ■our farm and townspeople and our an imals, make a practically sure mar ket at remunerative prices, for all the food and feed crops and roughage that can be grown. (Entitled to Better Living Conditions. 6. Finally, we must have in mind as a whole people a readjustment of our wage and living scale. We should not want to go back to the old con ditions as regards these. Cotton, pea nuts, tobacco and other money and general crops in the whole South have been produced with low-priced labor _with much child labor, unpaid or underpaid. These crops have been sold to the world on a basis of this kind of labor and we have t bought products from other parts of the .country on, basis of a higher labor and n higher living scale than our own, greatly to the detriment of our (Own standard of living as a section. Mil PROPOSAL IS GRIPPING SOUTH Movement is Spreading Like Wild-fire All Over The Cotton Belt Reports received at state head quarters, Raleigh, ot the North Caro lina Cotton Association during the past few days indicate that the move ment inaugurated at the recent coun ty conventions held in practically ev ery county in the state last week to hold the unsold balance of the pres ent crop and to reduce the acreage for the coming crop by one-third as compared with 1918 is spreading like wild-fire in all parts of North Caro lina. The bankers, merchants and farmers who attended these conven tions last week let no grass grow under their feet upon their return to their homes. The New Orleans. Hous ton, Galveston, Dallas, Memphis, Montgomery, Atlanta, Little ..Rock, Charleston, Savannah and Birming ham newspapers have been publish ing daily reports of county and State meetings held in these States to ratify I and put into practical effect the work outlined by the general convention re cently held in New Orleans. In fact, it would seem as if every Southern State and every county in the cotton belt were vieing with one another to see which will make the best record in the matter of reducing t’.e cotton acreage in 1919 and holding the cot ton now on hand for remunerative prices. Alarmed over this movement, which threatens to break the strangle-hold which the spinning interests ot the country, aided and abetted by the bear speculators in the New York market, have1 had on the" cotton market tor some weeks past, the Northern press is attempting to throw ridicule on the movement and to belittle it. A typical instance of this bear propaganda to offset the cotton acreage reduction movement is furnished by an article published in a recent issue of the Journal of Commerce. Some suppos ed correspondent from the South is quoted in that Journal, which has al ways been very friendly to the New England spinning interests, as saying: "I take little stock in resolutions to decrease acreage, as such attempts at reduction are economic heresy. Too well do many of us remember the days of four and five cent cotton in the nineties. Conventions were hold Memphis and elsewhere to reduce acreage. Solemn oaths were signed, but always the result was the same, an Increase of acreage, because each went home with the same determina tion to increase his own acreage as he believed his neighbor was going to decrease. Such articles as these, full of mis statements of facts, ate calculated to have just the opposite effect in the South from that intended by the au thors. Much water, in an economic way, has passed under the mill since the early nineties. The cotton grow ers of the South have learned by sad experience that a small crop with good” prices, pays better than a large crop with low prices. If they had any doubt on this score Secretary Hes ter’s annual reports, showing the total value of the various crops produced by the South, state the facts only too plainly. The Journal of Commerce statement to the contrary, no signed pledges were required by the cotton convention previously held in the South, and it was this very lack of signed pledges that foredoomed the acreage production movements of pre-1 vious years to practical failure. There never was a year in which a conven tion of this sort was held that the acreage was not materially decreased, although the cut in acreage did not always come up to what the conven tion had planned. Lack of proper or ganizations by States and counties, the failure to get signed pledges to carry out the objects of the conven tion and the fact that no subsequent convention was held later in the sea son to receive reports as to the prog ress made by the different cotton growing States In effecting a reduc tion in acreage were some of the rea sons that the former conventions proved a failure in so far as accom plishment went. All these loopholes have been closed by the recent con vention, and, in addition, a resolution was adopted by the convention to brand any man in the cotton belt who refuses to co-operate as "so lacking in public spirit as to forfeit the confi dence of the community in which he lives. The “economic heresy” of reducing the Cotton acreage, to which the Journal of Commerce refers, is a fine sounding phrase, but cotton men say it will not deceive anybody in the South who stops to think. The New England and Southern mills, when they find a stock of goods accumulat ing and no buyers coming into the dry goods market at once take steps to reduce their output. It is argued, therefore, that if It is a good thin* for the mills to reduce their output of the manufactured goods, in order to stimulate demand, why should it not also be a good thing for the cotton growers in the South who produce the raw •-nilerlal? This is the point of view that the cotton interests of the South take. COTTON CONVENT! HELD |fi Resolutions Adopted At This Convention Means Mach For Cotton Fanners. — i The South is confronted with a dia- ; aster unless the crop of 1019 he re- ! duced and the balance of the crop oi 1918 be protected and held until mar ket conditions Justify its sale To en able all people in the South interested j in cotton, and nearly all are, to adont a direct and intelligent method of meeting the situation, this Convention earnestly recommends that the fol lowing plan be adopted: (1) That the crop of 1919 be re duced at least 33 1-3 per cent In acre age, and that the fertilizer on the two third area be not increased; but this I does not apply toli/ty farm of less than five acres to the horse: Provid ed, that in carrying out this recom mendation the following schedule of reduction shall be observed: Any man planting five acres or less to the horse to make no reduction; 6-7 acres, reduce one acre to the horse; 8-9 acres, reduce two acres to the horse; 10-11-12-13 acres, reduce three acres; 14, reduce four a ores; 15-16, reduce five acres; 17;1S, reduce six acres. Under no circumstances will any farmer plant more than 12 acres to the horse. (2) That on all the cotton laad left i out and on the balance of the farm, ample supplies of food, feed and oth er crops be planted. (3) We believe that the existing sti uation justifies tho_ holding of every bale of cotton now in the hands of our Southern people, and we urge our farmers not to sell the balance of the present crop for less than thirty cents per pound, basis middling. (4) That to carry out this purpose we call upon the bankers and busi ness men of the State for their hearty co-operation. (5) We recommend that every own er of cotton immediately put his cot ton under shelter, or in a warehouse, and will not permit it to leave the warehouse until the owner shall so specify. (6) We earnestly warn the farmer that if he buys high-priced fertilizer, and a large acreage of cotton is made, he must pay next fall with cheap cot ton for the high-priced fertilizer and other supplies. (7) We recommend to the farmer that he leave uncultivated in cotton every acre that he cannot reasonably expect to make enough cotton to yield a profit at reasonable prices. Wejfly) not believe that ar ere that produces less than two-thirds of a bale will yield a profit to the grower, and every such acre should not he planted In cotton. (8) For the purpose of securing the united co-operation of all financial in terests, and to put this Rian into ef fect, the merchants, bankers, land lords, fertilizer dealers and other business men are asked'—to extend credit and to finance farming on the basis of a safe program, including full production of food and feed, rather than the production of cotton alone. (9) It is recognized that the world need for cotton when conditions be come anything approaching normal wHl, without doubt, be exceedingly great, and it is therefore important that those who can hold their cotton against that time, and that In the meantime the situation be held in hand by'control of future production. (10) We recommend that the pres ent Congress of the United States en act to Smith bill covering the char acter of cotton deliverable upon cot ton exchanges. (11) We recommend that the legist Iature pass an adequate warehouse bill for the State of North Carolina. (12) We recommend that the tax basing day for individual taxpayers be made June 1st. (13) We recommend that a commit tee of seven persons representing the farming and business interests of the State be named by the governor to inaugurate a State wide campaign to effect the purposes set forth, such committee to meet immediately, and to have full authority to devise ways and means to carry out the provisions of these recommendations. This committee is authorized to raise money, employ clerical assist ance, and to put on an intensive cam paign and to do any and all things necessary to effect the purposes of this meeting. (14) This organization shall be known as The North Carolina Cotton Association, and every person present is asked to enroll as a member before leaving. The following committee was ap pointed by the governor: C. D. Or rell, Moncure, chairmanW. G. Clark, Tarboro, S. H. Hobbs, Clinton; E. B. Crow, Raleigh; J. Z. Green. Marsh ville; G. N. Newsome, Goldsboro; O. L. Clark, Clarkton. The committee decided that the as sessment on farmers should be twen ty cents per bale for all cotton on hand and ten cents per acre for cot ton planted in 1919, which would en title him to membership in the North Carolina Cotton Association. Fifty per cent of the funds raised are to be forwarded by the local treasurer to the central organization: Dr. B. W. KilgorU, Treasurer, Raleigh, N. C. These funds are being used for printing and advertising in this State. Items From The Lumberton Tribune Miss Mae Seabolt, who for merly resided here, but is now a member of the faculty of Carolina College, Maxton, spent Saturday in . Lumberton. She was accompanied by sev eral other members of the fac ulty. Mr. W. H. M. Brown, of Buie, was in town Saturday. He had just retumd from Rich mond, where he heard three sermons of “Billy Sunday,” and speaks in the highest praise of the great evangelist. Mrs. W. S. Britt was taken to a hospital in Charlotte Fri day for treatment. ShA faas accompanied by Mr. Britt'and Dr. T. C. Johnson. Mr. W. F. Bullock, of the Alfordsville section, was a Lumberton visitor Monday. Mrs. J. H. Tyner and Mrs. A. C. Johnston spent Monday with relatives at Rowland. Mrs. W- A. McPhaul has re turned from Charlotte, where she visited Dr. McPhaul, who is under treatment in a hospit al there. Lieut. Shep K. Nash, with the American air force in France and Italy, arrived home a few days ago and is being warmly greeted by many friends. Mr. Ernest Britt, of route 4, who recently returned from France, was in town Saturday. Mr. Britt lost his right leg in battle, it having been blown off just below the knee by a German shell. He has an arti ficial leg. Many friends of Dr. R. S. Beam will be glad to learn that he has returned from France and will shortly return to Lum berton and resume his practice. At present he is at Camp Dix, N. J. Mr. John B. McLeod, who is attending the State University, spent Friday and Saturday with homefolks here. Mr. and Mrs. G- P. McMil lan, who were married in Char lotte last Wednesday, spent the week-end here with rela tives. The bride was Miss Es telle Bethea before marriage. Mr. McMillan formerly lived in Lumberton. Arch Norton, of East Lum berton, was before Recorder Britt Monday on the charge of breaking a plate over his UP#S bead. He plead guilty, but said his wife was to blame. He was let off with the costs. Cftpt. J. P. Russell, who is engaged in Y. M. C. A. work at Camp Bragg, spent Friday here with his family. Mr. W- B. Humphrey, of the Philadelphus section, was a Lumberton visitor Monday. Mr. M. A. Monroe, of Max ton, Route 3, was in twon Mon day. Mr. and Mrs- J. G. McRae, of Fayetteville, , were Lumber ton visitors Monday. Rev. I. N. Clegg, pastor of several Presbyterian churches in the southern part of the county, was in town a few hours Monday. Methodist Pastors to Get Salary Raise Nashville, Tenn., Tvlarch 1.-—Many Methodist ministers in every South ern and Western State who have been trying to exist on infintesimal incomes during the past years will have their salaries raised within the next few months. This very practi cal ard definite stej> is to be taken by the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, following: the financial drive of. that denomination in April. The drive, which has $35,000,000 as its goal, has been undertaken with a view to putting the work of the church on a business basis, the rais ing of the salaries of their under paid pastors being considered one of ■ the first matters of importance. | There are 866 salaries now $400 ! or less which will be raised to $600; ' C8§ salaries now $600 and $7,00 : which will be raised to $1000 a year; 637 salaries from $700 to $800 to be raised to $1000; and 180 salaries ranging from $800 to $900 which will also be raised to $1000. The supplementing of these salaries will] require $2,850,000 during the forth-1 coming five years and the success of! the Centenary drive will make their increase immediately possible. Practically every city and town throughout the Length and breadthof Southern Methodism will be affected it is declared at the headquarters of the denomination in Nashville, and every ^Methodist man and woman who pulls to on the Centenary drive will be helping to make possible better and happier living conditions for the underpaid pastors in their midst. Twedie Dee and Twedle Dum “We played the fool in not insist ing that the Government should fix j the price of cotton.” That’s a re- j mark you occasionally hear from the j I-told-you-so philosopher and near I politician. But these critics seem to forget that we are now confront ed with- a condition in the cotton! seed market that it not calculated to create much enthusiasm, and especi ally among farmers and merchants who own cotton seed. The Govern ment fixed the price of cotton seed at $1.01% per bushel and that price remains “fixed.” But the cotton seed oil mills say their tanks are full of oil and their storage houses are filled with linters. They are unable to sell these products which also bear a price fixed by the Government. If a “fixed” price creates a condition un Mer which you can’t sell the product j at all where does the benefit of price | fixing by the Government come in? Owning cotton seed that have a “fix ed” price isn’t much consolation to a i fa rner who can’t find any buyers for his seed. Owning: cotton with, a “fix ed” price would have placed cotton holders in a like position witJj farm ers who now own cotton seed with a “fi::ed” prices that nobody seems ■willing to pay.—Marshville Home. DR. R. 0. FLYNN AS “Y” WORKER Well Known Minister Leaves Pulpit to Take Up Work Overseas Atlanta, 6a., Jan. ...—Dr. Richard Orme Plinn, pastor of the North Ave nue Presbyterian church, is going to Prance for the Y. M. C. A. Dr. Flinn, who is one of the best known ministers in the Southeast, and who has r. host of friends throughout this section of the country, will be en gaged in special educational work, aad will likely be overseas for some time. SERVICE STATION How’s Your Spark? No spark is just as bad as no gas. And a weak—uncertain—fit ful spark is worse than the poor est grade of fuel. You’re particular about your gas—why not about your spark. If you aren’t getting the red hot sort of spark that makes your motor hum, you ought to come in and ask us Why. We can tell you some inter esting things about batteries, and that remarkable insulation —Threaded Rubber. There are facts worth studying in the new booklet, “A Mark with a Mean ing for You.” Ask for a copy. We test,repair and recharge storage batteries, and always carry a full supply of battery parts, new batteries and rental batteries. Fayetteville Storage Battery Company. 228 Hay Street Fayetteville. N. C. © IgZf^NS uamntee to the Consumer If, after using'the en tire contents of can in every respect, your grocer will refund, the money you paid for it. Luzianne must please you. coffee The Re ily-Taylor Company New Orleans Takes the Guess Out of Baking and Saves You Money t-very time you add baking powder, soda and salt to your baking it's more or less a guess. Too much or too little spoils the whole batch. OCCO-NEE-CHEE Self-Rising Flour has mixed with it, in the exact proportions, the very best bak ing powder, soda and salt. It saves you money because you don’t have to buy these things extra. Figure what this cost would be on a barrel of flour. OCCO-NEE-CHEE Self-Rising Flour lakes the Guess out of Baking and Saves you Money makes the most delicious biscuits, waffles, muffins and cakes. Give the family a rare treat the next time you bake. Bake them some good things made from OCCO-NEE-CHEE Self-Rising Flour. Buy it today. Look for the Indian Head on the bag. At all grocers. > When you prefer to bake with plain flour buy Peerless—the best of its kind. AUSTIN-HEATON CO., Durham, N. C.
The Scottish Chief (Maxton, N.C.)
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March 7, 1919, edition 1
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