The watchman and southron. (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, July 09, 1919, Image 2
il
Gotton Famine
Says Wannamakei
President Cotton. Association
/?Cites Facts and Figures* De
mand for Staple Limited
Only by Means of P-urchase
?World's Needs Start
ling.
We,.are facing, a cotton famine, the
most serious that has ever existed
since cotton, was first cultivated in
America^ Cotton today is the cheapest
commodity in the world. A pound of
middling cotton, selling for 33 cents
tetfay, run through an automatic loom
can' be sold at wholesale to converters
for 11.08. On this basis the raw ma
terial would be worth 68 cents. Cotton
will be unobtainable at any price and
We: will have an enormous unfilled de
mand before any cotton from the 1920
ctop-.(that is next year's crop) can be
secured. Briees-have only started to
advance. Hold your cotton and reap
aYg?lden harvest
The mill and the speculator who have
sofd cotton .short failed to realize the
situation. On account of existing con
ditions today for the first time in the
t?st?ry of the exchange, when a mill
sel|s cotton on the exchange as a hedge
instead of this resuming in depressing
the market it will have the result, for
tne first time, of eventually raising the
price of raw cotton.. The contract to
day forces delivery of 7-8 inch staple
witite cotton. Lpw grades and un
spihnable cotton,can not be delivered
as heretofore. As a result spot cotton
vi?l be. demanded by. the purchasers
of-alt contracts^ The. mill and the
speculator may close their, contracts
out to some one else at a much high
er^ price than, it. was sold for and
shoulder the monetary loss, but the
purchaser of the contract will not can
cel'out same.
5..;A matter of tremendous import is
the; fact that as a .result of a syste
matic agitation on our part last spring,
planters in various sections of the belt
bought the amount of cotton for Oc
tober delivery in the early spring,
wh'en October was selling at 19 1-2
cents, that they could have reason
ably expected to have made. This price
far below the cost of production.
Gotton will be demanded on these con
tracts, this resulting in a double re
duction in acreage.
" One of the leading bear experts of
America has issued the following
statement:
''World's expected demand for next
season, beginning August 1, 1919, 17,
OaCsOOO bales.
"TJnited States will need 7.509.000
hales; Europe will need 8.500,000
bates; other parts of world will need
1,0.00,000 bales; total 17.000,000 bales.
\ Estimated .American crop 1919
i2*,500,000 bales; estimated carry
ovSr in exess of consumption 4.500.
Oflpibales; total 17.000,000 bales.
- Note. Some say thai European de
mand will be: England 3.000,000 bales:
Germany. 4.000,4)00 bales. leaving
France? Belgiuna^It^ly>; Poland- and
other countries not-supplied."_
This statement, while approved by
(the leading bears and many of the
*\ manufacturers is absolutely incorrec
jThe American Cotton Association, for
i the purpose of verifying same, has
Ijmade a painstaking investigation, and
jas a result, find that the following
! figures are conservative.
J World's expected demand for next
] season, beginning August 1. 1919, 20.
i 500,000 bales.
! United States will need 8,500,000
j bales.
; Europe will need 10.000.000 bales.
j Other parts of the world will need
2.000,000 bales.
i\ Total. 20.500.000 bales.
Estimated American crop 1919. 10.
( i 000,000 bales.
Estimated carry over in excess of
sj consumption, 4,000,000 bales.
;] Total. 14,000,000 bales.
1 This will show a shortage in sup
!: ply of 6.500.000 bales,
'j In this estimate, we have shown Eu
i rope far below her requirements. Eu
^ irope shows a shortage of cotton bought
_! in the last four years as compared
, i with the previous four years of 15,935.
f|437 bales. In the above estimate.
I which we made as the result of a care
I ful investigation, we only show her
j pressing needs.
i Both the American Cotton Associa
i tion and the American Cotton Export
[ j Finance Corporation have received a
, j great number of letters from every
[[section of Europe urging that orders
! for coton be filled. One order is for
. 11,000^ bales of cotton per week for tht
next six months.
These letters are coming frcm all ot
the manufacturing centers of Europe,
! from corporations, firms and individ
uals all stating that they are in urg
! ent need of raw cotton. One of the
j large finms states:
! "As to the. amount of cotton to be
I used in Europe it will only be limited
to the financial arrangements that
jean be mad,e by Europe for buying
j cotton in America and the transporta
tion facilities. The trade fails to un
derstand the pressing need for cotton
jand eottto goods in Europe. As a re
Jsult of the war England, France,
j Belgium, Germany and Austria are
i short from 1915 to 1918, inclusive, at
least 17,000,000 bales of American
cotton. They are short as compared
with the four previous years 15.935.
<37 bales. There were over a million
bales of raw cotton and manufactur
j?rd cotton goods destroyed during the
jwar in Europe, which added to this
amount, brings it up to 17.000.000
bales of cotton. So that it will be
J readily seen that, there is an unheard
jof, almost unthinkable, demand for
'raw cotton and cotton goods in Eu
irope. Our governments are encour
I aging intense activities on the. part of
manufacturers and lending them every
assistance possible to purchase raw
cotton. They fully realize that this is
absolutely necessary so as to stop the
j great unrest and furnish the people
l.with means of earning a living, and
also of furnishing revenues for the
' payment of our enormous war debts.
Our mills are making more money
than it was ever thought possible,
i and if we can obtain the raw cotton,
we will have a gold mine.
! England has never been barer of
j manufactured cotton goods in the
I last 60 years. Do not have the impres
?jsion that the American mills have
supplied the need for manufactured
[ product in England. Such is not the
? I case. The war created an abnoromal
i demand for raw cotton. This, and the
'destruction of cotton during the war.
j has been entirely overlooked and the
i European wants are entirely under
j estimated, and have probably been
j kept in the dark by the American
j manufacturers, who are reaping a
I golden harvest.
j Experts are now in Europe repr<
[ sen ting the American Cotton Associ
ation and their report is in line with
'the above. They state in addition
jthat Europe will use a fabulous
j amount of raw cotton at a price even
far in advance of present prices,
i Every European country is preparing
I to put on a campaign <?f intense activ
ities for the purpose of regaining lost
j trade and f?>r the purpose of furnish
? ing their people with work, and thus
j deriving revenues for their support
land for the payment of their enormous
j war debts.
j The enormouos inflation in Europe
jwill, of course, drift into America.
We, of course, do not take into con
sideration the $80,000.000,000 in cur
i rency issued by the Bolshevik regime,
j This is practically worthless. The in
jfiation. aside from this, breaks all
record?:. The above.'added to the
fact that during the four years refer
red to America's consumption of raw
cotton, was really in excess of produc
tion by approximately C.0<?0.000 bales,
that is estimating the consumption for
the year ending August 31 at only
11.000.000 bales, and every indication
is that it will far eceed this amount.
It will be absolutely impossible, even
with ideal weather conditions from
now o)t to produce and gather, on the
acreage planted, more than the aver
age crop for the last four years. This
j means that'we will have an enormous
shortage of raw cotton. In all prob
abilities, the crop will be far below
the four year average, in which case
the manufacturing iterests are facing
a period of complete exhaustion of
supply of raw cotton before this time
next year.
These are actual facts, actual con
ditions. "The wise .nan is governed
by facts." The manufacturer who
fails to recognize the existing condi
tions will pay dearly for his folly. The
producer who sacrifices cotton under
these conditions will simply be en
riching the manufacturer and robbing
himself. Cotton is the cheapest com
modity in the world today, and. con
sidering population and demand, we
will have the smallest supply of cot
ton ever recorded. As a result, the
highest price ever paid for cotton is
an inevitable, certainty.
We have entirely overlooked the
enormous destruction of war material
which resulted from the world war.
The'following table will throw some
slight light on this side of the pic
ture :
The following facts regarding the
war have been compiled from litera
J ture furnished by the government
I loan organization, based upon infor
mation issued by the United States
treasury:
The total cost of ammunition and
guns to equip our army amounted to
$12 ifor every hour since the birih of
.Christ.
"""Over 2.500,009 shoulder rifle? were
produced in the 19 months of our par- j
tictpation in the war, more than either j
France or England produced during
that period.
J-iefore the armistice was signed, our;
speed in producing ammunition was
twice that of France and 10 per cent;
greater than that of England. At the !
jend of the war our production of ma- i
! chine guns was twice that of France
I and nearly three times as great as
i England's.
Six million two hundred and fifty j
thousand pounds of 75 millimeter am- j
munition were fired by American ar-i
tillerymen.
It takes ten months to manufacture!
one 14 inch 50 caliber rifle and costs
about $200,000. Its life is 150 shots.
From April 6. 1017. to December,
101S we manufactured 438,6a2 pis
tols and 743,663 revolvers.
On November 11.1918, the United i
States had 1.049.316 soldiers in Eu-j
rope and 22.234 en route, besides 32,-!
385 marines. We had 9.104 in the Si
berian expedition and 1.634.490 in the
United States, making a grand total
in the army of about 3.700.000.
The enormity of the supplies pro
duced for shipment abroad may be,
gauged from the following items: !
Blankets, almost 20,000,000.
Wool coats, over 12.000,000.
Overcoats. 8,000.000.
Shoes, over 26.000.000.
i Stockings, almost 90.000.000.
Frozen beef, over 250,000,000
pounds. i
Flour, about 543,000.000 pounds.
About 2.500.000,000 cigarettes.
Beans, about 40.000,000 pounds.
Hard bread. about 28.000.000
pounds.
Salt about 14.000.000 pounds.
There were; traansported to the army
abroad from Aprih 1917. to Novem
ber, 1. 1918, 4.807.600 tons of freight.
We lost 271 airplaanes to the enemy
and they lost 401 to us.
To equip our aviators there was pro
ivided or in course of manufacture, on
(.November 11, 1918. in excess of $5,
i 000.000 worth of material.
I realize that our estimate as to the
world's need will be startling, arid will
! probably be ridiculed. However, [ also
realize that as a result of a thorough
investigation tha t this estimate of ours
is conservative. England would use
far in excess of the amount of cotton
I shown, were it possible to secure same
IAs to the production of the growing
i crop for America, even were you to
'accept the figures shown by the bear
j estimater of 12.500.000, which figures
are absolutely ridiculous, still you
I would have an enormous unfilled de
mand for raw cotton. It is stated that
j time proves all things, and I have no
J fear that he will verify the correct
ness of our statement. ?
j When demand exceeds supply, and
jwhen we have an enormous inflation
in currency, it can mean only one
j thing, that is. we will have enor
I moiisly high prices for raw cotton.
; Post this in your scrapbook and you
! will receive your reward.
J. Skottowe Wannamaker.
j President American Cotton Associa
tion, s
? ?* . - --
Washington. July 7.?The first com
i.plete military motor convoy to at
j tempt a trans-continental-journey Jeft.
I Washington today for San Francisco.
Sheriff Rector, Shot
Greenville Officer Killed By Jake
Gosnell
i
Greenville. July 4.?Hendrix Rec
tor, sheriff of Greenville County was
killed by Jake Gosnell in the door of \
Briscoe's garage on West Court Street
at 12:05 o'clock today. Sheriff Rector
was shot in three places, once in the
head, once in the shoulder and the j
third time in the side, all on the right i
side of the body. He died before |
reaching the city hospital.
Mrs. Gosnell was with her husband ;
at the time of the shooting and she
and W. B. Keller, who was at one
time jailor and deputy sheriff. under
Rector's administration, and Coroner
W. H. Allison, who had gone to inter
view the sheriff on another matter,
were said to be the only eye witnesses.
Several mechanics were working in
the garage at the time but said their
view of the men was obscured by au
tomobiles and they only heard the
report of the pistols. They said they
thought four shots were fired.
The sheriff fell to the concrete floor
and was unconscious and scarcely
breathing when put into an ambu
lance. The only weapon in evidence i
after Jake Gosnell had been carried to
jail and Sheriff Rector was being
placed on his death cot was the pearl
handled revolver which apparently
dropped out of the sheriff's hip pocket j
as his body was being lifted into the
ambulance. There were no signs of
injury to Gosnell. it was stated.
Immediately after the shooting Gos
nell, with his wife walked calmly to
the street. A passing automobile was
hailed and Gosnell, in custody of
Former Sheriff Keller, accompanied by
Mrs. Gosnell. rode to the county jail.
Gosnell, a few minutes later was spir
ited away in an automobile and in
custody of United States Marshal,
Lyons was carried to the State peni
tentiary at Columbia for safe keeping.
Governor Cooper, who was at York to
day, was communicated with and ad
vised of the shooting. :
Several thousand people, congre
gated at one time or another during
the dfternoon, going to and fro as the.
news of the killing was spreading,
rapidly to the remotest sections, of the
county. No. signs of violence had been
reported. Briscoe's garage is about
100 yards from the court house.
Coroner Allison, who was at the
garage at the time of the shooting
Said the inquest will be held Satur
day and that he preferred not to make
any public statement prior to the
hearing. Mrs. Gosnell, after her hus
band's arrest, said that he would have
no statement to make until after he
consulted his attorneys.
Ex-Deputy Sheriff Keller was
quoted by several officers as saying
that a few words were exchanged be
tween Sheriff Rector and Gosnell. He
stated that Rector, who had been
standing in the garage office waiting
for his automobile, walked into the
storage room. Gosnell at the time
was kneeling down looking at some
part of his car- Sheriff Rector is
quoted as saying, "Good Morning." to
Gosnell and the latter replied. "I have
no good morning for you." to which
[Sheriff Rector is quoted to have re
I plied. "I don't give a damn whether,
iyou have or not." Gosnell rose front
! his position, it is alleged, and fireit:'
I from a 32 caliber revolver which was'
j later turned over to the coroner foir
I evidence.
I Hostile feeling had existed: between'
ithe two men for several years, due'
[largely, it is.said,, to political .dif^e^.
! ences. A year or so ago they ia&,?^
j fight one night on Map Street asttfc'
I were tried in recorder's court. T^^..
I also occasionally indulged in newspa"-''
per controversies in which bitterne^
was expressed. -?.
Both men had been very active .yin.?,,.
politics in the county^though GosneH^
never aspired for public office. As\a>
special revenue agent, his activity.';
was devoted to raiding, whiskey'dis,:?
tilleries. * 'V/
Sheriff Rector had a. spectacular
career as an officer and was pictur
esque .to a degree. He was the lead
ing Bleaseite in the county and the?.**
backbone of the Blcase^Rector or*;
ganization in this county. He was 37.r ?
years of age and was oorn and reared!'
in the Dark Corner section of Glassy.'1
Mountain. Elected magistrate at thev'
age of 21, he later came to GreenvilleT
and served as a policeman earning a.
reputation as a fearless officer. Hfv
was elected sheriff the first..time, h&l
ran, defeating J. D. Gilreath, who had, -
been a political power, by aim^ajorit^^
of 16 votes. , ? ?'/' .
Three years ago he was reelecte?^?n.
the first ballot over five opponents',
and, was an announced "candjk^.te^^fQ^.*.
a third term. He was frequently., tfj%
the limelight and. was known .through^'
out South Carolina. Sheriff Rector's!;
chief political strength was. :ixt9 thte;
mill villages and the country, though
he received a flattering vote, in - th ?.
city in the last election.
The funeral will be held Sunday:-:
Besides his wife he is survived by t^t
mother and four brothers. Charts -gv.^
Rector, deputy collector . of ,io^i^i.?
revenue; Romey Rector, Jeff Rectc*,;*
who was. wounded in France, attdvjlm':
Rector. " " \
Gosnell is about .45 years old andiaV
powerful man physically. .
.-.. -1.
At an early hour. Friday, mojenirigv
Jake. Gosnell. charged, with- sh$ot$gjv
to death .Sheriff Rector ih>Gjeeuyjtttfe/
yesterday, had not reached "tfie ~?$ale*'
penitentiary and his wlierea^.trts^}
were unknown.' - ' V
Governor Cooper ^will-be called ;uppH~\
at once to appoint ? successor- for tiie?";',
unexpired term of Sheriff Reetor?
?" '
"7 ? .- - ? -vt ?
Dr. S. H. Edmunds? Sj^prin^e^d^,
ent.of Sumter City. ^hppj^.\^.i^r^^.
an able .series of x>&2gQ&\?&XXfzZx&<z&
before, the Summer. SchopXiiujing^^ffc;;
evening assemblies. .61'-th'^w'ci^^fe
throp and Dr. Emunds have. a,tmuiu
affair of appreciation. It Js pi
to note that Sumter c?ptinjgie?^to.
press, her \;aJmtion.., of her' 'supe^.i^^
tendent in terms of thousands.--?Wm-c:
throp. Weekly News.. .,,
Christiania^. June., l?.?-^?.-No^y
wegian trans-Atlantic., wireie^. staUo^-.
at Stavanger? whichhaa/ie^iji 're?Mv^
for use over a year, ..wi^,sooiL..co'm^v
mence service .to. the.,first Ainerica?^:
zone . station^ by- P?r^ftis^on^^f^t
American government.. ' ~
at
A. Mi.
ALEX AVERBUCK, Proprietor
38 South Mam Street. Sumter, S. C.
$35,000 Worth of Seasonable Merchandise;, Placed on Sale at Drastic Reductions, for 10 days only. &
In defiance of the present high cost of merchandise, and the ever increasing prices, we are compelled to throw out
entire stock to the public at prices that will make your pocket book SMILE. It will ?maze and delight you.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ?^wSIh?:
Get one of our large posters, now being distributed in all four corners of this and adjoining Counties. ! : ? *
Nothing Sold Until Friday, July 11, Remember the Date
1