New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1873-10-15
SPORTS OF TIE RING.

masters Of vessels in our port, on tht
! one part, and the Cotton Press Associs
. ton on the other. Each denounces The
!: othe. for disregarding the ''interests O
the commercial community" We appre
bend that any virtuous indignation
, evinced by either party at such an impu'
tation is thrown away, since the public
expects each 70 make just the las: dollar
which the competition Of Others will al.
low. Our own sympathies were entirely
exhausted last spring when another asso'
citation, known as that Of the towboats,
appealed to the world foY 1indica:ion,
! somewhat on the ground that they were
a "home institution" and otherwise that
they soiled for an honest living, made
very little. and supported ever SO many
poor people by their industrial charities.
Remembering that We had heard Robin
Hood, Fra Diavolo and othe. gentlemen
who earned their livelihood by imposing
contributions upon the public. com.
fnended for similar benevolence 10 the
poor. We did cot grieve FOX the many
blows with which the STOW ring was be-
laboYed. We ask no favcrs Of any such
! combinations. We expect no sacrifice for
the public interest.
! What is the conflict about? ]. The
Cotton Press Association, composed, We
are told, Of twenty-eight presses. adopted
arule that they would charge rate for
COMPRISING proportionase to the rate of
freight charged by the ship masters 2.
The ship masters declare this principle
! unjust, and such rates exorbitan:.
TO this the Press Association replies in
q card, in which they defend their rates
as but 20 fair remuneration for the large
investment and heavy expenses Of the
twenty-eight presses Of this city l. also
! adds ".ha: the present rates Of freight are
maintained for speculative purposes and
by a ring combination. 1t would seem
that ''home" institution, as the Cotton
Press association claims 20 be. should
base its rate Of compensation on the
Socs odu NoAA"Ao SAIeI0oS ~ 49, "AN-N
investment.
II there have been more presses built
than there is need fc1 i. does not seem
that the city Of New Orleans is bound TO
pay dividends upon shei, ;mprcvident
architecture. nor have their owners any
more right to assess their dividends upon
the common commerce than the p,opYie-
tors OF Al unnecessary or surplus hotel !
would have. IN this the twenty-eight !
cotton presses seem to resemble an equal !
number OF towboats IN each case, there |
not being business enough fox all, a COM
bination may exact from the public q COM
Portable subsistence fox all: tor the !ogi-
clans Of the cotton presses have made an
admission fatal to all pretensions Of Ievo-
ton 20 "home" interests and wholly in
consistent with the statemen: that their
rates are only intended 70 return fair
profit on their investment. Promising
that 'the e1orbitan. and speculative spiri:
and high rate Of freights" manifested and
exacted by the ship agents made The
business a: the fixed rates Of
las: year anreuunesa:iye" tie .ssoc:a-
'ion proceeds to say: /:
The adoption by u. OF the aiding scale.
which adapts the charges for COMPRISING
lotion 10 the rates OF freight which was
By leading ship brokers appeared
20 be the only equitable pode by which
he presses could prevent this oppression Of
commerce by the shipping jnteres: and cave
hem from actual loss on the large capital
md labor employed in the cOmpre s.ing
We can not think the association has
'eeen happy in the selection Of their atto,-
hey. II their charges are based on their
Investments. and il the rates Of tie ship
agents are based upon exorbi.an: ex-
actions. what right has this '.home" ;nsti-
'u:ion to impose an additional! charge upon
hese very esac:!ors: /: reads thus: We
aave given amour. invested IN cotton
presses: We considered las: yea: so many
EMS . bale fair compensation :o1 Oh.
Investment and expenses. YOU ship
brokers' charged the public an eXorbitant
'ate fos freight, and we mus. have a share |
IF that extortion. This claim 20 division !
IF the spoils o! commerce may be cues
ion as between the parties dispu:an.. It
places them precisely on par. /: dis
poses 0! the pretence that the Cotton Press
Association is the peculia. friend Of COM ,
nesce. Nor can we understand how the
ate Of freight charged by the ship masters
,ould have been responsible for the alleged
osses Of the cotton presses. There was
'eceived. hauled, and. We suppose. COM
pressed here last year little under q
million and half bales Of cotton.
:: our :wen;y-eighs cotton presses did
lot charge remune,a:iye rates for that
ervice. VIVA: could the .a:e o: ireigh:s
laye had % do with their losses: How {
he agreemen. among the presses 20 in.
rease their charges can proven: this OPP
PRESTON o: commerce We can 10: under !
sand. If the ship masters have an IN
limited powe! TO impose what !reich: rates
hey choose. then any increase Of COM
,ress rates Wi! he simply added to
reigh.s. The shipper vii! pay both and !
he association poke: its share Q: what. :
q its own language. We Cal! a io;o: EEK {
oytion." 8
We DO no: appear FOX :le ship agents,
nj We think tLa assertion ,ha. they I