The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-09-29

BUENA VISTA, CLAIBORNE COUNTY, MISS,
September "a, 1877

BUENA VISTA, CLAIBORNE COUNTY, MISS,
September "a, 1877.
Editor De,nooat-The National Cotton Elk
change committee which met at Greenbrier
White Sulphur Springs in July last, passed
the following resolution: "That on ali bales
of cotton with side pieces an allowance Of
three pounds per bale be made to the buyer"
have not the exact words of the resolution
before me, but l am almost certain that the
above conveys the exact meaning. That reso-
luton was supported by che following facts :
/. There no longer exists any legal necessity
for. the use of side pieces on bales of cotton,
and g. That part Of the cotton now marketed
has side pieces and part has not, making a
relative difference to The buyer.
AS before said, have not the minutes of the
meeting before me- but hope have stated
ever existed any legal necessity, to use side
pieces. The necessity came Of this, to have
our bales look well and TO have the cotton
well covered all over. After working at it
nearly the whole year-pl planting, cultivating,
hand it over to the buyer in nicely covered
bales to preserve it in Its transportation from
dust or mud or trash of any kind. That
much was desirable and Of good intent, mas.
much as 1t was benefit TO both seller and
buyer.
never understood that we were obliged,
by any law of the Cotton Exchange or any
other competent party, to use side pieces. 1t
was simply 2 matter OF taste and good policy.
mean that in wrapping the bale we shall use
Just two widths of bagging to cover the top,
the bottom and the sides OF the bale. II So
that will not protect the whole bale. Bales
bagging indicated, would show gap of six
inches or twelve inches, or more OF uncovered
cotton along the side of the bale. That UNI
covered gap of cotton will catch all the dust
will wisely ask for reduction on the miser-
able stuff before him. or order the bale to the
"pickery" to have the foreign substances re-
moved, to have the cotton cleaned; and then
the, seller, poor devil, begins TO think d n it,
and asks curious questions, and wonders
what on earth allied those gentlemen who
went to Greenbrier White Sulphur Springs
and got us into this pickery business, and
giving us advice when we really supposed
none was needed.
About two years ago there was great hue
and cutlery by the carriers railroads and
steamboats--that we were growing too care
less In wrapping our bales. They must have
them entirely acrdpped and refusing to carry
cotton unless 1t was covered all over with
bagging, securely fastened. Nor would they
sign bills of lading without excepting such
bales as were under their restrictions. do
not know that this cutlery against imperfectly
covered cotton bales was backed by any law
of necessity; but this much we all know, that
bills of ladng reaching the buyer with excep-
tions is against the seller. / reasonably sup
posed the insurance companies approved the
plan Of having the bales entirely covered, as
thereby the danger from sparks of fire would
be less, and hugely suspect that before very
long we will hear q voice of protest from
them against exposed cotton in transitu and
covered by Insurance. as being more easily
set on fire by accident or incendiarism.
The question recurs. can a bale Of cotton
from our country presses be securely or per-
fectly wrapped without using these side
pieces What are side pieces2 l understand
used to cover the top, the bottom or the sides
of bale, excepting tco scidths of the bdggia,g
castomaYity ased. III am right in my defini-
ton of side pieces l answer the former aues-
ton in the negative; there will be left gap
to quarrel about. Not many years since you
reduced the number of ties from seven to six.
That change was reasonable and proper
simply because six ties amply secured the
bale; and, although the planter suffered lit
tie trouble and expense in adjusting his press
blocks to meet the new arrangement, he
readily aSSented.
Now comes the third deduction in weight
for something we do not think altogether
reasonable and proper, and why? The utter
fectly covered bale with the amount of bag
ging atlo,ced by the Cotton Exchange COM
mittee; and if we donot put up such bales,
the possible, nay, the almost certain chance
of losing more than three pounds in the
pickery-for great many of these partially
covered bales will certainly find their way
there; ana then the annoyance and the
pickering, and the hard thoughts, not to be
calculated by pounds or dollars and cents
do not write in any spirit of captiousness,
nor from simple antagoniSm, but from a sim
cere wish to hear reasons or arguments-not
willing always to rest under decisions that
may appear unreasonable or arbitrary.
MISSISSIPPI PLANTER.