Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-04-10
Alleged AduIteratiOns OF American
G0ffou

Cotton.
II will be remembered that we pub
lished a few days ago an able and lengthy
communication written by well known
cotton merchant of this city to the New
York Journal Of Commerce on the above
subject, in which the writer replied fully
to the charges of dishonesty made
against American cotton planters by
British buyers. In view of the counter
charges therein made against these buy
ers as desiring to cheaper American cot
ton in their own selfish interests, our
New York contemporary very properly
calls on Minister Lowell to investigate
the matter. As it well says: 'Our Ior-
eign Ministers are supposed to represent
the interests of their own country. In
no wav can this be better done than by
refuting unjust accusations designed or
calculated in effect to disparsge Amerl-
can products or injure American trade.
It Is certainly not the proper business OF
American Ministers or COnsuls to assist
in disseminating false impressions with
regard to American cotton. II they can
do no better than echo the aspersions OF
interested parties in Manchester, they
should shut their mouths and put their
pens behind their ears. There are for
eigners enough at work already crying
down American pork, beef, lard, butter
and cheese, and every other American
export which runs in competition with
European products, without reinforcing
their number by American officials.
There is no ground for the suspicion
that Consul Shaw, when he made his
report rejecting so severely upon the
Southern planter. intended to play into
the hands of British cotton buyers On
the contrary, it is believed that ne con-
scientiously desired to warn his cotton
growing countrymen against the evil
consequences certain to result from in
dulging in the practice Of fraudulenty
increasing the weight of their produce
by adulterating it with sand, iron ana
other foreign substances. Nevertheless
Mr.. Shaw evidently heard but one
side of the question, and was, uncon-
sciously perhaps. most probably infiu
enced By the allegatiOns.of the buyers
with whom he conversed, and who
might have fortified their sweeping
charges BY the exhibition of few sam
pies of cotton of which sand was
prominent factor.
/ Our prudent and conservative New
York contemporary very properly arrives
at the conclusion that had Mr. Shaw put
himself in the place of the American
cotton grower, he would have learned
the following facts: That there Is no
such thing as perfectly pure cotton.
That no gin has ever been invented that
takes out the sand or dirt inevitably ad-
herring to the lower grades of cotton
when picked. That the presence Of
moisture is the result of carelessness
oftener than fraud, arising from the
exposure of the bales tOrain without sufi-
Gent cover. That the mixing of different
grades in the same bale is the work OF
ignorance or the want of proper facili-
ties rather than of swindling. That
even admitting all the Manchester buyers
say, they are not losers in pOcket by the
operation. They buy the cotton know
ing it to be sandy or soaked with rain at
a reduced rate. They lose nothing by it.
If the cotton is pslmed off as higher
grade or in finer condition than it pans
out they have their remedy in a suit
for damages against the seller. Plainly
the Manchester buyers have been exag-
gerating to Mr.. Shaw, who has lent them
an obliging ear. If there is such thing
as fraudulent packing, there is also such
e thing as making fraudulent claims for
damages, and for every one Of the for
mer there are at least one hundred Of the
latter. Mr.. Shaw fofgets that it may be
for the buyers interest to depreclate the
sellers goods.
Il is manifest, therefore, that in ninety
nine cases out of a hundred the alleged
authorizations of which Mr.. Shaw has
heard, but of which Mr.. Lowell has seen
so little, is the result of ignorance, care
lessness and want of proper facilities in
packing and shipping rather than of
dishonesty. Nevertheless, Mr. Shaw's
report, whether exaggerated or not, will,
we doubt not, have a good effect, since
the probable result thereof will be to
make our cotton planters more careful
in future to pack and ship their cotton
in as good condition as possible. To act
otherwise would eventually rebound to
their injury, and prove hurtful to the
regulations of their fellow planters.
Despite eli his troubles and adyersities,
the Southern planter. as a class, has
heretofore always enjoyed an enviable
name for honor and honesty, which we
sincerely trust viii never be forfeited.