Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-03-01
TIE MONOPoLIsrs wARRING ON
THE COTTON GROWERS.

The New York Times informs US that a
delegation of hoop-iron manufacturers is in
Washington urging the Ways and Means
Committee to report the Mckinley bill.
These hoop-iron monopolists are the grasp
ing creatures who have long been laboring to
get the cotton iron ties taxed as hoop-iron,
with a view to have the duty upon them
raised from thirty-fiye to eighty per cent. It
is gratifying to know that the action taken
by the Memphis Cotton Exchange to induce
Congress TO remove the duty from iron ties
has not been without effect. The movement
for free cotton ties has alarmed the unscrupu-
lous people who desire to make the cotton
growers of the South subservient payers of
tribute, compulsory contributors to the build
ing up of the fortunes of iron monopolists.
This is shown by the remark of the Times
that some effort has been made 10 deny the
statement that this bill is intended to raise
the duties on cotton ties, but all doubt
is removed by these ingenious makers
of hoop-iron, who know very well on
which side their bread is buttered, and
whose interest in the Mckinley prop
osition is not purely patriotic" The
falsehood of any such attempted denial is
shown by the efforts these people have made
to induce the United States authorities to re-
verse their decision that iron ties are not
hoop-iron, but manufactured article hav-
ing a specific purpose. Also, by the at
tempts they have made to obtain similar
reversal by bringing the case into court, when
every endeavor was made by them to prove
that iron ties are nothing but hoop-iron, and
subject to the same duty as hoop-iron, eighty
per cent. The effort they are now vainly
making TO escape from the position their
grasping greed placed them in, is clearly the
result of the policy advocated By the Mem
phis Cotton Exchange. They would like to
have the higher rate of duty established if
they could, but failing in that they do not
want to lose the thirty-ive per cent. they
at present wringing from the earnings of the
cotton-grower. That there ought to be Stree
iron ties' as well as "free quinine' il evi
-~..s, Tue tan &c one that rails upon
the foreigner, but is inflicted upon the pro-
Queer of cotton. If free cotton ties should bring
in foreign-made ties, there is no ground for
complaint for most of the cotton iesimported
from abroad would go abroad again with the
cotton bales they are employed to bind. The
Illness article gives us knowledge that the
hoop-iron menopolists have a delegation in
Washington. We know that one of the OBJ
jects of that delegation is to have the full
hoop-iron tax reimposed upon iron ties, for
when the monopolists failed in their appeals
to the executive, and failed again in their
efforts in the courts, they made no secret OF
their intention to appeal to Congress "to do
them justice" by acting with gross injustice
toward the cotton-growers. The fact that the
hoop iron lobbyists are working their decep-
tive maneuvers in Washington-that they
are besetting congressional committee, and
waylaYiDg individual congressman, points
out clearly that the work the Memphis Cot
ton Exchange has begun has not reached its
end yet. We urge upon the members of the ex-
change to lose no time in appointing commit
tee whose duty it shall be to enter into CORE
spondence with cotton exchanges elsewhere,
80 that a combined resistance may be offered |
to the hoop-iron delegation in their efforts to |
extort tribute from the cotton-grower Let |
the united effort be directed toward securing
the entire release of the cotton-grower from |
paying tribute to the iron hoop monopolizers. /
Let the cry be "free iron ties" Half |
he effort those monopolists are max
ng to inhict a great wrong, if used on
he other side, would secure the victory
or great right. Free iron ties and no
urrenderl In thus standing up for the in
erests of the cotton-grower the cotton ex-
changes will be doing an act of simple JUS
ice which the bill now before Congress
he Mckinley bill-seeks to violate. The
south makes no attempt to reduce any arti-
lie OF Northern production to the position
If payer of tribute to the South; nor can
,otton- growers of the South submit to such
IN imposition upon themselves. The At
anita Constitution, in replying to defender
# the iron hoop monopolists, well says
We desire to protect our neighbors, our
elOn -~ItiLrIIr, OuL ISs.deIz, f.ie-.Is, {,
he indirect robbery that lies at the bottom
If the Mckinley proposition to increase the
luty on cotton ties from Sl4 Al to S33 90.
We plead guilty to the spirit OF sectionalism
hat would develop and protect home inter
,sts. Would that no other spirit of Sec
ionalism had ever found Judgment in the
BOSOM of any American. But we are not SO
devoted to the interests of Georgia and the
ection roundabout as to desire their promo
ion by means OF a spoliation tax imposed
1pon any particular Northern interest"