Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-01-03
FOREIGN cooPERAcE.
We have received the following note
from gentleman familiar with the sub
ject IL discusses


enclose you q circular which will
explain itself, with the request thatyou
will give it an insertion in your valuable
paper. | am induced to make this re-
quest because I know you are tho
roughly devoted to Virginia's interest,
and because the trade about to slip from
us is of vast importance to our people.
During the past five years it has
left with our people at least six or seven
hundred thousand dollars, every dollar
Of which has gone into the pockets OF
poor men for material and labor, giving
employment in the winter season to
hundreds. The two Virginias arc Is
much, il not more, interested in this
trade than any other States, because
they have more material suitable, and
which is more accessible. We cannot
afford to lose this business, and shall
make an effort to secure suitable legis-
lation in this present Congress. We
hope TO be sustained by the Virginia
press. Will you help us X.
The circular is as follows. 1t states
the case better than we could do it
We respectfully beg to call your at
tention to the great depression now ex-
listing in the foreign cooperage business
Of our country, the larger portion oil
which is done with the island Of Cuba.
This business has in years past given
employment to several thousand men
in thirteen different States.
The States most interested are Viz
,ginia, West Virginia, Pennsylvania,
Maryland, New York, New Jersey,
Maine, and Michigan.
A few years ago there were annu-
ally exported from this country about
1000, 600 Of hogshead shocks, l,OOO,-
coo pairs Of heads, and 100000 Of
hoops to the Island Of Cuba; but by
the gradual substitution of English
bags the quantity Of shocks used had
declined two years ago to about $780,
600.
This was brought about by the ex-
tremely low prices at which bags were
offered by English manufacturers and
the low import duty in Cuba, being
only fifteen cents on five bags against
forty-fve cents on one hogshead but
planters were very generally opposed
to bags, and if no further action had
been taken by the Spanish Government
cooperage would have held its own, and
bags would soon have gone out Of use.
Two years ago there was an unpre-
cedented increase Of sugar production
all over the world, and the Cuban
planters being in great distress fnan-
cially called on their Government for
some relief. One of the first measures
Of relief granted was reduction of
the EXPORT duty on sugar when shipped
in bags, duty on sugar in hogsheads re-
naming the same as before, making a
saving of about quarter Of a cent per
pound over what sugars could be shipped
at in hogsheads. Under this new con-
dition Of things the consumption OF
hogsheads fell off last year to 500, 900,
or Just about half of former years, and
hoops in the same ratio. The only
reason why larger proportion Of bags
was not used was because it was i'm
possible to change at once the mode Of
handling, transporting, storing, aud
shipping such vast quantity in bags.
BY careful estimate the quantity OF
shocks to be used this year will not
exceed 100000 or half the number OF
last year, and unless something is speed
ily done to prevent it, the whole cooper
age industry OF our country will soon
be destroyed. The value of cooperage
formerly exported would exceed SO, 000,-
GOO, and require about 300 vessels lone
trip EACH to carry it at a freightage OF
about 1894, 900.
! If the cooperage business is destroy
ed, our West ladIa feet Of vessels will
be driven from the sea. as they will
have no cargoes to carry out, and it will
be impossible for them to go to Cuba in
ballast and compete with the English
" ocean steam tramps." In this event
England will furnish the packages and
vessels for freighting the larger portion
Of all the sugar and molasses produced
by Cuba. When the fact is well under
stood that about nine tenths OF all
this sugar and molssses is brought
to our country, the seriousness
of the situation will be better
appreciated. As there seems to be no
prospect of having a commercial treaty
with Spain, the only redress is for our
Government either to make a reduction
in the present duty on sugar when i'm
ported in hogsheads) of about one quar-
ter cent per pound-the duty on sugar
in bags remaining as at presenter to
increase our present duty on sugar in
bags.
If the tax is reduced on sugar in hogs
heads it cannot in any way affect other
ugar-growing countries, as their sugar
is shipped in bags, for the higher cost
Of hogsheads over bags is fully equal to
the reduction proposed. In other words,
sugar in hogsheads or bags would then
cost the same laid down in this country.
We have another remedy which could
be used in simply following the exam
pie Of Spain, and which in our opinion
would speedily settle the matter 10 favor
of our cooperage, and without disturb
ing our present tariff.
Several years ago the Spanish Gov.
eminent instructed her Consuls in all
American ports to exact fee or ex-
port duty Of ten cents per ton of cargoes
shipped on board Of American vessels
when cleared to the West India islands,
and this consular fee Tor, more proper
ly, export tax has since been collected
against the indignant protest of all
American ship-owners. If it is right
for the Spanish Government to collect
an export tax in our country,
why should not our Consuls in
the Spanish islands be instructed
to collect such fees on bags, so that
shippers would be obliged to use