The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1886-10-16

fANHtH AAtAN ~NAAOA eNNNt N-N "AAA
resort to this or some other plan
10 meet the threatened danger.
Hon. G. G. Cordill, State Senator
and a large cotton planter of Ten.
sas parish, was last evening made
the subject of a Times Democrat
attention at the Cotton
Exchange. The conversation
turned upon the subject of the
American Cotton Oil Trust Com.
pany, and the reporter asked:
allow do you, as planter, view
this Cotton Oil Trust Company n
at seems to me the policy |
adopted by the Oil Trust Com.
pany is wrong, and will bring
about that condition of affairs the
company desires to avoid, viz:
the formation of new companies.
The Oil Trust controls 90 per cent
of the producing capacity of all
the mills in the United States.
Now their first move is to reduce
the price Of cotton seed over 80
per cent compared with this time
one year ago. Then seed sold for
$40 per ton on the bank; planters
are now offered IS per ton. One
year ago crude oil sold for about
seventeen cents per gallon; it is
now worth twenty.nine cents.
Meal aud cake both command bet
ter prices than last season. So
you see the producer is compelled
to sell for much less than he re
ceived one year ago, while the
product from his seed commands
a much higher price. ] am aware
of no instance IN any country
where a few individuals, to enrich
themselves, have made or attempt.
ed to make q combination to CON-
pei the tillers of the soil to take a
certain fixed price for the product
of their labor. Supply and de-
mand should fix the price. Cotton
seed, like cotton, corn and wheat,
should have its ups and downs In
accordance with the temper of
speculation in open market.
"If all tho oil mills can and are
permitted to combine and fix
the price of seed at 80 per ton all
the cotton mills can combine and
fix the price Of cotton at five cents
per pound. This combination is
weak IN itself, II is stocked for an
enormous sum-some thirty five
million dollars, | believe five or
six times the cost of the plant.
Their only strength is the weak.
ness of their opponents; they
know that II is almost impossible
for agricultural people and labor.
ers to combine; fully two iifths Of
the cotton is raised by colored
people, who sell their seed at any
price offered them the price now
offered does not pay the expense
of hauling to the landing or depot,
as the case may be. The mill men
know this and upon this fact base
all their hopes of success. If all
agricultural people in the South
would decline to sell their seed
for one year, make fertilizers and
restore their poor land, this
combination would go..to pieces of
its own weight"
"What remedy would you sug.
gesti r.
III know of no lawful remedy
unless the producers would go
on strike"
"What is your opinion as to the
difference of the Cotton Oil Trust
and the Standard Oil Company at
tho North n
II think there is q great differ
ence. In the first place the own.
ers Of oil trust cannot compare
themselves to the Standard Oil
Company. That company owns
its own wells, owns the land upon
which they arc situated, and their
refining factories. Now, If this
corporation desires to place itself
upon the same footing they should
buy oil the plantations and make
their ownHroduct, and become in
dependent of everyone, and then
be able to do as the Standard Oil
Company does-snap their fingers
in the face of courts, Legislature
and everybody else"
"What would be the effect of
the present policy Of the Oil Trust
Company upou agriculturists ~
"If this company continues In
its unjust course toward the plant
ing community. hostility will grow
up aud continue to increase. A
large number of people, many
millions, inhabiting and CONTROL.
ing thirteen States, are engaged
In growing cotton. The agitation
will continue until 1t spreads
among them, and remedy for SO