The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-09-22
COTTON BAGGING.
recommendation OF Edward Atkinson
the Distinguished StOtistician.
had not.

the Distinguished Statistician.
The following correspondence is self ox-
plnnatory:
MEMPHIS Tenn, Sept ~ 1883
The Hon. Edward Atkinson. Boston, Mass.
Dear Sir--The farmers OF the south who
make cotton-the actual toilers In the fields,
black aud white-arc now confronted by
'iute bagging combine or trust" which is
sharply injurious to their interests. They
are naturally highly indignant and are seek
lug all conceivable ways to avoid the trusts
| rksome exactions. Can yOu give them the
benefit Of your valuable advice in their laud'
able cndeavon Your wide experience, your
trained Judgment, could be Of great service
! to them In this emergency. In their behalf,
I invoke it. Especially will you consider
aud treat all the possibilities and practical
! bilitics for quickly converting the lower
| grades of cotton into cotton baTing In time
/ Tor entire or partial use in wrapping the cot
| ton of the present season. There Is sample
| of such bagging now on exhibition
at our Cotton exchange here, which
seems admirably adapted 10 the purpose
Of substitute for iutc bagging. IL IL
made by the Lane mills of New Orleans, but
~ they can only turn out about lAVoV ya-d,
| per lay, the supply will by no means equal
| the demand.
one question which you can probably
answer. and which consider Of the most
| importance Is how fast can similar adapla-
! lions Of spinning machinery be made IN the
various cotton factoric, Of this country, pro
| yidrd they are satisfied that there VIII DE
good demand for their goods at paying
| Gguresl
| You need not necessarily treat this qucs-
| ton entirely from thu 'andpoint Of immc-
| dilte direct individualUcd economy. Tens
! of Thousands OF ~ are willing ~ endure
| tempornrily considerable loss IN order 10 de-
| feat the "'intc bagying trust and thus tie
! tcr dc7lcrs IN jute products ana olhcFs from
! repeating this or similar ncihnous efforts
! We believe, however that the innl outcome
| Of die us. of cotton maic' bIggng would
80 advance the cotton market eventually as
! 10 rrply "a rs y whole people for our tempo
r,ry and individual lu-sus iu lighting the
| trust Very respectfully L. ;. IAKE
Mr.. ATKISsoS's Reply.
nuzroS. sept. "a. is,A
l. 9. Lake ESQ, caro- Ncssts. lake & Dor.on Nom.
pitts Tenn.
Dear sir-Your letter Of September u was
duly received In my absence. since lcn a
! dunlicntc hns come g. hand containing
| sample Ut the cotton harging which las been
| nut ln the market by your mills.
| I'm rcply TO yuur question beg "a say that
| A. would be Impossible TO adapt any mill
eXrcpt one engaged on the very coar-cst lab
rics To- the manufacture of bngUng suitable
Ia cover cotton. Even this could not uc
| dome In season to meet the covering OF the
pr,scnt crop. nor would any cotton mill be
| justified In making the extensive change
which would be required Tor the work IN
| order 10 supply bagging for a single SEASON
There can I think, be no permanent lie.
mnnd Tor cotton bagging In competition
with barglng made OF lutte, Tor the rs,s1n
that the average price 81 lulo butts . from
A.. Ia . cents pound, prCcluding the com.
petition even with the lowest grade Of cot.
nm ~ long as cotton bales ara made up aud
treated in the present unsuitable manner.
ia .mal bale, we'll carvd for could be- sub.
sututrd osnahurrs would serve for covering.
can merely repeat b. You what have
said elsewhere and often there j. no article
Of such commercial importance ~ cotton N
ANY kiud which y ou tn whole su htrbuTuusly
tfcat@,l aud 20 unsuitnbly handled From
the time ID leaves the cotton gin uatl ID
/ reaches the factory the bale l. exposed "a
every possible method " deterioration and
l1.s. al Of which falls upon the producer
, II Is covered with ba'dng " ctrc~iinrly
heavy weight under tie false impression
that the bt'N are sold NJ the price ui ,"iiIn
| II Il rolled IN the mud, IL u exposed fu ~
weather. u h comprcss"d and a large p,tt OF
the excess OF cotton h cut Oh, IL i cut ant
sampled. aud ultimately reaches the mil
/. under such conditions that an excessive nc
ducti0n on WEIGHT must he made by over,
u manufacturer Tor wasis. heforr he can com
b puir the cost Ut the cotton iu the cloth. m,
price 81 the whole crop l. practically deter
D milrd nv the price nc which tWp. thirds OF q
!. will sclf Tor export; all foreign order, lrt
given subject Ia tare aud allowance fur OK
. ccs. Of ropes and hays all the manufacturer
! la the north compute the waste nt ~,
MAXIMUM before entering into n contract q,
] make goods from any Kind Of cotton; there
D iurr the grower receives only such price "a
y, tho thoroughly had methods o! brling
! handling aud sending h. market viii P"rini
q she manufacturer to give him.
trust that In this excitement there maj
b. . BEGINNING ot improvement Ticrr d
, more than one pru which csn b. attached
directly 10 the gin, hy vhich cotton csn b,
. nut az IN the very best Kramer w ba!c, 4.
. l. 10 pounds These may be- wired on Nh,
cotton tlicn protested with bufhps cot
l ton o-naburgs and male dp into Truss, o
, tnur bales cn,h in uplet tu iake a CONNER
eiai hale, II thai " considered nccrsssry. 4
I would bc great folly 10 a ~, hut II nay b,
p necessary ~ LONG ~ u fu.ll bale OF q mul
Upl. of small bales u not cuusidetcd NE.
cinntable. b,y,innine hn hryn made IN
thk direction and iarsc Number " smal
, ba.,s of cotton have h,ca sent to make,
during the past three yrtr from Ma Hni1
| hItNHNNi any NlHiFlN " HNtAlf AIf'ffNN n SUIT
all. method Of hihir and parhtnf cotton
the grower. will be ftye from ia dluact oI
{ comh'ua,ions amons ba ling aiskrr,. That
-actiun rt state which trst adopts a., right
method will act tho bc-t p.ufit on the grow.
, ing ~ the staple.
I c,n srr -. no method by witch you
c1n cover the cotton u che l,rr.cnt crop IN
e an better w. taan ~ Juy t- b9y-,1g VI
, the usual Kind at the ioHr p.ics which
you can gct IT, louss Ae.l truly
4 Ers,Hs KiNsoS.
NOTE NJ MI NgE.
, Nair-Frum the wcl'-rrr'n, advice IN he
! ciuomdins rinrrash cd Nr. Atkin-ou''
{ | lr,itt above 7 musi most respectfully hul
drrirly dissent Ny opinion I, siil un
changed that tsrners IN steady pursusres
3 VI . necessary aud permanent policy Of self
defense cad srlfrrrrtyaton. must dcfeai
the iuto higgius trust nov by wmppinl
their ruttun in Lone mills bs.grr. old lag
gins nun,iye bagtins Nur.up- o. osua
buughs. = LAKN
ludee Faimlt. NJ lows city o., YESTERDAY
~ pns,.i Wtlihm Oru't lu trn YEARS M
q. T BOO n.Httafy sst utfrm|tiut 10 Nrr--k q
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