The Lake Charles echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1876-1898, 1888-08-24

TlmasDsmocrat.
Last Saturday the leading rice plant
eFs of nine parishes Of the rice region,
or neatly ali the parishes, met in the
Produce Exchange of this city, and
organized the Louisiana Rice Plant
eFs' Association.
We had already an active, and eff
aeisnt organization Of The Louisiana
Sugar PLANTERS, which body has hsd
/ q voice. in the settlement Of the politi-
heal Legislation Of the country, and
whose representatives have won the
respect of every statesman in tine
land. That body has also been of
vast benefit to the State IN the dis
semInatioB of scientific, technical and
meteorological information, and in
promoting a spirit of unity among the
sugar planting community.
! 1t was their example which ted to
the formation of the Rice Planters
| Association.
When one considers that the rice
industry of this State has sprung from
the production of few Thousand bar
rels of rice before the war and a! the
end Of 1t to nearly 100000 barrels
tEo wears ago, from q few thousand
dollars worth of rice to nearly So, GOO
600 worth, the necessity for organiza-
tion among the planters becomes man
ifest.
The State has gone forward with
giant strides in this industry, and,
passing South Carolina and Georgia,
has become to be the first rice pro
dneing, as she is the first sugar pro
dueIBg State in the country.
For several years past the rice IN
dnstry Of the South has been men
aced by hostile legislation. Cut after
cnt has been made in the tariff, and
unjust custom house discrimination
mas been made until recently against
the planters in permitting the import
alton Of partially unbroken rice under
the head of rice meal and nee -four.
The Produce Exchange here has pro
tested against these rulings and the
planters Of the three rice States have
likewise done So, until recently Our
representatives have succeeded in
having stop put TO the practice,
while they have scared a satisfactory
Rdjustment.of the tariff in the Mills bill.
In the early part Of the discussion
over the Mills Laritf bill the proposal
was made for the rice planters 10 or
gsnise. This work was deferred. and
would have been deferred longer but
for what the planters deem home
thrust at their industry.
a large rice crop IS about 10 be
harvested, In the face Of this fact,
the thirteen mills located in this CITY.
which arc the planters reliance for
milling the bulk Of their crop, entered
into 4 combination or trust, recently,
to control tie price Of rough rice
One buyer was appointed 10 purchase
all rough rice shipped to New Orleans.
In this steF the planters felt that
they would be At the mercy Of tire
mills, if they failed to organize against
what they considered as a threat of
rulnons prices.
As peculiar result of this ruinous
combination, a low price for rough
rice would mean 4 low price for clean
rice, for such Of the planters as might
be able to hayc their product miIied
before selling.
1t is claimed that the milling inter
est has thrown itself in direct antag
onism with the planting industry, and
suffering 10 both can be the only re-
suit, as an abnormally low market for
rough rice would insure an abnormal
ty cheap market for milied rice.
This is a singular condition Of af-
fairs, and if the causes and effect fore
told by the unanimous voice of the
planters at their meeting last Satur-
day in the Produce Exchange hold
good, the mill proPrietors will do an
unwlse thing if they do not return to
the former harmonious and salisfsc-
tory methods of purchasing and mill
ing rough rice. To all appearances
their proposed policy bears injustice
on its face. 1t has aroused the bostil-
lty Of the entire planting community
and promises to injure the rice trade
of this city. if not to harm the rice
industry of the State.
On Saturday next there will be an
other more largely attended meeting
Of the Rice Planters Association, at
which representatives from every part
and parish of the rice region are ex-
Peeted TO be present, and some formal
action will be taken further than the
protest Of last meeting.
Considering the magnitude 10 which
the industry of our State has grown,
and the need for organization among
the planters, We congratulate the Lou
isiana rice planters on the formation
Of their association, and hope it may
at once step into the prominence Of
and soon be as productive of as good
results as the Louisiana Sugar Plant,
ers Association.
| There is a wide field for the worl
Of both0f these important bodies
There are men in both associations
who have made their mark upon the
community, and there is a vast amount
Of good resultant from such organiza
items, where, as members of these
have done, men engaged in agucnlt
uEal industries bind themselves to
getheF for the advancement of thei
own interests withegt bringing injaTs
10, but practically beneftting man
other interests and industries in thl
State and country.