The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-04-15


the New York rice importer, who came to
Savannah a few days ago to induce the
Savannah Rice Association to agree to the
striking out CT the Mills bill the clause de-
lining unclean rice, talks too much. Most
men who talk too much make the mistake
of accepting their impressions for facts
When Mr.. Talmage left Savannah, hav-
ing failed to acco nplish his mission, he was
clearly in very bad humor. He
stopped at Charleston and expressed
his opinion of the members of the
Savannah Rice Association to a reporter of
the NeWs and Courier Among other
things he Is reported to have said: 81 was
much impressed, during the conference
held with the gentlemen of Savannah, that
the animus or spirit which seemed TO per-
wade the meeting, and their subsequent
action was entirely one of jealousy of any
interest outside of their own personal
progress. From their conversation, at that
meeting, it was plainly evident that they
could not stand the competition of other
points. They seem to feel that Savannah
| is the hub of the universe and, if they
cannot successfully compete in milling
that everybody else shall be choked off
They forget that the tariff is intended to
foster the milling industry just as much in
other parts of the country as in their little
town.
The Savannah Rice Association is largely
composed Of rice planters who insist upon
the retention of the definition clause in the
Mills bill mainly because if il were stricken
out the rice planters would be deprived of
very large part of the benefit from the duty
on rice which it is intended they shall
have. Because they refuse to sacrifice their
interests in order to advance those of Mr..
Ialmage that gentleman declares that they
are guided by a narrow minded policy and
that they think their little town" is the
hub of the universe.
What, in brief, does Mr.. Talmage wantl
he wants class of rice admitted as unclean
which is almost clean. The Mills bill pro-
vldes that clean rice shall pay duty of &c.
pound, and unclean 1Ac. The rice which
Mr.. Talmage wants admitted as unclean
needs only a little brushing TO make it
clean, and that can be done according to
reliable statements for 1s16c pound 1t is
evident, therefore, that if Mr. Talmage
could have his way no rice classed as clean
would be imported. The kind which
Mr.. Talmage wants classed as I'M
clean would be imported, however,
in vast quantities because of the
lower duty on it. Mr.. Talmage says that
1t costs &c. pound to clean this rice, but
of the correctness of his statement he could
convince no one here, and perhaps he has
never convinced any one anywhere else.
He has, it seems, some machines which cost
from s., 800 to $1,000 apiece, and which are
run by cheap labor, with which he cleans
the rice which he imports as I'M
clean. II the mills here can clean this rice
for 1-l6c, a pound, it is Ger tain that
he can clean it for that sum
or less. There may be some losses in the
operation of cleaning, but they can hardly
be very great. IL there were no losses Mr.
Talmages scheme would amount, in effect
to reduction of the duty on clean rice of
ll-l6c. pound. But, admitting that the
losses amount to 3-16c. a pound, there still
remains reduction of nc. a pound. And
it Is because the Savannah rice planters
will not assist in bringing about this reduc-
ton against their own interest that Mr..
Talmagc calls them narrow. minded, selfish,
jealous, etc.
But in his talk with the Neps and Cott-
rfer reporter Mr.. Talmsge said Mai. Bar
ker of that city was in perfect accord with
him. Maj Barker has published card in
which he says that he did not see Mr.. Tai
mage after his return from Savannah, but
did see him when he was on his way here.
He states that Mr.. Talmage represented to
him that &c less duty on uncleaned rice
placed that article on a footing with cleaned
rice, and that the definition clause in the
Mills bill would not help the planter but
would injure the miller. Maj. Barker says
II have not been convinced that
&c. pound saved in duty on unclaimed
rice is accounted for in the cost of handling
that form of imported ricen 1t seems,
therefore, that Mr.. Talmage was not more
successful in converting the rice men of
Charleston to his scheme than those of Sa-
vannah. When he finds out that they are
not his allies he may withdraw his assertion
that the Charleston rice men ARE men of
much broader mind than those who repre-
sent the rice interests of Savannah The
Savannah men are sufficiently broad
minded not to be led by the nose by Mr..
Talmage.