The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1888-12-15
THE BAGGISG QUESTION.
Report From a Committee Of Capital
Alliance.
New Farmerl

The undersigned committee Of Cap
Ital Alliance, upon whom was deyOlved
the duty of making inquiry whether
an article of bagging manufactured
out of cotton, is suitable tor covering
cotton for market and will supply the
place of jute bsgging in quality and
cheapness, beg leave to submit the fol
lowing report of their investigations;
The inquiry is proper. About the
time the cotton crop was ready for
picking, the planters were astonished
and indignant to find that a gigantic
combination or trust had been formed
by the manufacturers of jute bagging,
and they had raised the price of the
article about 100 per cent above the
price of last season. The grasping
spectators availing themselves of the
high tariff which shuts off foreign
competition, boldly determined that
they would regulate prices to suit
themselves, and would accept nothing
less than the exorbitant rate which
they unjustifiably and arbitrarily pre-
scribed. Planters were outraged to
find that the Trust had completely
cernered' the market, and were re-
solved to use their advantage without
scruple. AMr Gratz, representing the
Trust, testified before Congressional
investigating committee, that it was Il
scheme of revenge as well as of plum
der, devised by the manufacturers of
jute bagging in retaliation for the
proposition contained in the Mills bill
to reduce duty on foreign bagging, by
which competition in the trade had
been practically destroyed; aud he
stated that the Trust would dissolve
if the attempt to reduce the duty was
abandoned. Mr., Tapp, a manufacturer
of jute bagging, has published that he
was paid by the Trust to close up his
factory; and it is known that the con-
spirators have bought or taken into
partnership every other establishment
in the United States. Under these
circumstances there was no other al
tentative left to the cotton producers
but TO submit to the extortion or to
fight it. Manhood, as well as self in
terest, demanded that they should
choose the latter course. AS kindred
conspiracies to wrong the people had
become of frequent occurrence, and
had been from time immemorial re-
garded as public enemies, the people
might reasonably have expected that
the common law doctrine of which
they are in violation would have been
embodied in Federal and State statutes,
Furnishing and destroying them by Sc
we're penalties. A powerful check
upon, if not an eflectual cure for the
cotton bagging combination, would
have been found in the repeal or sus-
pension of the tariff tax, by which
they have been protected from com
petition.
Besides this remedy other stronger
measures are needed. Laws should be
passed proclaiming that such combi-
nations are destructive of Interstate
commerce and against public policy,
declaring parties to them guilty of
high crimes and misdemcanors, and
inhicting upon them ignominious pun
ishment. The conspiracies should be
put under the ban of ofoutlawry by deny
ing parties to them access to courts for
the enforcement Of pretended obliga-
tions incurred in their illicit dealings.
For the present needs of the planter
none of the foregoing remedies are
now available. The only measure of
immediat relief obtainable is to obtain
some article other than jute bagging
for covering their cotton. This brings
us to the inquiry required by your
resolution. Our investigations have
led to the satisfactory conclusion that
bagging made of cotton will not only
serve as substitute for the article
dute) "cornered" by the Trust, but is,
in many particulars, superior to it.
We have taken for criterion the fab
ric manufactured out of cotton by the
Lane Mills of New Orleans and have
examined samples of it and bales of
cotton covered with it. We have also
taken the opinion of experts who have
knowledge of the qualities that consti-
tute valuable article, and are justi-
fed in stating that it possesses the fol-
lowing advantages over the jute fabrics
1t Is stronger and will better stand
the rough usage of the hook in hand
ling, and also the process of compress
ing.
1t will not stain and will better pro-
tect cotton from dirt.
1t is less susceptible of absorbing
water and will dry quicker.
1t is said to be better protection
against fire, but we cannet speak o.
this quality from u comparative test
1t is more closely woven and The
! threads are stronger. But ifdcfects ar,
, discovered by experiment they can b.
: corrected.
: The weight of the bagging manufac
tured by the Lane Mills, required for
I standard bale is six pounds less thai
9 the jute bagging. But the Lane Mill
: have assured the public that this draw
back (Which is more than compensate,
/, by the superior quality of the cottol
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