The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-10-30
a suReestion for the Z lliances.

In an interview day or two ago, Mr..
Northen said that cotton bagging manu-
featured for next seasons cotton crop would
contain more cotton to the yard, and would
therefore be heavier aud stronger. On
course the alliances know that much of the
cotton bagging that is being used Thu
season is not a satisfactory covering for cot
ton. Much Of it is not much stronger than
mosquito netting. Cotton covered with il
can hardly said to be covered at all. Thou,
sands Of bales have reached this port
in a very ragged condition They
were originally covered with cotton bag
ging, but the covering was almost, OF
wholly, torn off them before they reached
the cotton presses, where doubtless, many
of them were recovered with jute baggilg.
1t requires a strong covering TO withstand
the handling which cotton bales receive.
The bales are thrown about roughly from
the time they leave the plantations until
they reach the cotton mills. Hooks of iron
are used in handling them, and these tear the
covering unless it is very strong. The ba les
are lifted from the lighters or wharves by
steam power when being loaded on the YES
sells. and are dropped quite a distance into
the holds of the vessels, where they are sub
jected to more rough usage at the hands
of the screwmen. 1t is apparent to
any one who gives the matter a
moments thought that unless the
cotton is well and strongly covered, very
considerable percentage of it will be wasted.
As a matter of fact, an immense amount of
cotton has been wasted this season at all
tae ports, and along the lines of transporta-
ton. Even after it is weighed by the ex-
porters the loss is immense. In some cases
the loss has been as much as 2 per cent.
over previous seasons. The exporters are
getting reclamations all the time.
Attention is drawn to this matter not for
the purpose of condemning cotton bagging,
but to emphasize the necessity for using cot
ton bagglng of a better quality The cotton
that is wasted is lost by the planter, not by
the exporter, or the importer, or the spin
ner. The spinner pays only for what he
gets, and the exporter. therefore, in pur-
chasing cotton makes an ample allowance
for all that is likely to be wasted. 1t is of
prime importance to the planter, therefore,
that his cotton shall be covered so as to
prevent it from being wasted.
The alliances ought to send a committee
to this and other ports to SEQ the condition
of cotton when it reaches the factors, and
to watch its progress, for day or two,
from the warehouses to the holds of the
steamships. They might get some ideas
that would be useful to them, and they
might see reasons for making suggestions
that would save them a great deal of money.
Money saved is money made. and it is not
that there are ways for saving
money in handling cotton that would be
apparent to them after little careful OBJ
servation.
They would at least lose nothing in send
ing committee to the ports with instruc-
tions to make thorough investigation of
the cost and methods of handling cotton
and the percentage of waste that is due to
poor bagging and exposure. 1t is safe to
say that there Is no other crop grown that
is handled with such indifference to waste
M