The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-09-04
Past Understanding.

We learn that the members Of the Alliance
look with distrust upon the organization o.
the oil mill at Abbevtlle. Why any producer
should be alarmed at the establishment of q
new market, or the appearance OF new bid
der for their products. is more than we are
able to see. We can't see as they see.
Several years ago there was q olamor fol
competition In the buying OF cotton. Every
body wanted two or three buyers at Abbeville
and the farmers were not satisfied until com
petition was had. We believe the demand
+ for competition was based upon solid and
substantial reasons. and we believe great good
z Resulted to the farmers from competition in
the buying OF the staple.
a Now, when It Is proposed to establish fac
tory At Abbeville, which will be, Of necessity,
~ not from choice, an active. live competi.
lS3pEof the cotton seed oil trust that has been
Heretofore fixing the price Of seed to suit
) themselves and 10 the injury OF the farmers
we learn that some Of the farmers Of Abbe-
Vile county have manifested great opposi
ton TO the oil mill, and we are told, though
II 10 hard TO believe. that two stockholders o1
the oil mill at Abbeville Court House were re-
Gently expelled from the Alliance for no other
ohense, than that Of coming into competi.
ton with the great oil trust in the buying oi
: their cotton seed. As we understand, the
; chief object OF the organization OF the ALI.
ance Is to fight the just bagging trust. We
can understand why the farmers should pro-
test against the jute trust. but when two ol
their own number join company to estab-
lish . new industry which can exist only by
buying and using their cotton seed, and
which proposes to come in competition with
q trust (the cotton seed oil trust) which is q
thousand times more powerful in injury to
them than the jute trust, we are at q loss to
know why the farmers should be displeased
It seems TO US that they should give the Able
Vile, Greenwood and Ninety Six mills their
heartiest support, and II they manifested
the same patriotism in reference to their cot
ton seed that they exhibit In hatred to the
juts trust, they would not only encourage the
Of such factories at Abbeville, Green
wood and Ninety-Six, but would positively
refuse to sell their seed to any corporation
which may have for its object the breaking
down OF the home mills.
But It may be our dense ignorance that pre-
vents us from seeing the consistency In
lighting the jute trust and at the same time
>dn fighting any corporation which would
light the Oil trust. After all, IL may make all
the difference in the world, whether man is
cheated In his seed, or whether he pays big.
ger price for jute. Are the farmers in love
with the oil trust I? It has made thousand
times more out Of their seed, than the just
trust has made in selling them bagging.
Az no official publication has been made oi
the expulsion OF two members Of the Abbe'
VILE Alliance, We think that there must be
some mistake about the report to that effect
We are not ready to believe that any organi-
ration OF farmers has ever done so unjust and
inconslstant an act as that Of expelling
brother members for no other sin than that OF
fighting the oil trust, and for giving them an
other market for their cotton seed.