The Brookhaven leader. [volume] (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1883-1891, 1889-09-19
THE TARE ON COTTON.
1HE BAGGING CONVENTION DECIDE
TO PLACE COTTON BAGGINa
AN EQUAL FOOTING ON
WITH JUTE.
4 Great Victory for the Alliance
People.

Pursuant to call of the New Orleans
Cotton Exchange, the Bagging Con-
vention for the purpose of consider
ing the regulation of the tare on cot
ton, met in New Orleans on the 18th
inst.
The New Orleans, Mobile, Selma,
New York, Augusta, Natchez, Nash
vile, Memphis, st. Louis, Meridian,
Greenville, Jackson, Vicksburg and
Macon cotton exchanges were repre-
scented. Hon. R. c. Patty, President
of the Mississippi State Alliance,
Hon. j. II. Beeman. Chairman of the
Mississippi State Alliance Executive
Committee; T. A. Clayton, member
of the National Cotton Committee of
the Farmers Alliance; l.. T. Living
ston, President of the State Alliance
of Georgia, and the Commissioners of
Agriculture for the States of Georgia,
Alabama, Tennessee and Arkansas,
were also present and invited to par
ticipate in the deliberations of the
| Convention.
After thorough discussion of the
relative merits of jute and cotton
bagging, and the unfair discrimina-
| ton against the latter, on account of
the difference in weight under the old
system of regulating the tare, the
Convention unanimously adopted the
following resolution:
ResOlred, That on and after the LIST
day of October, 1889, all cotton shall
be sold mt net weight, allowing "a
pounds off gross weight for tare on
! jute covered bales and 16 pounds off
for tare on cotton covered bales, the
cotton covering to be standard
weight, three-quarters of a pound to
the yard.
This is great victory for the farm
ers over the infamous jute bagging
trust and opens the way clear for the
general and unlimited use of cotton
bagging hereafter, on exactly the
same footing with jute.
In this connection the following ex-
tract from the late circular issued by
President S. o. Thomas, of the New
Cotton Exchange, showing the posi-
ton of the two kinds of bagging I'M
der the old and new order of things
as to tare, is worthy of repetition and
study:
The sale of cotton in American
markets by gross weight has been
heretofore unembarassed by any diff
culties arising from the weight of
tagging, because the bagging has
been practically of uniform weight.
Now the introduction and the Use of
cotton bagging weighing three-quar-
tiers of Il pound per yard, as against
jute bagging weighing pounds per
yard, compels attention to the great
difference of 81 pounds per bale.
The present method of selling cot
ton for gross weight price, which price
is based upon IA pounds bagging to
the bale, is hostile to the Use of bag
ging weighing st pounds to the bale.
TO continue to sell cotton indiscrim-
inately by gross weight, regardless of
weight of bagging, will he Il positive
discrimination against the lighter
covering and almost prohibitory i'll its
effect.
The question presented by these
facts is simply a matter of tare. 1t is
here worthy of note that in the sale
of all other commodities where tare
is allowed it is fixed by the seller, and
is stated on the face of the invoice.
The same good reasons for establish
ing proper tare in sales of other
commodities should obtain in the sale
of cotton.
At the present time as is well I'M
derstOOd in the cotton trade, the
prices paid for cotton 10y the exporter
is based on net weight.
The popular idea that planters sell
the bagging and bands on their cotton
for the same price as the cotton in the
bales, is only a simple delusiOn. AS
a matter of fact lie receives nothing
for the bagging and bands. Although
nothing now appears on the face of
buyer in American markets to indi-
cate the deduction off gross weights
for tare, vet that deduction is made by
the buyer and not from the weight
but from the prices.
The exporter sells his cotton in for
cign markets by net weight, which is
at present ascertained by deducting
per cent off gross weight, and hence
he must buy on the same basis. At
present the tare appears in the dimin-
ution of the price paid per pound.
BY a diminution of weight, by tare
allowance, there will be a correspond
ing increase in price per pound.
The importer who pays 10 cents per
pound for gross weight of cotton will
pay 1888 for net weight, ascertained |
by an allowance of per cent for tare
on jute bagging, and 1888 for net cot
ton in cotton bagging.
For example:
JCTE BAGGING.
One bale cotton, 400 lbs, at 10c. E. . $40 90 |
One bale cotton, 400 lbs less per
cent. 465t pounds, at 10. 50. ..... 40 90
COTTON BAGGING.
One bale cotton, Ago TBS, at Zoe. -. 40 90 |
One bale cotton. 400 pounds. less 81
per cent. 473.S pounds, at 10. 3S. 40 90 |
1t is clear, therefore, that the de-
duction of certain per cent for tare off
gross weight on the face of invoice,