The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1889-06-08
Lets Try Cotton Dagglny.

To begin with let Il be uuderstood
that the bagging which wraps . bale
Of cotton Is as much part Of the sx-
pense OF raising the cotton and putting
1t on the market as hoeing or plowlug
or hauling OF ginning It.
In 1883 the manufacturers Of juts
bagging by = combination among
themselves, put up the price beyond !
legitimate profit. Putting the Amerl-
can cotton crop Mt 7 ,00O. 900 bales, tue
bagging to wrap II ut the 1883 price Of
l3a cents per yard, cost the farmers
$5,67O,OOO. -
Agains. tn eillegitimale profit In that
combination the farmers raised time
~ and unanimous protest, and rather
than submit proceeded to form COM
bination Of their own to use baggtug
made out OF their own cotton. They
have arranged to get this bsgglng q,
the factory for l2i cents per yard.
10 cover 100000 bales Of cotton
with cotton bagging at sevsn yards
per baie will require 100000 yards.
This at 124 cents per yard is 50, i25. 900.
This IL only $l55,Op0 more than Jais
cost In 1883.
10 meet this composition Of cotton
bagging the Jute manufacturers have
this year cut their prices from 1874 cents
to 10I conts. TO cover the crop Of
z ,OOO, 900 bales with six yards 10 the
bale will require AZ, ,OO0, 900 yards. This
Mt this years price OF 10 7-s Will make
a total cost Of 81 ,567 900. ...
Tho total cost OF covering the crop
with cotton baggiug at present factory
prices and allowing nothing Tor freight
to the farm aud merchants profits, IL
SO, %, 900.
The total cost OF iute a, present fac
tory prices is 81 ,5o7 900. .....
Take the latter from the former, aud
the difference In favor OF the Jute Is
81, ,557 800.
That is, 1t will cost that much more,
at present prices, to wrap \ 100000
crop in cotton than In jute bagging.
Now the question comes up, what
are the incidental benefits that will
compensate the farmeas for this extra
cost OF 81 ,557 800 In the use OF cotton
baggink?
/. The manufacturers combined
once and put up the price to suit them-
selves. The fear of cotton bagging
competition has caused them 10 reduce
their price over 81 ,OOO, 900. Remove this
fear and they might jump up $1,000
600 or So 100000, or any number Of
millions they choose.
2. The raw material OF jute comes
from foreign countries. With the ex-
cepiion of few thousand dollars
worth, it is all manufactured ou.sids
OF the cotton states. Nearly tho entire
cost of the jute bagging, or nearly 81,
5G7 800 goes out of the cotton States.
3. The entire cost Of the cotton bag
ging, or $G, ,125, 900, will be kept ut
home in the cotton States.
4. The cotton bagging will consume
in its manufacture over 100, 900 bales Of
cotton. Everything that goes to in-
crease consumption, goes to sustain and
increase prices.
5. Expert estimates say that 10
manufacture the cotton bagging will
give employment to 5000 people.
These people will all be home consu,
mers TO buy the products Of tho farm.
6. The manufacture of cotton bag
ging viii involve the investment OF
several hundred thousand dollars In
tie cotton States.
Z. 1t is good thing for any people
to supply their own wants. To supply
this one will stimulate US TO 60 TO
work and supply ot.,ers.
s. Because cotton bagying at the
beginning costs 12l cents, is no reason
why il Wiil continue 10 cost 50 much
| Experience in the art will reduce the
| cost.
! Let's try the cotton bagging.