Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1889-09-26
OPPOSE THE TARE.
Memphis Doesn't Take Kindly to 1t
The Old Way Good Enough.
Cotton Factors are of the Opinion that the Ex'
changes Will Vote Almost Unanimously
Against the Proposed Reduction.
Memphis Avalanche

sixteen pounds on each bale of cotton
wrapped in cotton bagging and twenty
four pounds for jute bagging, an Ava
Ianche representative interviewed a num-
Der of merchants on the subject yester-
day.
Mr.. Emmett Woodson, president of the
Cotton exchange am opposed to the
reduction do not think the prod ucer
would reap any benefit from the proposed
tare, and 1 am using my personal intiu-
ence to defeat the proposition. l have
delayed calling the meeting to act upon
the report of the committee in order
that the merchants might be able to get
an expression of opinion from their Gus
TONERS. From numbers of letters re-
ceived from merchants and planters
throughout the Memphis district 1t is
evident that the opposition is almost
unanimous. l shall call a meeting of
the exchange early next week and there
is no doubt but what Memphis Will vote
against the tare.
w B. Gates-I am opposed to the
tare. It would not give satisfaction TO
the farmer. He never could understand
the reduction. He could very easily see
that the twenty-four pounds tare had
been taken off his bale of cotton, but is
ignorant of the classification, not know
ing whether the cotton he shipped was
middling, strict middiing or fair, and
even if the cotton was sold for half
cent advance he would not know
whether that was a just sale or not.
1t would lead to endless kicking.
/ think the Memphis exchange will vote
it down almost unanimously. I think,
TOO, that Memphis VIII be a gamer by it
and receive 100 900 more bales of cotton
during the season than should the pro-
posed tare be adopted. The alliance
represent but small per cent. of the
farmers in the Memphis district. and 1
am satisfied that many of them even
would kick should the proposed tare be
taken Off The only men who would be
benefited are the spinners, and they will
favor it and work for Its adoption.
Stewart, Gwvnne & Co. express them
selves as decidedly opposed to the new
rule adopted at the recent meeting of the
American cotton exchanges, and do not
think there is a possibility of the Mem
pnis market adopting it. They oppose it
for many reasons, among others the fol-
lowing:
l. 1t IS II direct violation of the law of
Tennessee regulating tare.
2. 1t is arbitrary and class legislation.
8 1t is unjust. as it makes the farmer
who uses one and half pound jute bag
ging bear the same taTe as the man who
uses two and a quarter pound bagging.
f. 1t brings a present loss to the far
mer of the cost of both bagging and ties
in addition to the tare of twenty four
pounds.
Mr.. Macrae of Porter s. Macrae-I
81. Z
convention at New Orleans to deduct
twenty-four pounds for jute and sixteen
pounds for cotton bagging is directly
against the interest of the planter and
will not be regarded by us. We are re-
solved to protect the interests of our
patrons in every way possible, and all
cotton consigned to US will be
sold without any allowance or
tare. L am opposed to the reduction be-
cause I think it unjust. JUte baggiug
varies in weight from one and one-quar-
ter to two pounds per yard, and a tare
of TWEEN -four pounds on each and every
bale would not be an equal one. The
old way is good enough, and 1 see no
good reason for q change. All of our
customers who have written us are OPP
posed to any reduction. Not more than
10 per cent. of the cotton shipped to
Memphis this season will be wrapped in
cotton bagging. Memphis will gain by
voting down the tare.
H. Nj. Nicely of Brooks, Nicely s Co.
The action of the late convention AT New
Orleans in reference TO the tare on cot
ton was a surprise to dealers In<tAis
market, and it was es specially surprising, I
that the Alliances should favor it There
is general opposition to it here among
cotton factors and the feeling of country
merchants and planters doing business
in the region tributary to Memphis ap-
pear very strong against this proposed
radical change in the manner of hand
ling cotton and we think our exchange
will take the independent course and
vote it down by large majority. In
fact, under the law OF this state passed |
by our last legislature we could not tare
cotton if we so desired and from all in
dications Memphis will go on and sell !
cotton by its gross weight. There
seems to be but one sentiment
all oppose it. Farmers will |
not realize the situation till |
they get account sales of their cotton
with the twenty-four pounds taken off.
Memphis will gain by voting down the |
proposition. The merchants Of an i'm
portant Arkansas town write that in case
Memphis should not adopt the taTe they
will ship their cotton to Little Rock,
where the exchange has already ex-
pressed its opposition to the tare by refus- |
ing to send delegates to the convention. |
don't think the Alliance delegates to |
the New Orleans convention spoke with !
authority when they claimed that ma
jority of farmers favored the tare. 1t is |
not the case in the Memphis district.
Our customers are unanimous in their !
opposition. Memphis will continue TO |
handle cotton in the old way / don t |
think more than or per cent. of the |
cotton shipped to Memphis the present !
season will be wrapped in cotton bag
ging.