The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-12-20
FIBERS ON THE FREE LIST
THE FARMERS OPPORTUNITY TO
GO BEFORE CONGRESS.

| "a = y Ar nj ~ 10
GO BEFORE CONGRESS.
Eir. Meneias Urges a Presentation Of
the Farmer Interests Before the
Ways and Means Committee, With
View TO Placing Raw and Manu-
factured Jute, Hemp, Flax and Other
Fibers Used by Them on the Free
List-A Matter for the Alliance M en-
to Thing About.
Mr. G. Menelas who has taken decided
interest in all matters pertaining to fbrous
plants that are adapted to culture in the
south, has had his attention called
to the important action Of the
| Richmond County Farmers Alliance by
/ preamble and resolutions in which, after
| reference is made to the "bagging trustn
attempting to oppress the farmers, and to
the exorbitant prices charged by the cotton
bagging manufacturers, an appeal is made to
the constituted authorities of the state ALI
ance to provide a cheap and suitable cover
ing for the next years crop, and recommend
ing the raising Of jute in this state and
manufacturing It into bagging for the next
years cotton crop.
On this subject Mr.. Menelas says: "Tnat
the farmers jumped from the frying-pan into
the fire is evident from the sacrifices they
made in using such an expensive covering
Tor cotton this year, but they have the
satisfaction OF knowing that by united
effort they brought the jute trust TO its
senses aud broke the price, bringing it
down from 12}I and Is cents to S cents.
The moral will nor be early forgotten by
the trust, hut the farmers" he seys, should
not relax their vigilance, bat rather
should provide for the future and obviats
recurrence Of the high prices complained Of.
NOT 4 PRACTICAL PLAN
THE plan of raising jute for next years
cotton" Mr.. Menelas said, sis impracti-
cable for several reaSons-we have no seed
to plant, and it is too late to bri Ig it from
India. Even If we had the seed, we have
not the necessary machinery to decorticate
the fiber, and without the machinery it is
futile to attempt jute culture.
Congress offers an easier solution of the
problem, and the farmers Of the entire
| country should take advantage of it. see
by the MORNING NEWS Washington dis
patches that the ways and means committee
OF the House has fixed Saturday, jan 4, as
the date to hear the views of different parties
whose interests are likely TO be affected by
changes in the tariff laws affecting lutte,
hemp, etc. Here then is an opportunity
| that farmers should not fail to avail them
selves Of, through their alliances all over the
country. The notice given for the
hearing is short, and the alliances
should go 60 work at once on
business principles. Long addresses and
visionary plans should be discarded, and the
| alliances should select a committee of its
ablest business men and send it to Washing
ton with instructions to meet all the south
| ern congressman, and through them the
/ n twas Of orb ekok
necessity Of taking such steps as will induce
the ways and means committee to place on
| the free list the raw and manufactured
material of Jute, jute butts, hemp, flax and
any other fiber, raw and manufactured,
that is used by the agricultural classes OF
this country"
| A CHANCE NOT TO BE IGNORED
"The representatives of the people in con
| greSs, Mr.. Menelas said. 'cannot afford to
| ignore their wishes in this matter, and by
earnest and united effort there is no reason
10 doubt the result The people have a
| right TO demand that measure of relief,
and the proper authorities must see the
justice OF the demand, and place these ar
ticleS on the free list.
"A very few" said Mr. Menelas, ''may
| object to this step, in view of the fiattering
promise to raise and manufacture our own
jute, and ramie fiber. This fiattering prom
use dates BACK many years, but never has
materialized, simply for the lack of suita-
bic machinery to decorticate the fiber.
l do not doubt that one of
these days the higher order of
mechanics will take the matter in hanu.
and invent machinery suited to the practi-
cal decortication of the fber, and when this
shall be done 1 am satisfied that placing
jute on the free list will not prevent us from
raising and manufacturing iute and ramie
| fiber. We will produce far better Qualities
than those produced In Asia, and will need
and employ them in the finer fabrics. and
remunerate the producers much better than
If raised for the coarser fabrics
| THINGS HAVE CHANGED.
81 must confess that many years ago 1
went before the tariff commission and adj
vocated protection for the new industries.
jute and ramie, under the bslief that m l.
chinery was nearly completed to do the
work. I was disappointed, and would now
be willing to go before the ways and means
committee to advocate placing the articles
alluded to on the free list. l see no good
reason why the agricultural classes should
suffer the i'll effects of the high tariff on iute
pending the construction of proper macnin-
cry for decortication."
| In conclusion Mr.. MenelaS said: 1.-THE
time is short and none is to be wasted. The
united press of the country should employ
the first opportunity to bring the attention
of the farmers to the necessity of immedi-
ate and intelligent action to attain the de-
| sired end, aud raise its voice i favor of the
only measure of present relief"