The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-09-07

days issue Of the Operators News. the
Official organ Of the Turpentine Produc-
ers' Association, criticising J. P. Will
Jams & Co, Of Savannah, for violating
disagreement Of the factors and operators
reached at the recent meeting of the as
sociation, 10 curtau production as far as
possible, was the sensation among the
naval stores men Of the city yesterday
The Operators News is published every
Tuesday at Hinesville, by Mr.. a. G. Cas-
sells, large naval stores operator, and
Mr.. r. NJ. Martin, formerly of Savan-
nah
THE ARTICLE.
The article reads as follows:
The secretary Of the association. while on
I trip through Florida and Southern Georgia
heard il rumored that j p. Williams & Co.
had finched from the action Of the conven.
ton and had sent out circular letters to all
their customers disCOuraging the action and
advised them to continue operations. The
/ secretary called on Mes7rs j. p. Williams s.
Co. TO have the fact denied or substantiated
When told that these rumOrs were atiOat and
asked whether or not they were correct Mr.
/ Carson said yes, Mt. Williams before leaving
for the north did send out a circular stating
that the storm had accomplished all that the
association had desired accom- pllshed in blow
lug down quantities OF turpentlne trees. and
that they would advise all their customers to
continue operations on all boxes that would
pay. When asked II he would turn over one
OF the circulars Mr.. Carson said: While
| have no objection. yet Mr.. Williams got the
circular up and he Is away and I don't think
| can turn il over without his consent"
This matter Is to be regretted. for il is an
/ unfortunate state of affairs and will no doubt
/ prove very damaging TO the association. Mr..
I Williams was a member of the association
/ and took q very prominent part in the con
1 vention and was under oath TO abide by the
! action OF the convention. II IS known that
| Mr.. Williams opposed the resolution. but
/ Wlcn II was carried by "a large majority he
/ was supposed to abide its action. II he did
! not so intend. he should have resigned his
/ membership and not demoralized the effect Of
/ the convention as he has done to some extent.
Nothing more will be said on this matter
/ just now, as Mr. Williams is away but he win
| certainly on his return be expected to publish
the circular and give his reasons for the issu-
/ ing of the same
We regret also to state that great many
| OF the operators have not suspended opera
tons. These facts were gathered by inquiries
/ sent out by the secretary. This is taking ad-
| vantage OF those operators who have com
piled to the letter with their obligations. This
} proves clearly that the association VIII have
to be organized on a trmer basis, with an
oath, q forfeit and some one to see that the
action Of these conventions Is complied
with. This matter could easily be controlled
by the factors, but il has not been reached by
them yet, and it is feared that it never win
be The factors in the first place do not pull
| together. There seems to be a great deal of
! jealousy between them which has damaging
effect on the interest Of the naval stores bust
ness and In the second place the factors are
/ not entirely in accord with the interest Of the
producer, as their profits are in proportion to
| the amount of stuff handled. It is hoped that
some plan will be adopted whereby the bust
ness will be benefited.
WHAT MR.. CARSON SAYS.
Mr. Williams is out of the city, but Mr..
J. A. G. Carson, the junior member of the
firm, was seen yesterday. He said it is
true that the firm has issued circular
to its customers advising them in view of
the damage caused by the storm and of
the improvement in financial condit ions
to continue working all boxes that will
pay them, that is, all virgin or first year
and second year boxes.
"Only about 20 per cent. of our custom
ers, - said Mr. Carson, ARE members of
the association and we had information
from many sources that the operators
were not conforming to the resolution to
cease working all old boxes on Aug. 90
in the effort to curtau production. We
were satisfied also that that the damage
caused by the storm had accomplished
the purpose Of the resolution. The price
of spirits has already increased two cents
a gallon since the action of the associa-
ton was taken, and withithe improvement
in the financial situation will probably
increase as much more.
NOT CAUSED BY OVER PRODUCTION.
"Itis well known" said Mr.. Carson that
the production this year will not equal
last years, and that the low prices which
have existed this season were not caused
by over production, but by the small con-
sumption in this country caused by the
financial stringency, the European de-
mand being good
Taking this view of the situation, we
issued circular advising our customers
to continue working all the boxes which
can be worked at profit. I think our ad-
vice is being generally taken.
The producers have already lost con-
siderable money this season, and it would
be wrong, | think, 20 deprive them of any
profit which can be made now
Mr. Carson declined to give out a copy
of the circular in Mr.. Williams absence
The circular was prepared and issued
by Mr.. Williams" said Mr.. Carson Il
thoroughly agreed with him in his object,
however. have never been a member
of the Operators Association, though Mr.
Williams has been an active member
from the beginning"
SECRETARY CAssELs TALKS.
Secretary Cassels and Mr. A. Pridgen,
prominent members of the association.
We're in the city Yesterday They said
the action Of Mr.. Williams in violating
the agreement win have no injurious eff
feet upon the association, though they
think it viii result in "A reorganization
upon a more permanent basis, which will
require the members to pledge them
selves to abide by the action of the as
ISOLATION and to pay a heavy forfeit in
case Of failure to do so.
Mr. Williams took an active part in the
meeting of the association last month.
He was member of the factors commit
tee which met the committee of the opera
tors and decided upon the agreement that
the working of all old boxes should cease
after Aug IS. He is also member of
the committee which was appointed to
consider means for limiting the produc-
ton next year, and TO report at the meet
ing of the association next month All
the factors agreed to send out circulars
containing the action Of the association to
their customers, and it was said yester-
day that Williams Il Co. have not done
this The factors further agreed not to
furnish supplies to any operators who
disregarded the action Of the association.
DID NOT SHUT DOWN.
1t was admitted by Secretary Cassels
that many of the operators had not ceased
working old boxes on Aug, %, as agreed
upon by the association. The majority
did so, however, and he does not think
o. Il