The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1894-03-08

Judge Clark Tells How to Crush the Trust
and Get Better Prices for Peanuts

lima Agricultural Bulletin is of in
terest:
Edward Atkinson, the well known
economist, has recently written an
admirable article, pointing out the
uses of the peanut, especially as a
producer of oil. He it was who.
years ago, pointed out the value Of
cotton seed for its oil and its ma
nurial and feed qualities, as cotton
seed meal, and the value of the bulls.
Prior to this, on many farms cotton
seed was disposed of as waste. Now
Mr.. Atkinson predicts the future
usefulness of the peanut as an oil
producer and in other ways.
But before We go into its produc-
ton extensively, attention should be
called to the syndicate which con
trolls the sale of the nuts, making it
members millionaires and the pro
ducers paupers. The number of pea
nut buyers is small. These have
formed trust or syndicate. By this
combination it is decreed that far
mers stock" is not salable, and all
peanuts before becoming marketable
must 60 through what they are
pleased to dignity with the name of
peanut 'factory." By another one
of their rules no factory will take
the nuts on toll, but they must be
sold to the owner of the factory.
This delivers the farmer alive into
their hands.
The peanuts are sold on the mar
ket at price fixed by the syndicate,
which is at present about two cents
per pound. They are run through
the ''factory'' at total cost of one
fifth of cent per pound and are
then sold to the retail merchant by
wholesale at four to seven cents per
pound, according to locality. The
profits being pooled are presumably
divided. No wonder the farmers
find no profit in making peanuts and
that the factory owners are becom
ing millionaires. Farmers generally
raise small crops of peanuts, and each
not feeling largely interested, as a
class they are ignorant of the gross
imposition practiced upon them in
this, as in some other matters. I'M
posed upon by the word factory"
they are led to think that there is
some costly and mysterious process
in preparing the peanuts for market,
There is nothing of the kind. The
peanuts are poured into a revolving
cylinder which polishes them and
blows out the pops and dirt. AS
they come out they fall upon a broad,
endless belt which carries them along
to be bagged. Negroes stand on
each side of this moving belt and
with paddles deftly sort the peanuts.
They are then bagged and sold for
more than double the price paid the
farmer. The process of thus pre-
pairing them costs not more thai
one-ffth of cent.
1t was also thought that the pro-
cess was not only mysterious and re-
quired skill-which we see is not so
but that the machinery was ex-
pensive. But it is said by those who
know that the machinery of one of
those so-called ''factories" will not
cost more than $500 to $500, and
that the whole plant, including ma
chinery, building, engine-every-
thing-should not cost over $4,000
or $4,000. 1t was also urged that
there was patent on the machinery.
A party who was bold enough to defy
this claim and establish his own
factory demonstrated by suit in court
that there was no patent, and there
upon it is said the syndicate took
him in and he is now one of our op-
pressors, and fast becoming mil
lionaire.
AS last resort, to discourage put
ting up factories it is given out that
large capital is required to establish
a brand and put it on the market.
On the contrary, the writer has re-
Gently had correspondence with nu-
merous dealers from San Francisco
to Boston, and from New Orleans to
Montreal, and readily had offers vary
ing from four and one-halt to seven
cents for nuts, without any question
as to brand. The only requirement
was that they should be sound and
"factory' stock. The syndicate have
educated the public to require the
latter, as it places the trade in their
hands.
i II the farmers generally knew the
above facts, they could readily eman,
cipate themselves from selling at two
cents per pound peanuts which, with
the addition of one-fifth of a cent
factory" work, are sold at tour to
seven cents, hy each neighborhood
putting up factory, or by some cHe
fputting it up to run for toll. But
these facts have been persistently
Suppressed. Where at very rare in
tervals a factory, out Of the seaport
i town, has been put it is said that il
always mysteriously and suddenly
stops. Those who know say that
this. is done by the syndicate paying
. the owners of the new factory "a sum
Eequal to the estimated profit of the
tolls which would be likely to come
: in if the factory was rnn, Isortu,
nately, there is 70 internal revenue
; tex Oh factory peanuts, as on, manu-.
factured tobacco, by which the syn.
dicate can keep monopoly.
, This is one os the many ways il
which the farming class is plucked
: Will not farmers who are interested
; in peanut raising lock into this mat
ter. and each neighborhood provide
itself with factory for next season
at which peanuts may be prepared