The Monticellonian., 1895-05-17
COMMERCIAL DISGRACE.
How Our Cotton Crop Suffers in
 Foreign Markets.
Reports of American ConsuIs on . Great Evii-Ameriosn Cotton BaIos "the Laugh hing Stock.
 of ths World.

eoIIospohoent or the Globe- Democrat writes as follows:
 America is the laughing stock ot the world in this respect, for there is not country, no matter how poor ii may oe, that does not not shlp its cot toh crop In better shape than we do. "
 his Is one of hundreds of expert opinions in like tenor gathered and about to be published by the state de- partment. From all parts Of the world comes the testimony, to the shame of the United States. Some months ago an American consul in Europe called attention to the shabby and damaging condition of American cotton in com parison with the product of other coun- tries at the markets of the world. This prompted the state department to un- dertake a thorough investigation of the subject, and the results have just been complied. Under the instruc- tions, American consuls have sent in reports, giving dimensions and weights ot American, Egyptian, Indian and South American cotton bales received at their ports; describing the covering Of bales, the character of material both as to wrapping and bands, and the condition in which the cotton is usually received; stating whether American cotton suffers directly or in- directly by comparison with foreign cotton on account of either the style or manner of covering or the quality or extent of the compressing
 One of the best of the reports is made by Consul Kettles, of Trieste, who says all cotton from America, India, Egypt and Turkey has casing manu- factured from jute, but the coverings of the bales differ materially as to tex ture and degree of protection stforded to the cotton. The American cotton bagging is made of large, course strands of jute, with interstices be- tween the strands, which are consider ably increased by the expansive power of the compressed cotton. The cover ing on tho Indian, Egyptian and Turk ish bales is of bagging made of smaller strands of jute, and more compactly woven, and, while it does not seem to be as strong as the American, it comes in better shape and more effectively protects the cotton.
 'sThe American cotton" Mir Nettles reports, 'comes in worse condition than any of the various sorts received at this port, both as regard bands and covering material and exterior eondi- tion of the contents. The interior oi the cotton is not injured 1 am in. formed, it's compressed condition re- sisting the penetration of rain and wa. ter, except in cases where many bands are off. The Jute casing is torn, and the cotton exposed to mud, water, rain, l theft and fire. The bands easily come of-one, two, and sometimes more, being frequently loose or broken the cotton bulges out, and more easily absorbs water, takes up dirt and loses on every handling. The Indian and Egyptian cotton, on the other hand usually comes in good condition-neat and trim. The bales are cased in close, compact covering, leaving little or none of the cotton exposed, and are firmly bound with bands, which are rarely out of place.
 After careful investigation l am satisfied American cotton suffers in comparison with foreign cotton, both on account of the style or manner of covering and the extent of compress ing. Dealers in cotton complain of the condition in which American cot ton reaches the market and the diff ticulty they experience in handling 1t. The covering is torn, frequently hoops are off, the cotton exposed and liable to loss from mud, dust, theft and handling 1t Is almost impossible to decipher the marks on the bales, and great confusion and trouble arise therefrom. The marks are well nigh invisi ble on the coarse covering. On the other hand, the Indian and Egypt ian cotton comes well and closely coy cred and wrapped snug and tight. The bales are clearly marked on the sides and on both ends, are easily identified, and the mixing of bales or bales with out marks very seldom occur The bales are of uniform size, and are more com pressed than the American, and thus expense is saved in ocean freight, stor- age and freight in the transport wagons to the interior. The American bales vary in size, which also adds to the ex- pense, preventing compact and close storage. Buyers in the interior know exactly, in ordering Indian cotton by the wagon load, how much they will receive, one wagon holding fifty-five bales. One wagon holds twenty-five to twenty-eight American bales. This, at the comparative weight of 4I0 pounds for Indian and 500 pounds for Amer ican, gives a freight advantage of from 5000 to 10000 pounds per wagon load in favor of Indian cotton. The same holds true Is to ocean freight and to storage. The loss in weight on Ameri- can cotton from the various sources, am informed, is about per cent. in excess of other cotton, and that, with the increased freight and other ex- penses, gives about per cent. advan- tage to foreign cotton.
 Indian cotton is the competitor of the American, the best grades chasing about equal to the inferior grades of American. Spinners.prefer the Ameri- can, and buyers would like to deal more in it, but at present it is as easy to handle 2,000 bales of Indian cotton as 200 bales of American.
 In these days of sharp competition and small margins there is'valuable in- formation to be drawn from such sug- gestions as Consul Kettles makes.
 "Cotton, he says, can be shipped from India only from January to June, as in June the monsoon sets in, stop ping shipments. Holders of cotton in India, knowing this, stiffen prices Dealers in cotton here would be glad