Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1895-09-22
PINE BLUFF, ARK, SEPT. 9, 1895.
LARGEST DAILY CITY CIRCULATION.
COTTON SEED OIL TRUST.


 The manufacturers of cotton seed oil and cotton seed prouducts-bet- ter known as the cotton seed oil trust-have met together and fixed the price of cotton seed for the coming [. seasch. The price agreed on by the trust to be paid for cotton seed this year is $5 per ton. Last year the trust fixed the price at $6 per ton, and the year preceding that-before the organi- zation of the trust-cotton seed brought from $13 to $,6 ton, and there was good demand. In 18934 when cotton seed brought from SIS to $16 ton, the crop was 7,550, 900 bales. In 1S94-5, when cotton seed brought $6 ton, the crop was 9,901, GOO bales. This year the highest estimate of thecrop is 7,500, 900 bales, and the lowest estimate is 1000, 900 bales. These figures were the August estimates, since winch time the crops have suffered serious reduction by drouth, and the lowest estimate of 1000, GOO is now conceded by authorities to be approximately correct. If cotton seed was worth from $13 to S16, and
 
 as high as SIS, during the crop year of 1893-4, when the production was 7,550, 900 bales, it is perfectly logi- cal to conclude that during a crop year of 1000, GOO bales that seed would be worth as much if not more than in 1S93-4 But they won't. The American Cotton Oil Trust and it's subordinate branches, of which the Arkansas Company is one, has decreed that the price this year for cotton seed shall be only $5 per ton. and since the defeat of the anti trust bill in this State, the trust is supreme and it's decrees memorable. The Arkansas trust is but the branch of general system with headquarters in New York There are two or three small mills in this State outside Of the trust, but these small concerns dare not antagonizc the giant octopus, hence must bel governed by trust prices.
 The trust alleges that the cause of the low price for seed this season isl due to the immense corn crop, which, the trust people claim, will largely supplant cotton seed prod. ucts in the feed market, but this statement will not bear investiga- ton. It is simply 9 pretexs on which to furnish and feed the farmer while the trust systematically robs him of the result of his toll and la Dor. Whatever reductions there may be in the price of feed stuffs as a result of the large corn crop this year will be mere than offset by the short cotton seed crop. Itis a fact also well known by those who have investigated the subject that the uses Of cotton seed oil and cotton seed products are multiplying every year, and the NdaydcturerS Record for this month reports a good de mand, fair prices and large exports of cotton seed oil. We are reliably informed that graduate descend ing scale was agreed on by the trust people soon after their organization, and the gradual decrease in prices of cotton seed-in total violation of all the laws of trade-gives the color of truth to this information. The fact is the cotton seed oil trust has simply put down the ptice of cotton seed because it is within their power to do so. It is the brutal power of might with the instinct of the pirate and robber, against which the producer is dcfenseless. The raiser of cotton seed is forced to ac- cept trust prices. or else be content to let his seed rot. Since cotton