The evening times., 1896-11-02
The Lounger.

'hOMaS SEWALL ADA Ms, OF BaItf
mere. who has achieved some prom:n-
ence rs student Of economics, is q
guest a the Metropolitan.
Mr.. Adams, who knows very well the late
Enoch Pratt, noted as the founder of the
Pratt Free Library Of Baltimore and of
other charitable Institutions, said that AZ
though so mUnificent in large matters, Mr..
Pratt was frugal to the point of ridiculous
ness in small things.
For instance this story is told by some
prominent men who were once stopping
over night at Nr. Pratt's country house IN
Baltimore county. when 3:3u O'Clock ar
rived Mr.. Pratt requested them to retire.
as the house was always closed at ttat
time.
quarter Of an hour later he came around
and extinguished the lamps. saying that
he always rnade 1t n point to do this him
self To prevent the waste of OIL
Another story which is yeuched for on
good authority is as follows: One evening
asMr. Pratt was walking home rs usualfrom
lis work 10 save car fare his attention was
arrested by hearing little girl sobbing bit
terly.
WHAT'S the matter little giri?" he asked.
1--WE lost IL quarter" boo-hooed the little
one, land can't find it in tie dark. And
my mother will whip me If go home with
out it,
Never mind said the great oil mer-
chant, fuuhlns in his pocket. don't cry;
here's a match to look for it,
~rHE cotton crop this year, says Adolph
Hutz. "a broker OF New Orleans, viii
he larger than that OF last year.
but not so great as that OF two years ago.
The cotton, however, viii be OF a much
finer fiber than any which has been raised
for number OF years. This is owing TO
he years weather, which rOT Il short time
in the spring was very wet white for the
remainder OF the season it was almost a
drought.
Such 4 condition OF the weather is always
followed by Il large crop in the river bot
toms and Iowlands. while the most elevated
districts can raise almost nothing. As the
soil OF the lowlands is always much more
fertile than that Sita1ted higher up, it foi-
lows that the quality will be higher.
The reason for the difference in the oft
puts of he two kinds Of lands is that the
cotton plant, which Will send its roots
down a distance OF ten feet iii search OF
water. can reach it on the Iowlands. while
in the hiilv districts the water is down
deeper than it can 90.
The price OF cotton this year Mr.. Hutz
thinks, viii he above 1-3 cents, less by
about a cent and i half than the price it
brought last year.
But even at this rate there is a very good
living in II for { he farmer If he will haRdIe
his product himself instead of through a
middleman.
The farmer, however, is rapidly learn
ing that the division of his profits with
the factor IS the heighth OF folly. for ne
finds that he himself can dispose OF his
cottonto as good advant geas any one else
So each year more and more of the cotton
planters are treating directly with the rep
reseulatives Of factories. who CONE to the
plantations. After the sale the seller de-
livers The h;iles. F. U. b, on the freight
steamers for shipment to their destinations.
Liverpool is always the largest buyer OF
cur cotton. While the United States barely
uses one-third of her own production.
In conclusion. Mr.. Hutz said that all this
talk about poverty in the South is the
biggest kind of rot. He has Travelled all
through the Gulf and ScHth Atlantic States.
and places their prosperity as compared
with thai Of the North. at the ratio OF about
two TO one.