The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1896-12-31

| The tare on cotton is tne "eiShS VI
ties and bagging that are used lor plo'
tectng the cotton from damage 10 WHEEL
without them, cotton would be hKely
subjected in the course of its transpor'
tation to distant markets. This charge
is now, and | believe has always Deen,
| estimated ut 6 per cent on the gross
weight. This rate was not perhaps orlgi'
nally considered excessive, because lne
flo and bagging material then used was
much heavier than that which IS now ~
general use. 1t does not, under THESE
circumstances, seem right that the olu
charge of per cent should sun De opera,
tive If that rate was suillcieht cnals
when the tare was heavier, it surely ls
more than sufficient now that it is SO
much lighter, and the cotton grove
should not be called upon to pay charges
for tare that does not ex st. There should
he diminution ia these charges ZOE
fare proportionate to the diminutlon III
the extent of the tare itself. III THESE
charges for tare, levied fifty years ago,
were then adequately compensatory ana
correct, they are surely now, in view Oh
decrease in the amount of actual tare'
more than compensatory ana are lucoi
rect. The charge for tare on Doo-pouhu
bale of cotton is 81 pounds. inns gl!es
! to the producer 469 pounds, for wmch
he ia Maid on a 5OO-pound bale. Now,
the average weight of ties and baggins'
which is the tare, on bale OF COTTON,
after being compressed, is about q
pounds. a difference Of say, 1O POUNDS
ner bale, in favor of the cotton grower,
as against the charges exacted OF MN
on the same account in favor OF the puI-
chaser, and to that extent is loss u
the farmer, which he could not IN any
equitable sense be required 10 sus.ain'
1t is to the extent of 10 pounds per paie,
making him pay for something that uoes
not exist. 1t may be thought by some
that am dealing with small things. but
come, let us reason together, takihs .ns
cotton crop of last year in Texas as our
basis. and it was the shortest crop raised
for wears in this state. 1t amounted 10
100000 bales, selling on an average
at 6 cents per pound. Now, charging
against each bale the fictitious tare OF
81 pounds, instead of q, it will be at
once apparent that the aggregate loss
to Texas cotton farmers on even the
short crop of last year was very great,
no less than $1,440,0O0. The crop OF
1894 would show q loss of over S2,UoO.-
600 that the farmer was entitled to. AnX-
ious to get at the true inwardness OF TINS
condition in cotton matters, l. in July,
1895, wrote to Hon. j. Sterling Nor
partment of agriculture, on the SUBJECT,
and received reply as follows:
"United States Department of Agrl-
culture, Washington, ID. G.. Hon. "A. D.
Rose. Commissioner of Agriculture, ETC.,
Austin, Tex, August 1, 1896: Dear
Sir-Replying to your letter of the 25th
ultimo, in reference to the tare deducted
from the weight of cotton bales, L re-
greet to say that the department of agri-
culture is unable to answer the inquiries
you make. 1t is quite probable that
either the bureau of statistics of the
treasury department or the commission
er of customs would be able to furnish
you some information on this subject.
Mr.. Alfred B. Shepperson. secretary of
the New York Cotton Exchange, is also
an authority on such matters. Respect
fully yours,
az. STERLING MORTON. Sec
81 subsequently wrote to Mr.. Edward
r. Powers and to Mr.. Alfred B. Shep-
person, both of the New York Cotton
Exchange and promptly received replies
as follows:
"'New York Cotton Exchange, New
York. June 3, 1896. Hon. A. j. Rose
Commissioner of Agriculture, etc, Aus
tin, Tex: Dear Sir-Your favor of the
Goth ultimo came duly to hand. l have
! investigated the subject and learn that
| the tare on a 500-pound bale of cotton in
Liverpool would be 81 pounds, provided
! there were eight iron bands; that il to say
the net weight the buyer pays for on the
scales for 50O-pound bale would be 46f
p''n''' o .EDW VAR R. POWERS,
Superintendent.
Cotton Exchange Building. New
| Commissioner of Agriculture of Texas
Dear Sir-Your letter of May 20, t.
the bureau of statistics of the treasur.
department in Washington, having beer
referred to me by the chief clerk of tn,
bureau of statistics for reply, ] beg t.
say that all cotton is sold in Liverpool
upon net weight, and that in order to al
rive at the net weight of bale of cottol
the following deductions are made iron
it's gross weight: Two (9 pounds 70
bands Or ties. After making these de
auctions, four az pounds for each IL
pounds is deducted for tare or weight o
bagging, and the remainder is the ne
weight OF the cotton, upon which pay
ment is made. Should the bands or tie
weigh over 8 pounds then such excess
to be deducted for the bands. If tn
weight of the bagging is found to excee
four az pounds per 112 pounds, the buye
is entitled to make claim for such eA
cess. The bands are not weighed frOI
every bale of cotton, but it is the custOI
, to weigh only a few bales from the shiI
ment and take their average as the ave-
, age weight of the entire lot. AS ma
ter of custom, when cotton is sold in thi
: country to parties in Liverpool, it is a
most universal practice to allow 8 pc
cent from the American gross weight
, cover the deduction for the bands an
!, bagging. 1t is also usually understood
! that the American shipper guarantee
that the gross weight upon landing
Liverpool shall not be more than / pt
cent less than the American weight. HO
! ing that this information will meet yol
requirements, | remain yours very trn
"'ALF. B. SHEPPERSON.'
= 'While this prevailing charge for tai
y is exorbitant, it is nevertheless the art
: trary imposition of foreign dealers. ii
= ing and doing business in foreign land
y am cware that a state government
. powerless to correct the abuse. Retail
> tory legislation in such matters is n
: possible for state. l refer to this pa
= ticular subject for the purpose only
= bringing home to the knowledge of q
= cotton planters the fact of the unjust e
u u action to which they are subjected, al
y in hope that once awakened to it, Il
. people may possibly, through congressio
.,,4n