Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1897-02-27
TO CONTROL COTTON.

Most of the readers of THE ENQUIRER
remember the effort that was made by
Mr.. John T. Roddey, of New York, a
few years ago, to secure the organization
of big trust for the protection of the
cotton growers of the south. They re-
member, among other things, that con-
vention of York county farmers discussed
and endorsed Mr.. Roddey's plan, and
asked Governor Evans to call conven-
ton in Columbia for the purpose of per-
fecting state organization in the hope
that from there the movement might
spread on to success over all the cotton
producing regions of the south.
Governor Evans, it will be remember
ed, ignored the request of the York coun-
ty convention, and unable to proceed any
further, the people up this way were
forced to let the matter drop. Every
interested farmer who understood the
Roddey plan believed it to be the very
thing, and all hoped to see it developed
into a practical reality. Had Governor
Evans acted more intelligently, it is pos
sible that the situation of the cotton farm
ers of the south today would be very differ
ent. However, that, we confess, is mere
matter of speculation.
But that Mr.. Roddey's idea was feasible
there is no longer any doubt. The great
est "financier' Of America has taken hold
of it, and he proposes to work it for all it
is worth, not in the interest of cotton pro-
ducers as proposed by Mr.. Roddey; but
in the interest of himself and associates.
He is into scheme whereby he will be
enabled to squeeze the H. flood not only
out of cotton producers, but also out of
cotton consumers, and although what he
proposes to do is, as some people said ofthe
Roddey plan, contrary to law, in view OF
the manner in which laws on the subject
have been and are being enforced, we
fail to see where this will make any diff
ference. The plan Of the proposed new
trust, as outlined by the Chicago cores
pondent of the Charlotte Observer, is as
follows:
"Searles, who is now under investiga-
ton by the Lexow committee, at New
York, has formed combination of all
the patentees of cylindrical baling ma
chinerv and a number Of the presidents
of southern railroads. The scheme is not
to put these machines into the hands of
the ginners, but to own the plants through
out the south themselves and buy only
seed cotton. They claim that there is
saving of nearly So per bale in their meth
cd; that this margin will enable them to
command the trade, both in cotton and
cotton seed, and practically to control the
market. If there is any such saving in
their method as they claim, you can read
lily see that the small ginners would soon
he thing of the past, and the planters
would only have the Searles combination
to deal with. Ithink another suspicious
part of the scheme is that the company
has been organized in New Jersey and
has it's offices in Jersey City, a favorite re-
sort of trusts and other schemes that
won't stand probing"
Now, suppose these charges are true,
and we do not doubt it for minute,
what will be the result? Controlling the
the patents on cylindrical baling machin-
cry, and standing in with the railroads,
this new trust will be in position to levy
a tax that will be comparable only to the
revenues of the general government.
Take for instance the scheme of buying
only seed cotton, and think of the posi-
bilities. The trust will be able to dictate
the price at which seed cotton must be
sold, and it will also fix the price at which
it will sell lint cotton. The difference in
price between seed and lint cotton will be
of no interest to farmers, for that, no mat
ter how great, will be the profit of the
trust. But the farmer won't patronize
the trust; he will stick to private gins
How? Here is where the patents on the
cylindrical bale comes in. This bale be-
ing so much more compact and smaller,
will be hauled over the railroads for less
money, and it will serve as lever to force
the farmer to patronize the trust.
TIE ENQUIRER does not desire to I'M
necessarily alarm anybody; but it hon.
estly believes that unless something is
done to prevent, it foresees just such a
condition of affairs as is outlined above.
And if anything is to be done to prevent,
il should be done without delay, for once
this trust gets hold on the principal
industry of the south, there is no earthly
power of which we have any knowledge,
that can possibly shake it loose.