The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1897-03-03
THE VILE TRUSTS.
The Evils That Result Depend Eu-
tireIy Upon who Wins.
\ 'orkevlile Enquirer.


Most of the readers of The Enquirer re-
member the effort that was made by Mr..
John T. Roddey, of New York, few years
ago, to secure the organization OF big trust
tor the protection OF the cotton growers ofthe
south They remember. among other things.
that a convention OF York county farmers
discussed and enuorSSed Mr.. Roddey's plan.
and asked Governor Evans 10 call a conven'
tion in.Columb.a for the purpose OF perfect
Ipg a state o. ganZ,tiOn in the hope that from
there the movement might spread on TO sue.
cess over all the cotton producing regions oil
the sOath.
Governor Evans, it will be remembered,
ignored the request OF the York county con-
veuion, and unable TO proceed any further,
the people up this way were forced 10 let the
matter drop. Every interested farmer who
understood the Koddcy plan believed 1t to be
the very thing. and all hoped To see it, deve'
Ioped into practical reality. HAD Governor
Evans acted more intelligently. IL is possible
that the situation OF the cotton farmers OF the
south today would be very different. How
ever, that, we confess, is mere matter OF
Speculntion. go
there is 70 longer amy doubt. The greatest
"flnanc:er" Gf America has taken hold of It..
and he prop seS to work 1t for all II is WORTH,
not 10 the Interest OF cotton producers as pro.
posed by Mr.. ROQGey: but in the interest OF
himself aud associates. He is into scheme
whereby he will be enabled To squeeze the
lfeb IoOd rot only out OF cotton producers,
but also out Of cotton consumers, ana al
though what he proposes 10 40 Is, as some
peopIe said of the Ruddey plan, contrary to
law, IN view of the manner in W hlch laws on
tue subject have bceu and are being enforced,
we fail To see where this will make any dlf'
ference. The plan Of the proposed new trust,
aS outlined by the Chicago correspondent OF
the Charlotte Observer, Is as follows:
.'Ssares. who is now under investigation by
the LeXOw committee, at New lo:k. mas
formed Il combination OF all the patentees OF
cylindrical baling machinery and number
uf the presidents of southern railroads. Ihe
scheme is not 10 put these machines into tne
hands OF the ginners. but TO own the plants
throughout The south themselves ana Duy
only seed cotton. They claim that there Is Il
saving OF nearly SIS per bale In their method;
that this margin Will enable them TO COM
maud 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 cain, you can readily see that the sElall
ginners would soon he thing of the past,
and the planters would only have the SearleS
combination To deal with. l think another
suspicious part OF the scheme is that the com,
pany has been organized in New Jersey ana
has it's offices IN Jersey City, fuvorlte resort
of trusts and other schemes that won't stand
probing"
Now, suppose these charges are true, and
we do not doubt 1t for a minute, what Will be
the result: Controlling The patents on
cylindrical baling machinery, and standing
in with the railroads, This new trust Will be
IN position 10 levya tax that will be COM
parable only To the revenues OF the general
government. Take for instance the scheme
of buying only seed cotton. and think or the
possibilities. The trust will be able TO dictate
the price at which seed cotton must be solu
aud 1t will also fix The price AT which 1t will
sell lint cotton. The difference Ia price BE-
tween seed and lin cotton will be OF no In
terest TO farmers, for that, no matter 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 being 20 tnuch more compact and
smaller. will be hauled over tile railroads for
less money, aad il will serve az q lever TO
force the farmer TO patroniZa the trust.
The Enquirer does not desire to unneces-
sariiy alarm anybody; but 1t honestly be-.
Iieves that unless something is done TO pre-
vent, ii foreSees just such a condition OF af.
fairs as is outlined above. And If anything Is
To be done to prevent, 1T should he done with
out 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 IL loose.