The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1897-10-05
81 ROSE AND THE

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convenient than the old square baie.
In fact. we think, that could the farm
ers buy and operate these presses them
selves, this new invention would prove
to be one of the greatest of Inventions
at any rate the greatest that has ap-
peared within the last two decades.
Bug some planters, Instead OF standing
with the minority and refusing to use
the presses until the American Cotton
Company agrees to sell them (as they
would ere long) r agreeing TO te8e
them upon the terms demanded oy the
company. We doubt not that the ma
chimes in themselves would be OF great
value to farmers. The railroads can
afford to haul the cotton for less and
the farmer can press his cotton MIN
self, and ship il, etc, etc. Yet these
few merits OF the machines may Er1Vo
to be the studs upon which some great
evils will reach the cotton farmer.
Soma persons can steal the livery OF
heaven to serve the devil in"
Speaking of the merits Of the new
System, Farm and Preside, Of Oc5. 1at,
says:
"Probably more people go to the Elk
position to see the round bale e0t&on
press than any other single object on
the grounds # the Tennessee Centen-
NAL Exposition, Said a prominent
hotel clerk: Visitors come in here
every day, and q large number of them
always inquire aoou5 the cylindrical
press. lis lame as spread ell over the
country, and the people are anxious to
see the wonderful machine in opera
Gion.' Those who have visited the ex
hiOit in machinery hall have gone away
highly pleased with it's work, end tell
their friends about the wonders that it
accompanies. The round bale system
Is far ahead of the old way of com
pressing cotton. The bales are small,
compact, neat and easily handled.
During the process Of baling the fiber
of the cotton remains in it's original
shape, and when the bales reach the
mills they are in splendid condition.
They are not ragged nor torn; the Cot
ton is not dirty. It is the wonder of
all cotton men, and they say it is the
cotton press of the future"
The Nashville American also has
something TO say:
"a large and interested crowd of
spectators gathered at the exhibit Of
the American Cotton Company in ma
chinery hall yesterday afternoon to
see the round bale press turn out a bale
Of cotton. In the crowd were quite a
number of men who had travelled long
distances fer the special purpose of
seeing the wonderful giE and press in
operation.
'"EhOse who saw the press in opera
tion were loud in their praise OF the in
vention. Some of the most prominent
cotton men in the country we're there,
and q reporter for the American asked
quite q number Of them what they
thought OF the press In every instance
the replies were favorable to the round
bale system, Not a single man in the
crowd could fad a single objection to
the machine"
Every sensible man will admit that
the machine has it's merits. Yet there's
auOther side to the question. Why
does the American Cotton Company
not sell the presses7 For what purpose
is this unless it be for the purpose of
getting a monopoly in the production
of cotton in the South2
This Is a pertinent question, and n
which every farmer should consider
we'll. There is to day, as there was in
the days of Poor Richard" such a
thing as paying too much for ones
whistle. 1t would give US much pleas
ure to recommend this new invention
to our readers, but conscience forbids.
We are always glad to be among those
who recommend to farmers anything
that will help them and make them
more progressive and their business
more profitable, but after carefully
considering the question, we think,
that there is more danger in this thorn
than there is pleasure in the rose. In
fact, when the rose had withered the
pain from the thorn might still be a
reality. To think that farmers could
get lower freight rates and abolish
middlemen's profit is a pleasing pros
pecS, but on the other hand kindly
bear in mind that the presses would
still belong to the American Cotton
Company, and it would be in it's power
to fix rates and charges far in excess OF
those now charged by railroads and