The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1898-09-14
SQnare VS.. Cylindrical Bale.

Editor TIE TINES:
It's conceded by all thinking men that
the newspaper is the greatest educational
AGENT of our times. The progressive man
is the man who keeps himself enlightened
and abreast of the times By judlcious out
Law of money in subscriptions to well estao-
lished practical papers, magazines. etc.
But unless the editor is himself man VINO
has the best interests of his readers and
the general public at heart, needed lnfor-
nation and enlightenment IS often WITH
held; aud, acting from false conceptions
much harm is often unwlttlne!y done.
Now, Mr.. Editor, bitter and what proa-
ises to be a stubborn Sght is on and the
cotton grower is without his interests being
consulted, or even his consent asked, IS
made to assist in monstrous conspiracy
against his own best interests.
Cotton einners themselves whose patrons
the farmers are, are themselves giving COM
fort and assistance to the enemy doubtless
through ienorance) and helping an unscru-
pulous trust to combine to rob the cotton
yrowers Of the South Of $40, 900, 900 annu'
ally.
The fight is between the compress com.
panies and what is known as the cyllnori-
cal or round bale companies. Sprunt OF
Wilmington, n c., and Sloan of Augusta,
Ga, mote TO protest from our own Statel
have issued their manifesto and decreed
That for the future all cotton presses shall
be of uniform size, when practically this
has been the condition for years and unless
the HELPLESS farmer does not bow to tEeiE
mandate he is assisted by the merchant and
public ginner to be fined from one to one
and q half dollars per bale for daring tc
disobev the order Of his superior. tbs COM
press company, as represented by Sprunt
Sloan i Co. And l have been Informed
that merchants in Manning have in some
instances levied said ine. hope for the
sake Of the reputation of our county seat and
her business men this is not 30, for such on
act would be without warrant of law and
downright robbery.
Now, Mr.. Editor, am one that believes
there is room for Improvement IN the put
TING into marketable shape our most i'm.
portaut money crop. But will smaller
SQUARE bale, covered with unsghtly jute
bagging and imported ties be any better
nut up than st present? Certainly not; the
same slovenly condition will prevail. The
truth of the matter is that the compress:
com panies want smaller bale in order thai
they may compress into the same space a:
the round bale company given amount o'
cotton.
ROUND BALE SAVING.
Modern Machinery for January gives ar
illustrated description of the cyllndrlca
baling system which it shows saves from
two to FIVE dollars per bale, which means s
gain of S4O,000,000 annually to the South
This in confirmation of figures previously
quoted:
Quoting from an article in the Manufac
turers' Record, published in Baltimore
Md, and entitled "a Desire for Better
Bales" Mr.. Pratt, president of tine Hunts
Vile. Ala, cotton mills. says: Speaking @
the round or cylindrical bale am thor
ouphlv convinced that the mills of thit
company c.n afford to pay 10 points to 5:
per bale more for cotton in the round bali
than for square bales; and think perhap:
more when YOU consider the advantages o
storage and insurance occupied by thl
bale"
In an article entitled The Uniform
| Bale" Dixie says: This effort to secure th'
adoption of q uniform bale IS step IN the
right direction. But cotton ballng reform
will be effected through the Introduction o
the cylindrical baling system.
The only argument against the rount
bale IS advanced by the compress owners
their investments would be impaired. Bu
the march of progress will not be perma
nently blocked to serve personal interests
Will the farmers of our Southland be mad
the tools of the compress companies ant
continue to pay them toll, or will they &C
on their own behalf and inaugurase move
ment that has the cylindrical bale for it
object and their emancipation from u
threefold grip of compress, Jute nagein
and imported by combines: :,
With your consent, Mr.. Editor. wi
continue to give to the farmers OF our coun
ty further proof Of the duplicity OF the CON
press men and the necessity of lntelllgen
action in baling reform.
Respectfully,
T. B. OWEN.
, Silver, S. c., Sept. Is, 1898.