The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-05-19
TO STIMULATE COMPETITION.
THE ADVANTAGES TO RESULT FRONi
STANDARD CLASsIFIC ALTON.

BY Giving Confidence TO the Trnde
That Every Bale of Cotton Is What
II Is Represented TO he COnpeti-
ton VIII BE stimulated and Bet
ter Prices Bcsult-Mr. II. G. Ahrens
says That the Foreign Buyers VIII
welcome an Official Classification.
Cloud Rests on thc Grade Title
of Every Bale of Cotton Under the
Present Lack of System, Says MIR.
WiIIiamS-savannah Men Elected
Officers of the Georgia Compress
Association.
The question of 4 standard classification
of cotton is proving very interesting sub
ject of discussion among the cotton men
and il is not unlikely that steps Will be
taken TO establish a standard and secure
official classification by legislative enact
ment
Mr.. H. c. Ahrens. manager for PferG-
menges. Preyer & Co, when seen about
the matter yesterday, said that while he
disagrees with some of the IDEAS advanced
he is heartily in favor of the main idea adj
vanced by Mr.. Williams, that of an official
standard classification which viii settle
all questions as 10 grade on this side and
leave both the exporter and his customer
free from all doubt as 10 the grade Of the
cotton sold
Il think an official classification at the
ports would be thoroughly satisfactory to
the foreign cotton buyers" said Mr.. All
rens. "As it is We are the principal suf-
ferers by the present lack of system. We
are compelled to pay for cotton on interior
bills of ladiug before we have ever seen
il and frequently we never see il. What
becomes OF it we don't know. We have no
opportunity to classify It here, and the
cotton goes abroad on The classification
given 1t by the interior seller. Very natur-
any there are reclamauons What else
would you expect under such conditions"
The broker whom you interviewed
yesterday was very much off in some of
his statements" said Mr.. Ahrens For
instance. he said that The Bremen board
of arbitration makes no allowance for cot
ton which proves to be above the grade
sold, while it always deducts for that
which ia Is to come up to grade. He must
have known better than that. Here are
the rules of the Bremen Cotton Exchange
governing arbitration, which distinctly
provide that the arbitrator in CHASING
cotton must allow compensation for all
cotton that is above grade. For instance,
If there are half dozen bales half a grade
above the grade guaranteed they are Off
set against half a dozen of half a grade
below. The rule states that this applies
TO even running cotton. When the diff
ference is greater than a grade no allow
ance is made. II is almost impossible to
get an entire shipment of cotton exact
alike. and 1t would be manifestly unjust
If no compensation were allowed for cot
ton which is above grade. The trouble is
that very few bales above grade get into
the average shipment, and the bales that
are slightly off grade almost always pre-
ponderate."
1T is true that reclamations have in
creased in recent years" said Mr.. Ahrens.
THE cotton business is just like every
other business. Everything is being cut
closer now than formerly. Neither seller
nor buyers were so careful of grades
formerly as they are now. 1t was moth
Ing unusual in former years for the seller
10 fill orders with cotton of slightly better
grade than that ordered. This he would
do in the beginning of the season when
good grades were plentiful, and later in
the season ne would probably fin orders
with cotton slightly below grade. The bus
mess balanced itself, and the buyer had no
reason TO complain. Now everything IL
watched closely and the slightest differ
ence in grade is noted at once"
Mr.. Ahrens compared two sets of sam
piles whole grade apart for illustration
Now you see how little difference in APP
pearance there is between these samples"
said he, yet there is another half grade
TO come between. 1t is very easy to make
a mistake of half a grade, especially where
there is no standard of classification and
ideas differ so much, yet this difference of
half grade is very important to the for
eign consumer as Il may mean loss of
$l.25 10 $3.50 per bale"
Mr.. Ahrens sees no reason why legsla.
tive action should not be effective in
bringing about the desired reform 1t will
be well for the state of Georgia TO take the
initiative, he said, as the neighboring cot
ton states viii be certain to follow suit
Al New Orleans the trade regulations are
50 satisfactory and so well established
that no legislation is needed at that port
Mr. j. 7. Williams, who began the agi-
tation, said: 1.-THE farmer is the one prin-
cipally interested in this matter The pres
emf lack Of system. with irresponsible
classification and frequent recIamations
undoubtedly has a depressing effect upon
the price of cotton. The effect is Just the
same as II you had piece of real estate
70 sell ana there was a cloud upon the IT,
tie. You could not begin to get the price
Tor il that you could If the title were un-
questioned. The effect of this uncertain
classincaton is to put a cloud upon the
title of every bale of cotton. A doubt
rests upon the mind of every foreign buy
er and Of the broker who buys for him
whether the cotton is of the grade for
which 1t as sold. The consequence is that
he makes allowance for possible falling off
IN grade in his bid for the cotton ana the
CROKER also makes an allowance against
possible reclamations. The producer is
the loser by this, as he gets a lower price
for his cotton than he otherwise wound
Establish reliable classification and let
every bale leave the port with the official
guarantee that il is what il is claimed 20
be, and buyers will bid confidently where
they now bid doubtful. Millions OF dollars
OF capital now lying idle would be glad to
rush IN ana BUY for trade and speculation
were it assured of the reliability Of tba
grades offered. Competition among buv-
ers would thus be obtained and the nrica
OF cotton would necessarily be enhanced y
Messrs j. f. Minis and C. c. Hansen
returned yesterday from Atlanta u,bora
they attended the annual meeting of ~