The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-09-18

Cotton Men Do Not Agree as TO Its
Feasibility.


The views which have been expressed
by cotton men in Savannah as TO the best
methods TO adopt TO advance the price Of
cotton find their ideas shared to some ex-
tent by representative men in other parts
of the country. While there seems 10 many
TO be strong reasons why the producers
should unite for the purpose Of pushing
the bonded warehouse and uniform CLASH
hcation schemes to a successful issue. there
are others who take different view Of the
matter. and hold that the establishment
proposed has nothing whatever to COM
mend it.
Referring to the propositions for uniform
classification and bonded warehouses. a
well known cotton factor. and one Of the
Oldest On Bay street, said he had heard
considerable argument on these matters,
but had not been aole to see that they
were feasible. Uniform classification Is
out of the question. he thinks. as every
section OF the state produces cotton a
shade different from that produced in OF h
er parts of the state so that uniform clas-
siication could not well be made a sue
cess because the expense of classification
would be too large. He said he thought
too many men would be required to do the
work. Following this argument he stated
further that he thought 100 many ware
houses would be required, as il would
take one for every crossroads and black
berry patch in the state. If this were not
done producers would be TO the expense
of shipping their cotton TO the warehouses,
which would take about all they would
make, provided the plan proved successful
in bringing a better price.
Mr.. J. p. Williams is out of the city at
he's
propositions before the people. Those who
have not given the subject deep thought do
not care to express opinions for publica-
ton. General interest is being stirred
among the producers however. and those
behind the movement fully expect by the
time the legislature meets TO have the in
terest at a point where the legislature
viii not fail TO give the matter its care
full consideration.
Referring to the warehouse proposition in
a recent interview, President John. E.
Searles of the American Cotton Company
says:
There is a great deal in it this time.
Heretofore such schemes on the part or
the cotton growers have failed for several
good reasons. and the planter has never
yet found himself in position to command
the price of his product He has been
forced 10 sell his cotton as soon as he
could get il out of the field in order 20
raise money for his creditors. This nee
essarily meant a sacrifice oftentimes. The
cotton was hurled into the market all in
a great heap within the three months OF
the autumn. The market was choked prices
went down because the legitimate rule of
supply and demand had been set aside, the
railways handled with difficulty the great
bulk of traffic within so short a period,
insurance was high. warehouses could not
hold the crop-everything conspired 10 the
cotton growers disadvantage.
Changes have come about. New pro-
cesses of packing the cotton into round
bales, smaller in size. and much more cas-
lily handled than the old-fashioned square
bales, have done much to make the To-
cal warehouse scheme feasible. Insurance
on the cotton has been reduced by this
round-bale system, and the capacity of
the warehouse greatly increased. Capital
is now ready to build these warehouses at
places where the cotton production Is con-
siderable and when they are built the
planter may bring his cotton there, take
a certificate on it's delivery, and nego-
tiate that certificate wherever he pleases,
for it will be as good as money anywhere
The farmer may borrow so per cent OF
the value of his cotton at the market
price if he sees fit, or sell it outright TO
the warehouse on the spot. Such is the
scheme that is being arranged to give the
farmer a better showing in the marketing
of his crop. 1t will, l assume, be dis
cussed at the Atlanta convention, which
1 consider will be one of the most i'm
portant meetings the cotton growers have
held in the South for many a day"
We are ready to enter into the local
warehouse scheme with the farmers. ."
said Mr.. Searles, and I am firmly con-
WINGED that it will in time completely
revolutionize the method of marketing cot
ton. When the factories need cotton the
warehouses will send it forth and the price
will undoubtedly be raised. l was talking
the other day with one of the leading cot
ton exporters of New Orleans. and he told
me that when the new scheme gets fairly
in working order he would derive great
benefit from it, because he would not be
forced to send his cotton off to Europe in
great quantities and all at one period of
the year. He will hereafter only send the
product abroad when the demand for it
becomes keen. The railroads will be ben
Gifted by the warehouse system. because
they will not be taxed beyond their capac-
ity to handle the crop in the rush season,
as it is called. In fact everybody who has
anything to do with the handling of the
cotton crop will find advantages in the
local warehouse scheme. Chief of all the
farmer"