The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-05-27
COTTON CLASSIFICATION
Movement Under Way for Convention to
Discuss Uniformity.
SWORN INSPECTORS AT ALL COTTON PORTS
Is the plan which lis Most Generally
Approved--scheme Favored, hut
Possibility Is Doubted.

convention of growers and buyers of cotton
to be held the coming summer, for the pur-
pose Of securing uniform classification Of
the staple which will be n standard for the
entire country and possibly for the world.
No DEFINITE time and place has been an
nounoed, but there is talk OF holding 1t in
Charleston, S. c., during August when the
plantois would be better abba to attend, owing
to tie advanced condition of the crops at that
rcasrn.
]. is understood that the plan and details
are being arranged chiefly by the agricultural
societies and departments in various South
erp States, and by some of the largest plant
vrs IN that section, and that delegates from
Every country Tn the world where cotton is
raised or dealt in largely will be asked to at
ttnd.
one plan already suggested is that there
should be a uniform classification OF cotton
IRON which cotton Is shipped. The varying
olassihcations In this country and the rigid
rules and inspection at Liverpool, II is said,
result In annual reClamatlons OF thousands
o. dollars Local cotton men, while praising
the motive hack OF the plan. very much doubt
that practical benefit will result from such a
convention
President Robinson of the New York cotton
exchange said in an interview that, so far
as he knew the convention had not been dis
cussed. He felt sure, however that every
more thnn willing to aid In an effort to bring
about the desired uniformity,
MIR. Robinson questioned the practicabilily
of establishing a uniform classification as a
fixed standard for grading all the cotton pro-
duced in this country. He doubted much
more the feasibility of such standard for
both TINS country and the Liverpool market t,
although nothing would be more desired in
the trade than she realization of such q plan.
The classification of cotton, he said. Is purely
matter OF opinion ana the standards ADOPT
el for one cotton section will necessarily diff
fer from those of other sections. No one can
say that his classification is right and that OF
others wrong
'The standards made by our classification
committee and adopted by the exchange are
as perfect as we can devise" said Mr. Robin
son, ''hut we are ready to adopt any system
that is proved TO be better. There used to be
an organization known as the National cotton
exchange 1t existed simply in name, and
one of It's main objects was to secure uni
fern classification. The inspectors in charge
OF the work Of fixing standards performed
their duties In a perfunctory manner how
ever, aud the practical results from the assoc
citation were not such as to warrant its OK
istenct 1t was therefore abandoned some
time ago.
II do not recall any serious effort having
beer made to secure a standard for all coun-
tries and, while not questioning the desira
bility OF such uniformity, I doubt II it can
he brought about. 1t would be almost impos.
sible to reconcile such widely different opin-
ions would exist for instance, in a commits
sion of delegates from all cotton growing dis
tricts of the world appointed to fix standards
fol universal classification
The New York Journal Of Commerce says:
Cotton merchants and handlers in this city
were especially interested Saturday in advices
from Georgia stating the possibility that the
legislature of that State. at Its next session,
might consider a plan for the uniform classi-
hcation OF cotton throughout the state Mem
bers Of the local cotton exchange declare
themselves in favor OF the plan, but seem TO
doubt the possibility Of its successful deye-
opment.
A synopsis of the project includes the APP
polntment OF sworn inspectors by the state,
who should classify the staple from the uit-
terent points at which 1t is shipped. There is.
according to authorities. practically no clasSi-
hoaton of cotton in any OF the Southern
states The buyers put their own classih
cation upon their purchases ana TINS de-
cislon the grower is bound to accent. This
results in many differences of opinions and
in claims and reclamations. According to the
depT--tent of agriculture, one firm alone in
the state of Georgia during the last year has
lost about $4,000 BY this process of reulama-
ton The idea of establishing uniform
classification. which would be necessarily con
hneu TO the southern, or cotton producing
states. would 1t is claimed. do away with
much of this pecunary loss and would es-
tablish standard which would be recoR-
nlzed not only in this country but abroad. 1t
would be necessary, 1t is asserted. for ALL or
a majority of the Southern States. to unite in
the matter.
Mr.. Thos. NJ. Robinson. president of the
cotton exchange. when asked concerning the
feasibility of establishing uniform classif-
cation, said:
1T is one OF those propositions which APP
pear well in theory but which are highly i'm
practicable. We have shown the southern
states how to make a uniform classification.
specia. attention will be paid to this sub
ieet II the annual report of the exchange 10
be rendered at tie end Of the month. During
the year we have classified about 102, 900 bales
ane could have accomplished a great deal
mere n we had han the work to do, and dur
ing all this time we have paid only about
$50 in reclamation. There is also decided
in classifying 102 900 bales and In
INSPECTING the entire crop OF the United
states, 1t would be a difficult undertaking
To so through the crop OF Georgia as we do
II here. 1t would mean a classification
committee at every point from which cotton
is sent. and then these grades would not all
ways be the same so that the result OF uni
iormity would, in all probability. not be at
tanned. Not only would there be a difference
Of STAPLE in the different States but the
grade itself might not be established in ex-
actly the same manner in the various sec
TORS. To accomplish a thorough classified.
ton II would mean twenty or thirty classi-
hcation committees In every State
Another very important consideration Is