The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-07-16
Spirit of the Press.
THE Danger u THE ROUND
BALE.
Houston, Tex, Post.

Houston, Tex, Post.
The round bale people. do not come
into Texas with machinery to sell.
lacy propose TO operate ali the Plants
put in themselves, or To exact ii perpetual
royalty AS rental, if any of their plants
are used by others than the company
1t is charged that the process Of ginning
and baling are such that the company
owning tlle plants will Dc compelled to
buy the cotton in the seed and handle II
from the field to the factory evidently
the Interior purpose Of these round bale
people. This contamination viii, it can
be seen, when effected, place the han
ding OF the cotton crop OF the United
States in the hands of one or two round
bale companies, and the consequences
to the South can be better imagined
run out, and the millions invested in the
oid-time gins and presses destroyed, the
planters would be at the mercy Of Il mo-
nopoly strong enough to fix whatever
price it pleased on cotton, and then to
hold the crop long enough to exact from
the mills its own figures. In word
the syiindrical bale company will, after
having its gin accepted and its package
situation. What will become of the
planters interest? AS the New Orleans
fines Democrat asks, will the planter
not be entirely helpless before this huge
corporation, and would he not be com
PEELED to take whatever the corporation
was disposed to offer! There would be
no competition, and Senator McEnery, OF
Louisiana, declares that the fostering OF
the cylindrical bale means the fostering
Of one Of the largest trusts ever con
ceived by the mind of men. and the dfly-
ing ont Of the cotton factors, exporters,
and pressmen. The question at once ad-
dresses itself to an intelligent public and
lawmakers. whether a few present ;d-
vantages should permit the destruction of
millions Of capital already invested IN
the old processes, and destruction OF
competition in the purchasing and hand
ling of the 12,O00,00O bales OF American
cotton, and the building up of a trust by
comparison with which the Standard Oh
and Sugar trust would be. pygmles.
The trusts once supreme, these
present concessions and advantages to
the planter would inevitably and at once
be withdrawn, and the South, with all
its vast business interests, which are
absolutely dependent on cotloI, Woulu
be in the cold vice-like grip Of a master
with an office in Wall street. No more
serious situation has confronted this see
ton since the war of the rebellion. Not
to in some Way4s scotch this young and
growing giant now is to be helpless later
on. If the benefits of this new invention
were given las in the old processes, to the
public by sale of the plants, we might
see a step fOrward-eXisting ginning and
COMPRISING establishments would simply
replace present with improved machine
ry. though the cost would be great. To
| refuse to do this, however, places the
new company in position where it can
ask and expect few favors from the pub
| lie. Texas. the gseatest cotton growing
State in the world, should at least he
saved from the clutches OF this most
ambitions and dangerous of all the huge
monopolies."
| PENNETT AT THE BAR MEETING.
| l.. City Economist.
] We have read and reread the speech