The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1899-12-06
The Rise in Fertilizers.
Capt Smith Gives Some Rea.
son for it.

Can't j. Rice Smith. general man
ager of ne Georgia Chemical Works,
was " at the Charleston Hotel yester-
day. Mr Smith has been "under
the weather" for several days, having
been con6oed to his room ln the
hotel since Sunday. Yesterday q
reporter Cor the News aud Courier
had talk with Capt Smith aud be
Is of the opinion that the predicted
rise in fertilizers will amount to
between 25 and 80 per cent. and that
the facts in the case warrant the ad
vance. Capt Smith said:
s.You hear people giving it to the
trusts in great shape for the rise IN
fertilizers and no trust has anything
at ali to Go with the advance. Fer
til;zsrs would have TO advarce under
the existing conditions if there rever
had been a traot organized Oh TINS
earth supposing the Virginia Car.
olina Company had rot bought up
nearly all the phosphate mile IN TINS
section of country. do you think that
fertilizers would have remained at a
low price +? No, sir. If every raill in
the country was independent the
rise in price would have come
and it might have been a little higher
rise than now experienced. The low
nrice Of last year could not have
lasted, because the mills would not
have been able TO run with such
small margins of profit as was allow,
ed by that low figure /, know OF
one instance N point where a certain
mill in the State of South Carolina
handled las. year $4,000 tons OF
fertilizers and the books showed a
profit of only $876 OF course,
this mill could not run on any sucn
margin. aud it's owners were glad
enough to sell out at fair price to
people who wanted to buy: If any
dispute arises you can Gail on me
and ] will give you the name OF the
mill in question and an extract from
the report of the expert who investi
gated the books and general affairs OF
the company. For two years the
fertilizer mills have been selling
of large stocks at about the actual
oot of nrodnctjOn.
..Bnt there are other and inpera-
tive reasons why the price of fertili-
zers mus. 90 up The stuff from
which fertilizer is made has advanced
and consequently the manufactured
product canno. remain at the same
figure as last year In the first place
phosphate rock has advanced from ~
to 100 per cent in price Charleston
folks have been jubilant for some
time over the rise in this commodity
and the fact has been published ln
the Charleston papers
s.Pyri,es has advanced % per
cent. cotton seed meal is selling 25
per cent higher, ammoniated matter
demands from S to 10 per cent more
than formerly and the price of bags
has increased from 10 to II per cent
These embody ail the elements OF
fertilizers. ana since they have ad-
yanccd it is easily eeen that the
manufactured product must also ad
vance. There is no help for this
state of Affairs and the forming OF
more trusts or the dissolution OF
every trust on earth would. not.
change the very plain proposition
that fertilizers must demand higher
price THIS year than last think
the advance in price will be from 25
to 80 per cent. but nothing definite
on THE point car be said as the
comoouents of fertilizers may 60
higher or become tower From pres
ent Indications. however, 1 cannot
see how the advance can be less
than from 25 to 80 per cent
the advance is no, confined to
fertilizers, however. for the products
of all industries are dearer now t9an
ever Take steel rails. waite: pipe,
cotton goods aud, in fact, every
thing they have ali gone upward
and all thes cau be said of fertilizers
is tha. it is 10 exception to the gen.
eral rule Increased activity 30 com
merce has created demand which
starts at the frsl man. the farmer and
miner. and continues 90 up 20 the
consumer
1t is said by some tia, the advanc.
ed price will cause a reduction IN
the use OF fertilizers. whlle others
argue that the Increased price for all
crops will enable tue farmers to pay
the advance in fertilizers without
trouble Tue fa,mers are IN goco
shape and will oe able to buy
fertilizers is the opinion @! prom
inent business man. who spoke as
follows