The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1899-09-02

are about reaching bottom in that di.
rection. But it does not follow that we
must rest satisfied with the conditions
we are in. We can and must arouse
ourselves and study the handling and
selling of our crops. Are we selling
wisely and well? Are we getting our
share of the ultimate value of the coz
ton crop? We think not.
The present system calls or pro-
vides for too many go-betwee,s. The
list of expenses is too great. . e man
ner of preparing and handling and
selling is too awkward, cumbersome,
careless, risky anc expensive. The
picking is badly zone. Bagging and
ties cost too much. Gins run too fast
and injure the staple. Too much sand
is left r. the cotton. Mixed bales are
too numerous. Bales are too large and
are not sufficiently covered. Too many
samples are drawn. The city crop is
entirely too large. Too much cotton is
exposed by the large holes cut by
samplers. The bales are unsightly and
the fire risk is too great. Insurance is
too high. Warehouse expenses are too
heavy. Freight rates are too high.
COMPRISING costs should be eliminate
ed or greatly lowered. Too much de-
duction comes in as loss in weights.
The grading or classification is not
simple, clear or satisfactory.
Because of all these and other
points of carelessness, it comes to
pass that we who produce the cotton
are supporting too many at our ex-
pense. Look at a partial list: Pickers,
ginners, bagging factories, tie facto-
ries, and all the men who handle bag
ging and ties from the factory to
compress or spinning factory; street
samplers and buyers, weighers, truck
men, warehousemen, commission men;
a second, third and fourth set of sam
piers and classifiers; insurance, men,
shippers, draymen, compressers; q
second and third set of warehousemen
and freight carriers by land and by
water.
This. is only partial list, and yet
there are entirely too many. BY CO.
operation, consultation and concerted
action very many of these could be en-
tirely eliminated or greatly reduced,
and the farmer could have some voice
in pricing. At present he has none. He
sells at the buyers figures, and he
very often helps the buyer lower the
price by crowding the market and
making forced sales.
1t is now proposed to call conven-
ton to discuss this side of the cotton
business and see if some practical
remedies can be found. Better prep
aration and cleaner and cheaper han
ding of COTTON will help in this
direction. Let these be fully discussed
and all the light thrown upon them
that we can get.
This can and should be done in
spirit entirely friendly to all interest
ed. All the others are holding conven-
tons and doing all they can in the
interest of their several positions, In
this they are right. Now let the farmer
do the same. N EH A
we ought TO have some voice. in
pricing what we sell. The selling side
of farm economy needs more study.
Discussion will&hripg light and then
win follow aItton stet ps have a con-
vention. Let it be . fsal1 one 4ssl<6.time
to look into this matter. It is worth
time and thought. Past failures should
not discourage us. On the contrary.
they should show us the necessity for
more consultations. Out ofNall may
come the building, by cooperative ac-
ton, of many factories, and the sell
ing of much of our cotton in the seed
direct OF manufacturers. If by this
means, or otherwise, the farmer gets
more for his cotton, and the consumer
pays more for his cloth, all well and
good.-Southern Cultivator.