The Meridional. (Abbeville, La.) 1856-1906, 1899-05-13
ABBEVILLE, LOUISIANA, SATURDAY MAY l3 89a
Kick on the Cane Contracts.


faction expressed among the small
cane farmers in this parish, concern
ing the contracts for cane sold to the
central factories. it has not amounted
to much. In Lafayette parish, how
ever, the contracts offered are either
more onerous, or the people are more
cautious, for there is quite row on
hand. Last Saturday, at the court
house assembled a large and repre-
sentative number of farmers of the
parish interested in the cultivation of
sugar cane. Long before the hour
set for meeting the court room was
filled to its utmost capacity, and it
was plain that matters of serious i'm
port were uppermost in the minds of
those horny-handed sons of toll. Dis
cussions warm and earnest occupied
various groups of the assemblage un-
til the hour fixed. Fully nine-tenths
OF the sugar interest was represented,
and while no severe or violent express
sions of opinion were heard, vet there
was manifest determination evinced
by all to resist unjust and unfair dis
elimination affecting the sugar indus
try. 1t seems short time since the
Lafayette Sugar Refinery Company,
controlled by 5. Gumbel & Co., of
! New Orleans, issued blank contracts
to the cane growers, wherein was con-
tanned several radical, and to the
planters, Objectionable, features,
among which may be mentioned a
clause giving the refinery the right to
reject cane under certain conditions.
Other clauses provide that the juice
shall test II degrees sucrose, a regu-
lation considered unfair as to delivery
of cane each day and provision for
notification of the contract by the
refinery and new basis of price to be
agreed upon. There were other oEl
| jections urged, but the above consti-
tuted the main grounds of dissent on
the part of the farmers. The meet
/ ing was called to order by W. b.
Torian, who suggested C. 0. Mouton
as chairman and r. G.. Greig as
secretary. Mr.. Mouton made brief
address thanking the gentlemen for
the honor conferred and explained the
purpose of the gathering. The chair
man also took occasion to counsel
prudence and moderation in whatever
conclusions and determinations that
might be formulated to protect the
interest of the planters, urging ia a
spirit of conciliation and fairness that
the refinery was entitled to and should
be treated with justice. The remarks
of the presiding officer seemed to find
echo in the enthusiastic applause
which greeted them. A committee
consisting of Messrs. w. B. Torian
and Grow Girard, was appointed to
consider the contract clause by clause,
and report on those terms injuriously
affecting the sugar industry. The
committee in time reported the OBJ
tional features as above indicated,
and a committee of seven consisting
Of w. B. Torian, Grow Girard, j. O.
Broussard, Simeon Begnaud. j. 2.
Gulley, S. j. Montgomery, j. E.
Mouton and G. O. Mouton, was ap-
pointed to confer with the company
and endeavor to arrive at an amicable
adjustment of all differences existing.
The meeting then adjourned to meet
May 90. to receive the report of the
committee, at~which time it is proba-
BILE that the sugar planters will perma-
nently organize for mutual aid and
protection in the future.