The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-02-28
NEED OF STANDARD TYPES.
sAVANNAH's PECULIAR CLAsSIFI-
CATION OF COTTON.

Differs From That OF Liverpool and
the other Markets in This COun-
try-A Feature of Mr. Ahrens' Cir
cuIar Which Is of Interest to
Dealers In Cotton GeneraIIy-Why
Savannah Brokers Cannot Guar
nntee Interior Transactions as the
New Orleans Brokers DO-TeXas
Cotton Little Better Than That
Produced on the Red Old Hills of
Georgia.
The complaint made by Mr.. A. c. All
rens, manager Of Pferdmenges. Preyer
& Co. to the director of the Cotton Ex-
change as to the methods which now pre-
vail in the cotton buying business at this
port, is being discussed with some inter-
est by the members of the exchange. 1t
is expected that the directors will take
the matter under consideration and re-
port to the exchange at the March meet
ing.
Mr.. Ahrens evidently desires to Sc
cure a ventilation of the subject" said a
prominent broker yesterday. Il do not
think general discussion of the subject
will do any harm. Mr.. Ahrens is making
more complaint than any of the other
buyers for the reason doubtless that he
has been harder hit by the interior cotton
sellers.
AS the business is now conducted it is
largely a matter of Individual judgment
with the buyer as to the parties with
whom he shall deal and the extent to which
he can rely upon their guarantees IRE
sponsible parties will, of course, offer
greater inducements TO buyers than those
who have a reputation to maintain. The
brokers have no objection to a discussion
of the subject and will doubtless readily
agree tc any reasonable provision which
may lead to a better understanding be-
tween the interior sellers and the port
buyers"
mr.. Ahrens remarks that the New Or
learns brokers guarantee the shipments
of their interior connection. This is true
The New Orleans brokers can afford to
do this because the business is conducted
there in a more limited sphere, and the
brokers receive a higher commission than
do those at Savannah. The New Orleans
broker can also afford to guarantee color
and staple, which the Savannah broker
cannot afford to do, for the reason that
the cotton marketed at New Orleans from
Texas and the Mississippi valley is of SUI
perior grade 10 that grown in this Sec
ton. 1t is well known to the trade that
the red old hills of Georgia" do not pro-
duce cotton of as good color and staple
as do the rich lands of Texas and the
Red and Mississippi river valleys. The
difference in favor of the New Orleans
cotton is about an eighth of a cent This
Is offset, however by our cheaper freight
rates, so that we are able to obtain practl-
cally the same prices for our cotton as
does New Orleans.
Mr.. Ahrens' position as to the need of
official types in the Cotton Exchange is
well taken. Some years since the ex-
change imported sets of standard types
from Liverpool at considerable expense.
but there seemed to be no demand for
them. The increase in receipts of recent
years and the changes in methods of do
ing business make It desirable that an Of
fetal standard should be established by
the exchange. 1t is a peculiar fact that
Savannah classification differs from that
in use elsewhere in this country and also
from that of Liverpool. Cotton which
classes as middling in Augusta, for in
stance, is classed as good middling in sa-
vannah, and other grades differ propor-
tionately. Buyers in Savannah have to
purchase practically on their own classi-
fication This matter is worthy of the Sc
rious attention of the exchange A stand
ard Classification should be adopted, con-
forming to that recognized elsewhere, and
it would be well to furnish official tvpes
for the information of interior Dealers