The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-03-08

vote to abolish it. The present manage
ment of the department is not responsible
for this state of feeling as we all know
that our present officials have the inter-
est of the farmer at heart and are anX-
ious TO help him in every way possible,
but the law was somewhat inadequate
and under the former management the
department was not strict in enforcing
such penalties as were provided, when the
law was violated
Under it's present efficient Commission
err, Col. Patterson. he believed the de-
partment was making an honest effort to
give the farmers every advantage and
protection in it's power. Mr.. Grimes then
stated that he believed the department
should go further in it's investigation of
the causes that led to the rise in price OF
fertilizers and did not believe the present
high prices made by the Fertilizer Trust
was justified by the advance in raw ma
terial
He stated that almost all large dealers
and manufacturers contracted for their
goods in advance, especially for raw ma
terial which he said he was reliably in
formed was almost always bought, prob
ably year in advance. and that a. very
large part of the goods now being sold
was made from raw material bought
cheap. He showed contract for to-
bacco- fertilizer, bought of a small and
financially weak concern, unable to carry
large holdings or buy much in advance, ia
which they sold goods this year several
dollars a ton cheaper than the same
goods are sold by the trust He was in
formed that it was now almost impossi-
Bile for independent dealers to buy
chemicals for fertilizers unless the in
dependent manufacturer agreed to sell at
trust prices.
while the department is powerless to
aid the farmer in buying at lower prices
it can make an honest investigation
and let the people know where to place
the responsibility"
He believed that phOsphates were
high because they were controlle by COM
binations-though the Fertilizer Com
mission claimed that it had heretofore
been "unbusiness- like" parties who knew
little of the actual cost and selling worth.
He showed letter from one of the
largest fertilizer concerns in America
Offering high grade, ii per cent acid
phosphate at seaboard for December,
1899, delivery in 1000 ton lots at $3.50
per ton. He read a letter that offered
nitrate soda for February delivery at
$1.S5 and cheaper for future delivery
this is one OF the main sources of ammo
MIA and is just a slight fraction higher
than prices ruled for 1899.
Cotton seed meal and tankage are ad
mtted to be some higher. He presented
circulars from the American representa-
tives of the German Kali Works, offering
potash goods, delivered at Washington,
as follows:
Feb. 90. Feb. 1860.
Muriate potash SO per cent. :. Sls4 $3.50
Slllphate potash 80 per cent?. 2.0il2i IL
KANT II per cent ........... 100 IOuO
In the face of these figures he claimed
that the present great rise was unjust
ard extortonate and it was ridiculous TO
contend that the present prices were due
TO natural conditions and rise in price
of raw chemicals. He wanted absolute
justice done the fertilizer companies, but
he thought it their duty TO protect farm
ers from imposition and enlighten them
as to the true situation, if possible. and
help them if they could.
This concluded the discussion and Mr..
Baileys motion that hereafter the law
in regard TO the tax be strictly enforced
was passed