The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-01-27
BINDING TWINE OFF
Wichita Dealers Notified of
a Reduction.
TWENTY-FIVE PER CENT
Fall and Further Reductions
Expected Next Month.

Implement dealers in Wichita have re-
ceiyed quotations on binding twine at %
per cent lower rate than the prices Of
two weeks ago. This decline is the result
of agitation started by a series of let
tiers written by DR. Blaine Of Pratt, print
ed in the Eagle of December IA, and sent
to congress in hundreds by the farmers
Of southern Kansas. 1t means a saving
Of several thousand dollars to southern
Kansas farmers next summer. The di-
rect cause Of the decline is the report
that General Otis had equipped an ex-
petition and ordered it out to open the
hemp ports of Manila to allow the ex-
portation Of hemp, which order is the
direct outgrowth OF the movement origin
ated in the Seventh district. A further
heavy decline is expected when the ports
are finally opened. The situation is ex-
planned in the following special CORES
pondence Of the Eagle from Washington:
THE mere runor thar the Philippine
hemp ports would be opened, an expedi-
ton having started from Manila to the
islands of Samar and Leyte for that pur-
/ pose, has caused IS per cent decline in
the price of hemp The persons here
who favor the opening of the ports and
| the consequent benefit to western far
mers, notably Congressman Long and
! Congressman Reeder, feel greatly elated
over this good news from the stock CEN
| ters They feel as though there were
prospects for greater decline when the
ports actually are opened, If such drop
! follows the news sc the departure of the
expedition.
Spot hemp stocks in this country being
so completely controlled by the few in
the combine or corner, the prices for the
same have remained invariably at ~
cents per pound. After the news of Gen
eral Otis report that it would be some
little time before the ports could be open
ed, the market price for manila hemp to
be delivered in February and March
went up to 1925 cents. This high point
was touched on January u. Sisal was
correspondingly high. Sisal is the Next
can grass fiber which Is largely used in
the west for Irvine purposes, and which
is in sympathy with the manila hemp
blockade. But on January %. with the
news that Colonel Kobbe had left Ma
Mia to open and garrison the Leyte and
Samar island ports, came a drop in the
price of manila to 97s cents, while sisal
fell to cents, and was dull at that.
The manila is grown in the island
provinces Of the Philippines 1t is bundl-
ed loosely and taken by vessel to Manila.
There it is classified and compressed
much the same as cotton in the south
Of this country. Then it Is shipped to
foreign mo xof foh
this takes a good deal Of time So not
withstanding the departure Of the expe-
dition of Colonel Kobbe to open the Sa-
mar and Deyte ports, the three cornered
combine tried to keep the prices I'D bv
discouraging the people who thought it
would go down in price, and stating that
1t would take an unusually long time for
this stock in the Philippines to be clas
slhed, compressed, placed on shipboard
and brought to this coupt try. As showing
this. the following lerserA tom Henry w.
Peabody and company, Boston represen-
tatives of Smith, Bell and company Of
Manila and London. is cited in evidence
This letter was written to a leading firm
not in the combine, yet which had to
have hemp soon:
You will have seen the news dis
patch IN this mornings papers in regard
to the sending of ships to Leyte and Sa-
mar. Smith, Bell and company cable that
the government intends to open the hemp
ports now within four weeks. This prob |
ably means that it is going to take some
time to establish customs and shining
regulations at the ports after they are /
occupied. If the ports are not to be OPEN !
ed for some four weeks yet it is going TO |
be a very serious matter.
The bulk of the hemp in the provinces /
is loose and must all be classified and |
packed before being ready for shipment. /
Then 1t must be borne in mind that the /
capacity of the presses is limited. We |
cannot see how. under most favorable |
circumstances, hemp can possibly arrive |
before the middle of May. and then only /
in limited quantities.
THE hemp combine includes three big
firms: Smith, Bell and company. the
Plymouth Cordage company Of Boston
and the Mccormick Harvester company
of Chicago. These firms absolutely con- /
troll the stock of manila now in this
county. and for this reason have sue
ceeded in keeping the price Of spot hemp
at 1414 cents.
But Notwithstanding the letters and
appeals Of the combine. the buyers have
not fallen over themselves in scramble
to take spot hemp at 1fz cents or the
February and March Shipment at 12a.
cents or even at 81 cents, the latest QUO
tatiOn. They believe win the nearing I
Of the expedition to the islands of samar 4
and Leyte, prices viii again tumble and +
that there is no necessity for buying now
1t Is not good policy.
"One remarkable thing in this whole /
controversy Is the manner in which the
London Office Of Smith. Bel and com
pany gets hold Of information. Hours
before the war department here had - /
ceived word on January II OF the depar-
turs OF Colonel Ko5be's relief expedition.
London had received word am had tod
New York about IL
There have been rumors II the west
that the government was not at work fr
this matter in way % inure 10 the
benefit Of the Kansas farmer such
statements are false The government IS
doing all It can especially, and absolutely
TO open the ports. and VIII continue the
good work until they shall De opened for
all practical purposes When Congress
man Long presented TIC matter 70 tie
president again. AT the same tine -
gave him the recent resolution q ne
Kansas City Implement Dealers ssso-
Cation. he vas positively assured BY The
president that the government vzs a.
work in the right direction and intended
so 20 continue He has become vs-y much
interested n the question. 50 has s1r-a-
tary Root o. the war department.. I.enr
Of the navy department. and yyi,san ~
the department q agriculture. TIE tain~
is working. ard the kar-sas fa--nAr- -