The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1900-05-02
HARD ON THE FARMERS.
Cotton Baggins and Ties Goes Up in
Price.

Inc charleston Post says the CnaE-
lesion cotton factors and shippers are
interested in the steps that the farmers
will take for their protection against
the bagging and ties trusts, and are
specializing as to whether the planters
will resort to cotton sheeting as a COW
ering for their cotton and seek some
substitute for ties to hold the bales in
shape. These needful supplies are now
entirely controlled by the trusts. Last
year there we're half dozen ccmpetit-
ors in each line. This year there are
none. One concern las absolute con-
troll Of ali the cotton bagging in the
country and mother has absolute con-
troll Of the cotton ties.
The American Manufacturing Com
pany Of New York controls the cotton
bsgging Of the country and the Ameri-
can Steel Hoop Company, which is in
cluded in the great Federal Steel trust,
controls the tie output. The latter is
comparatively recent amalgamation
of several concerns. The LudloWs, of
Boston, Mass, are still in the cotton
bagging business, but they ara in close
alliance with the American Manufac-
turing Company and make exactly the
same terms and prices.
The result is seen in changed quo
tations. For several months the quo
tations on ties and bagging have re-
NAMED practically unchanged. An in-
crease Of about q cents has been made
in the price for bagging and it is not
unlikely that there will be further in
creases. Tie trusts have in fact given
notice that further increase may be
expected in June. While nominally
the bsgging business is being conduct
ed both by the Ludlows and the Ameri-
can Manufacturing Company, both send
out the same price list and make ex-
actly the same terms. Both declined
to sell any bagging for this years crop
until this week, and both opened at the
same prices. Their terms are spot cash
and no credit.
Ali the cotton ties used in the United
States are now made by the Federal
Steel Hoop Company. The latter is
an amalgamation Of the several differ
ent concerns which were engaged in the
hoop and ties business last year. The
result Of the amalgamation was felt i'm
mediately. From so cents, the price
at which most of the ties we're sold last
year, the price Immediately jumped to
Is cents, from which it was run up to
$l.25, at which price ties have been
quoted for the last several weeks. The
latest dictum makes the price s1.3l
spot cash and $l.30 spot cash and $i.36
for August delivery. This is to mer-
chants in largo lots. To farmers the
cost will be eight TO ten cents bundle
more.
With the complete control Of the
business nov enjoyed by the bagging
and tie trusts it can very easily be seen
that these concerns are in position to
squeeze the farmers of the South at
their pleasure. For several years the
cotton planters have secured these sup
plies at reasonable prices, but this will
evidently not be the case this year.
Being protected by heavy tariff
against foreign competition aud having
knowledge Of the fact that the farmers
of the South are in more prosperous
condition than for several years past,
and with the assurance Of large de-
nand for the present year, the two
trusts reslize that they have the plant
ers at their mercy, and that the time is
ripe to multiply their profits.
1t vii be alleged, Of course, that
higher prices for the material entering
into these products account largely for
the increased prices. There will be
just enough truth in this to lend color
to the assertion but it is easy to predict
that the cotton growers Of Egypt, India
and the rest Of the world will pay no
such prices for their bsling materials
this year as will the Southern cotton
planter.