The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-10-13
TO INVESTIGATE
THE COTTON PROBLEM
Secretary Wilson to Come South for That
PURPOSE
Purpose.

VIC SNOCh aOl raw COlAOL at 10 NCAAeO a
pound and closed up his mill Having
purchased the cotton originally on
or cent basis, the profit, he said,
would enable him to pay off a heavy
indebtedness, build an addition to his
MILL put in improved looms and take
his family to Europe for two-months'
trip. Several similar instances came
under the personal observation of the
writer while pursuing a layman's in
vestigation of the cotton industry in
the Southern states.
Recurring to the risk on cotton after
1t is picked, it is estimated that thous-
ands, yes millions, of pounds of raw
cotton are lost to the grower and the
purchaser combined in the defective
baleing and covering. The merchants
warehouses, and often the freight sheds
at the railroad stations and the ware
houses on the steamship wharves, are
strewn with waste cotton.
There is great risk of damage even
after the cotton is set down on board
the wharf of the steamer, which is to
transport it abroad. A damage suit
was entered in the Georgia courts a
few months ago against steamship
company for $4,000. because the cotton
was left on the dock in the rain, and
mud for several days owing to the
crowded condition of the company's
the cotton was delivered but a week.
steady rain damaged it to the extent
set forth in the claim.
If YOU are in the confidence of some
of the great cotton kings of the world
who deal in cotton by the thusands ana
millions of bales, and, who have amass-
ed fortunes buying low and selling high,
you will get from them the true in
wardness of the cotton manipulation,
and it's effect upon the producer and
the consumer. Such a man will tell you
if properly, and discreetly interrogat-
ed, that it is his financial interest I'M
der existing conditions to buy cotton
in the Southern fields as low as pos
sible, pay the expenses of hauling to
market, shipping to Europe, paying IN
cidental insurance, and storage, and
then on demand. reshipping to the
United States. All this expense aggre-
gates about 2 cents on the pound over
the original price paid to the producer
This is an astounding statement, and
1t shows what an enormous advantage
the middle man, and the cotton ma
nipulator have over the farmer. But
at the same time the farmer is relieV-
ed of his cotton at a low figure, he is
relieved also of the anxiety or caring
for it, The remedy for such conditions
is for the producer not to part win
the cotton until the consumer is ready
to manufacture it. The producers. and
the consumers are agreed upon that
theory. but the practical means of ac-
complishment are lacking. Sucn prac-
teal means may be separated into TWO
conditions-the financial and the pnysi-
cal, i. e., the money and the ware
houses. Given the warehouses; with
out the money and no good could De
accomplished. Given the money, tbs
warehouses would soon follow The
money exists, because the cotton is
being taken care of upon its own mer-
it's Why is it that the cotton must
be put into warehouses principally IN
Furope to be cared for? Why is the
money not willing to take care OF the
cotton at the place where 1t is pro-
duced? There is no sound reason to
be advanced why this should not be
done.
The simple fact that American cot
ton is shipped abroad because the
manufacturing countries across the
water maintain great f1re-proof ware
houses where cotton can be stored Sc
| curely. There the owner of the COTTON
| receives a certificate which is as goo1
| legally and commercially, as a note Is
| sued by the Bank of England.
In the United States tfere Is no law
| raculatine the issue of warehouse GER
| tificates. even If we had the flre-proor
| warehouses. Besides, the cotton eA-
changes of New YORK ana new "
leans can only be required to recognize
such warehouse certificates by national
| or state legislation.
1t is understood that steps are now
being taken to secure the adoption OF a
Saw in the cotton growing states Whioh
will compel the cotton exchanges 10
| recognize warehouse certihcates ALSO
! companies are being organized 70
| establish storage warehouses, or saie
depositories for cotton, to compete with
| those abroad. -.
When these two propositions are IN
nractical operation, the cotton manu-
| facturers of the world viii be forced 10
compete for the raw material IN us
natural market, the cotton neios anu
cotton markets of the South