The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-05-17

many times over with regard to the
lard business. There can be no doubt
but when the average farmer feeding
hogs for market detects cholera among
his hogs that they are rushed off to
the Strengthening pens and slaughtered
and placed upon the markets, and
from hogs, many times diseased, comes
our average meat and so-called pure
lard. | would repeat what | said
above, the pure vegetable oil made
from cotton seed is never afflicted
with cholera or any disease to which
the average hog is subject. There
are many other uses to which the cot
ton seed oil is put, but | will forbear
to discuss them in this article.
AS long as the foreign governments
continue to tax cotton seed oil and so
long as our government continues its
unjust course towards the oil business,
then just as long will the cotton seed
oil business i'm our country be on the
decline, 1t is only within the last few
months that these embargoes have
been laid upon the industry and up to
the present time cotton seed oil mills
have been going up all over our cOun-
try, and good money has been made
from the enterprise. But we have
reached and passed over the pinnacle
of our successful progress, and under
the burdens of unjust legislation ] will
not be stating it too strongly when |
say that disaster is staring it in the
face. The mills in operation in the
South today L venture to predict will
have a hard struggle for existence
from this time on, and many of the
old fashioned. out of date ones must
go out of business.
For the last few years oil has been
selling ut from SO to 81 cents f. o. b.
mills; today it is selling at % to %
cents f. o. b. mills. The mills that
are in operation and building can
produce double the quantity of oil per
annum that will be consumed by the
world, and without a doubt this con-
dition of affairs will exist for many
years to come. There is only one
thing for the cotton seed oil people of
the South to do which can save them
from absolute disaster, namely, less
insane competition among themselves
for seed, and q reduction in the cost
of manufacturing the seed. The cost
of the raw material is going higher
each season, the markets for the oil
contracting, and competition sharper
all along the line. 1t has been stated
that the average price per ton of seed
through South Carolina this year has
been something like $21. Against
this price of seed l give the following
as the returns from the products of a
ton of seed, and the expense of manu-
featuring same Below will be found
the quantity and the price obtained
from ton of seed manufactured
under the present conditions. Forty
gallons of oil at 23 cents per gall
lon, $3.50; 80 pounds lint at 5 II cents
per pound, $1.65; 775 pounds meal at
$1.20 per hundred $3.50; $40 pounds
hulls at 80 cents, $2.46; making a
total of $22.61. Now if we add to
the cost of the seed 1928 the cost Of
manufacturing the seed into this pro-
duct, the seed and the manufacturing
will come to $24.25, while the actual
net returns from this ton of seed at
$22.61 makes an absolute loss Of $1.6f
per ton on every ton Of seed manufac-
tured under the present conditions. 1T
is not apparent in the above statement
but there is an actual loss of from "a
to 100 pounds in each and every ton OF
seed, in the shape of dirt, sand, notes
etc. This loss amounts to about
per cent. / am sorry to say some
farmers know well how to sand their
seed.
There is to my mind absolutely not
one ray of consolation for the outlook
of the industry. 1 am reminded of the
condition of affairs that existed in
Ecypt thousands of years ago. we
have had our seven fat years which in
my opinion is to be followed by the in
eVitable seven lean years. L would
suggest to the cotton seed manufac-
turers of South Carolina that there be
organized within the State a cotton
seed crushers association which II
properly conducted, would be of meal
culable benefit to the business. we
could thoroughly discuss all questions
pertaining to the industry and its man
agement. / am of the opinion that by
an exchange of ideas among the man
ayers and superintendent we could
materially lessen a good deal of the
cost of manufacture and also in the
purchase and sale of the products.
This free interchange of ideas, and be-
coming acquainted and in touch with
each other would be of great benefit
to those engaged in the business. If
/ am not alone in this opinion, let
some of the craft take the lead in es-
tablishing q crushers association in
South Carolina as now exists in Texas
and some other Southern States.
Theer are other things which /
would / would like to call the atten-
ton of the crushers of this State to,
but as this article is already too long
| will close, hoping to hear from 9TH
ers on the subject.
SaIu0a Nav 9Th