The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-08-24
Interesting Discussions Were
Held in Bremen Last Month
LOOSE BALING CONDEMNED
Europeans Think Greater Care Should
Be Taken to Prevent Cotton From
Getting Wet and Becoming
Weather Damaged.

ports are beginning to reach the depart
ment of commerce and labor on the third
International Cotton Congress of Delega-
ted Representatives of Master Cotton
spnners and Manufacturers ASSOCIATIONS
held in Bremen last month. The reports
are of special interest at this time, mas
much as the two agents, Messrs. Whittam
and Clarke. recently appointed to go
abroad and investigate foreign cotton
markets, have started on their long jour
Bey
At the Gremen meeting there were pres
ent large number of delegates and rep
resentativs from twelve different coun-
tries. Many carefully prepared reports
and papers were read upon a variety of
technical and commercial subjects. Al
together ii may be said that the discus
sions We're mainly continuation of those
held last year at Manchester and general
ly referred to questions of cotton supply,
cotton statistics, cotton growiBss moist
cotton, etc, According to the reports the
proceedings were highly interesting and
the free exchange Of views, 1t is predict
| ed cannot fail to bring about a better
/ understanding of the problems confronting
the European cotton spinners and weav-
ers.
Southern States Discussed.
| Probably the best report furnished the
| department is that forwarded by Consul
| Dledereh. LAS the United States sup
plies about rs per cnt of all the cotton
| in the world" says the consul ut was
| natural that the chief topics of discussion
were number of conditions in the cotton
growing districts of our southern states.
Not many resolutions were passed in re-
gard to these points, but an international
commission was appointed TO commun!-
cate with cotton exchanges and with
American cotton groves and shippers, and
| to do all in its power to bring about a
more satisfactory condition of things.
cit is expected this commission will do
| energetic work and achieve practical re-
| suits. The grievances chiefly complain
ed of and laid at the door of American
| dealers in cotton were twofold First,
they are charged with selling excessive
amounts of moisture, or damp, In the
cotton, thereby entailing a heavy loss
upon the splnners who pay for cotton
| and not for water. 1t was readily admit
ted that cotton, by nature, does contain
certain percentage of moisture. but II
has not been possible to arrive at a scien-
| tif1c determination of Just how much 1t
| Europe protest against is the excess over
| the normal moisture found in so many
| of the 1000 900 bales of American cotton
| sold to them, whether 1t be put their
Intentionally or not Undoubtedly mucn
of the wet cotton is caused by leakages
In the steal pipes of so many out-of-date
congresses used in packing cotton in the
gin houses. 1t would SEINE, therefore
that this evil could be greatly modified
by using the latest improved machinery.
Another source of the humidity In the
raw material arises from exposure in
rainy weather. 1t is a common thing for
a small farmer to take his bale of cotton
home on his cart after it is glnned and
loosely bound with cloth and hoops, to let
1t lie around In rain or shine until IT
suits him to sell to the dealer in town.
Thus good deal of the American cot
ton is country damaged and water
soaked from the start that might be
saved by a little precauton on the part
of the platners.
Reckless Methods of Baling.
| another subject earnestly commented
upon was one allied to the foregoing. and
referred to the imperfect system and
reckless method Of baling cotton in many
districts of the southern states and to the
| careless handling on its way to foreign
markets. 1t was pointed out that the
| American bales are put up In haphazard
way and in various sizes and dimensions
and that oftentimes no attempt is made
| to protect them in any way at the railway
| depots or on the docks at the ports: In
! fact, that there Is no warehouse or stor-
age room available sufficient to accom-
nodate more than a small fraction of the
crop while in transit and that therefore
spinners are not surprised to find many
of the bales landed in European ports In
filthy condition with a superiority OF
! heavy burlap dangling about them all tat.
tered and torn, while the Egyptian bales
reach the same market In a more com
pact form, of more uniform size and
weight and with far lighter and tidiei
covering. However, must emphasize tina
all these grievances were presented in the
I kindlest spirit, and 1t was clear that the
| motive from which they sprang was ar
eager desire to find a remedy for existing
evils and to work together tremendously
for all parties interested in cotton. from
the grower to the consumer That the sug
gestions offered were practical and the
propositions fair and that If given atten
ton valuable results will be obtained
goes without saying.
Progress In European Countries.
lone of the most pronounced feature.
of the convention" concludes the consul
were a number of reports read by dele
gates of various nationalities, showing
what progress is being made in cottor
raising in European colonies, and a reso
luton was passed encouraging such eff
forts" 1t is Mr., Diederich's conviction
based on information from many sources
that all these enterprises cannot hope t.
| materially change present conditions
What they produce" he says. lis merel.
drop in the bucket" He continues
Owing to lack OF labor and means o
transportation, progress in those far-of
countries will always be very slow, anS
meanwhile the worlds consumption o
cotton grows apace at the rate of abou
400 900 bales yearly. So the American cot
ton planter has little to fear from com
petition from foreign sources. The worl'
will continue to look to the United State
for its cotton material for clothing 70
many years to come. This convention re
minds us. however, that there Is vas
room for improvements of our cotton in
dustry With a steady Increase in thu
acreage and yield of our cotton fields
with proper cultivation. with the lates
improved congresses. with light materia
for covering the cotton, and with ampl
room for storage and protection. W.
ought to be able to offer to the worlC
plenty of good. dry clean cotton, put vi
in bales In as good condition as they ma.
be found anywhere"
| -.s-
Troops to Preserve Order.