The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1906-05-02
Cotton Baling.

When 6 III altitude OF :ncl: are try
ing to improve the industrial condi-
tions the ultimate results are quite
sure to be beneficial.
Argument can only convince the
doubling ones of the benfits to be de-
rived from any contemplated move
no amount Of controversy will accom-
plish real results. Advances are OBJ
tained only by the hard work Of the
plodders. and their endeavors almost
Invariably result in valuable progress
and the bettering Of conditions and
methods.
1t has long been the complaint OF
spinners whenever cotton grown IN
this country is used, that our methoos
of baling are shamefully careless. a
concerted move now seems to be in
embryo to effect improvement and ev-
cry betterment will put money in the
pocket Of the grower He ought then
to be the most active advocate of ad-
vancement in this direction instead Of
as he really is, the most apathetic. a
recent editorial in the News and Cou-
rier, Of Charleston S. c., is of in
terest. Our contemporary says:
eleven cents cotton is a commodi-
ty worthy of decent garmenture. as we
have heretofore more than once en-
pasted. The delegation OF English
spinners now or recently in the South,
it is said, have for one Of their OBJ
iects. the awakening of the Southern
planters and ginners to the folly Of
permitting American cotton to be the
most slovenly and most wastefully
packed in the world.
.'The New Orleans Picayune directs
attention to the unpleasant facts in
connection with the visit Of the Eng
lis zen and insists that the loss re-
S, ....g from careless packing must ui-
timately, in the main, fall upon the
planter. The buyers learn that in our
cotton the loss is finally much greater,
comparatively, than it ought to be,
and the prices paid are Influenced by
that consideration. The products OF
India and Egypt, inferior to ours are
wrapped with infinitely more care, in
better grade of bagging and with
more and stronger iron or other bands.
'The Southern Cotton Association
should not neglect its educational mis-
sion in this direction. If the farmers
can in the course Of a few years gain
one cent in the pound increase Of price
by better handling, that one cent will
be a permanent saving. That good
handling insures better price will not
be disputed; the truck grower, the
orange grower, the grain grower and
the intelligent producer Of every ar
ticle Of human consumption, know it
and act upon it.
I'm this part Of the South the COM
ing of the local spinner upon the mar
ket has saved the producers from
| much loss. Cotton that is hauled but
! a few hundred miles, and that is
dumped in the cotton mill warehouses
without going through the compress
will suffer little in comparison with
| that which is shipped to Manchester.
In so far sthe local spinner is fac
| tor in fixing prices, he is less affected
| by the condition Of the bale when 1t
| is purchased, but even his waste" is
largely increased through the careless
methods Of the producer. The price
of the crop, however, is fixed by the
composite demand Of all spinners, do
| mestic and foreign; hence the wisdom
OF improving the original handling
should be manifest to all concerned
[ Of whom the farmer is far and away
! the most concerned.
| The delegation Of English spinners
who are now in this country are study
ing our manner of handling and baiing
the staple with a good deal Of earnest
ness They will no doubt have some
interesting suggestions to make al
the Washington conference on the Isl
and End Of each mouth. A more op-
portune time to organize a practical
scheme to mend our present wasteful-
ness will not present itself for long
time TO come. For besides the Eng
lish manufacturers there will be pres
ent at the conference representatives
of the organizations Of Growers. Gin
ners. Spinners and Manufacturers
Government Departments and the
! leading Cotton Exchanges.
Stomach Troubles.
*AIrs. Sue Martin, an old and highly
recnected resident of FaiSOnia. Miss.