The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1907-10-16
rlANiEk TO SPINNER.
EFFORT MADE TO CUT OUT THE
MIDDLEMEN.
Bales to be Compressed on the Farms
Resolution Adopted Against Spec
ulatiOn.

uIatlOns
Atlanta, Ca. Oct. S-That the time
is not far distant when the cotton
planters Of the South will sell their
product direct to the spinners Of Eu
rope and America, instead Of through
the middleman. in bales gin-com-
pressed at the plantation with meth
! DDS in which loss has been reduced
to q minimum, was indicated by to-
days discussion before the Interna-
tional Conference of Cotton Growers
and spinners.
Spinners representing hundreds Of
mills and millions Of spindles told
the planters that they were not only
| willing but anxious to buy their cot
ton direct from the planter, just as
soon as the planter can deliver d.
rect. Big planters and representatives
of the Farmers union told the spin
ners Of Europe that already they
were organized, had built chain Of
cotton warehouses, had perfected a
business system by which the spinners
could purchase an almost unlimited
supply of cotton. and were ready to
eliminate the antiquated method OF
selling throught middle man.
But" said Herr Arthur Kuffier Of
Vienna, "if you planters wish to trade
direct with us you must give US bet
ter service than the merchant"
Action furthering this condition
took concrete form in the unanimous
adoption by the conference Of a reso-
luton presented by the committee on
trade relations between growers and
spinners. This resolution declared
that much of the present difficulty
In handling cotton could be eliminat-
ed II the growers would adopt what
is known as the warehouse system
and establish selling agents in Europe
and America.
An essential part Of this scheme is
the adoption Of a standard type OF
contract, classification Of cotton by
grade and color alone. the unit to be
$4,000 pounds instead Of 100 bales
net weight, and the handling Of damp
cotton under uniform rules. These
points were embodied in the resolu-
tions presented by the committe on
transportation, and these also were
unanimously adopted by the confer
ence Thus two long steps In the great
work Of the conference, tho raising OF
the standard OF cotton delivered 10
the spinners, and simpler and more
economical methods OF handling, in
volving saving, Il Is asserted, Of
something like s25,00O,0O0, a year,
were taken.
The great work of the conference
yet remains to be done. This Is final
action on the general subject Of
growing and handling cotton. Reso-
lutions bearing on this were presented
at today's session by the committee
to which the subject was referred ard
after somewhat protracted discussion
were ordered printed and will come
up for further discussion tomorrow,
with the probabilities that the confer
ence will devote most Of the final days
session to their consideration. The
recommendations of this committee
embodied the following points:
That planters select and save their
seed for the next crop, to insure
high standard. 3
That freshly picked cotton be hous-
ed froms40 to so days before ship
ment.
That planters as fast as possible,
either as individuals or in communi-
ties. adopt gin-compressing and the
Egyptian form Of bale. The latter
means, in effect. ginning and COM
pressing on the plantation.
The committee on buying and SELF
ing. to which was referred Congress-
man Helms resolution, which is
against cotton speculation. adopted
the resolution and then referred it to
the subcommittee appointed yestrday,
Of which Mr.. Helm is chairman. for
further action. This means that the
subject will be debated on the floor OF
the conference.
spinners and planters alterpated to-
day in putting forward their side OF
the question Of cotton growing and
spinning.
Addresses were made by Thomas
Coates and William Howarth OF Eng
land. Herr Kuffler Of Austria, rep
resenting the spinners; e. A. Calvin
Of Houston. Tex. and T. ]. Brooks,
t,,o.