The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1907-07-17

mile in length, four stories high, and
built entirely Of reinforced concrete.
In one apartment of this warehouse is
large space set aside for picking
American cotton bales of the social
ed country damage" or rot. No
oother cotton shipped from any other
part Of the world carries loss for
country damage. On the tracks on
the outside of this section of the
warehouse I found ten carloads Of
cotton being unloaded to be sent into
this section for picking on account Of
damage. l found that all Of this par
ticular lot of cotton came from Mem
phis. Some of the bales being pick
ed showed loss of at least 2D0
pounds to the bale in solid rot.
Upon my inquiry as to who stood
these heavy losses, which was due
entirely to the storing Of this cotton
during the past winter on the streets
of Memphis, l was amazed to find
that the marine insurance companies
paid all losses from country damage
on American cotton I naturally sup
posed that the cotton factors or eX-
porters of this damaged cotton from
Memphis would stand some loss on
account of their negligence in allow
ing these bales to rot on the streets
Of Memphis, but l found that the in
surance companies paid the full dam
age, and that the cotton shippers
from Memphis got full pay for every
bale they shipped. whether damaged
Or in good condition.
| then decided to call on the Off
GERS of some of the largest marine
insurance companies in Llvrpool. l
met several of them the next day and
was informed that what had heard
was substantially correct, and that
the insurance companies protected
themselves by charging high rate
on American cotton. They said that
affidavits were made by American
shippers that cotton was damaged af-
ter it was insured, and they had no
recourse but to pay.
The point which I wish to make
is that this excessive rate of lnsur-
ance on American cotton made to
pay damages of cotton improperly
cared for is one of the fixed charges
which the growers have to pay and
:or which they are in no wise respon-
Sible, as cotton sold by farmers in a
damaged condition is usually picked
1t the local warehouses when the
purchase by the buyers is made. We
should have some stringent laws
1long this line which will force the
large cotton centres Of the South to
more properly store and protect our
:otton from these heavy losses.
Never before in the history Of the
otton trade has such activity been
displayed in the building Of new cot
on mills in the Lancashire district
.rd elsewhere Millions Of new SPIN
Hes are being put in annually, and
low mills can be seen going up on
every hand The foreign spinners are
making more money than ever be-
ore, and their only fear is that al
he present splendid condition of the
business too many mills will be built
There is but little fear Of lower
,rices for either the raw materials
pr the finished product within the
1eAt wear or two, and there need he
10 fear that every bale Of good nor
nal crops of American cotton will
not be damaged at good prices. The
one essential thing for the Southern
grower to learn is to raise his food
supplies largely at home. curtail the
credit business and begin at once to
improve the present method OF the
5aling. handling and delivery OF his
cotton to foreign parts. We should
make the American bale of cotton as
any other bale of cotton grown on
any other land in the world This
should be so not only from matter
of pride, but from the economic de-
mands of the present time in good
business methods.
With these problems solved, We
sill be long step forward on the
highway of bringing about still clos
er relations between the growers and
SINNERS of American cotton.
The growers and spinners of Amer
lean cotton are more vitality interest
cd in the cotton industry than all
others combined: hence it is eminent
" proper that these Two interests
should cordially cooperate to the
mutual advantage Of each.
Manchester spinners insist that
farmers first ship the cotton to Man
:hester. and If grades are satlsfac-
tory upon examination by their eN-
Ders, then the trade is consumated.
3ut they are very much opposed to
paving for cotton on this side before
1t seems to me. therefore, !
hat the growers must first inaugur-
,ba raformS noted with reSDect to |
oaling and delivery. build warehouses
IN which to store and finance their
lotion. and get into position strong
,nough to demand such prices from
he bnyers. whoever they may be. as
VII, secure for themselves a fair and
ust profit upon the products Of their
abor. /