The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1907-07-02
Studies European Cities
Status of Our Cotton.
FOREIGN COMPETITION
roroign spinners Say That if Amer-<
.~nn Cotton Growers VIII Coop
rrato to Secure Reforms They
VIII Pay Higher Price
for Cotton.
BY HARVIE

in Manufacturers Record
The average grower OBJECTION in the
=-uthern States has been educated to
relieve tina only cotton or good quail
t, and in large quantities can be grown
u America. and that therefore il
rsde no particular difference as to
norv badly the American cotton crop
aas handled. the spinning world had
Pr. take it and make the best Of it.
There IS no doubt upon my mind that
re are in error as regards the idea
lat foreign countries do not possess
and and climate conditions favorable
g.. he production Of the best grades
.s cotton in large quantities The
srcIble in more rapidly increasing the
production of foreign-grOWn cotton
not 50 much in ~unfavorable eli
nate conditions as 1t does in the edu-
.atiJn Of the people in those coun-
tr.eS where cotton could be grown to
taAe hold of the industry and push il.
In Brazil, Peru, Argentina, Australia,
Egypt, India, Mexico, South Africa
and other countries where the staple
can be grown and natives are az yet
eemI-ciyilized and where but few of
The modern facilities for agriculture
and transportation have been intro
duced.
ANY one who viii take the pains to
carefully investigate the imports of
cotton I0G al sources INTO HItdI Btu
ain and the Continent each year VIII
soon ascertain that a large number
# countries are growing cotton and
that the annual production Of these
foreign cottOnS are increasing, and in
some sections to an amazing degree.
While the shipments, aside from Egypt
and India, are not large still so many
small shipments are beginning to foot
up largely in the aggregate. India
alone produced in the past year a.
00G, 900 bales of cotton, weighing on
an average of 400 pounds per bale.
This is as large as the American cotton
crop was q few decades ago. one
large firm, Plat Bros. & Co, which
! visited in Manchester, alone turns
out annually 5000 new gin outfits.
none of which comes to America, but
all are shipped out TO meet the de-
mands of other countries
Undoubtedly the South holds a com
manding position in the predominant
ing supply of the worlds cotton and
will perhaps always maintain her pres
tige, but American cotton is bought by
foreign spinnerS under protest and
only after similar grades of foreign
grown cotton has been exhausted not
because foreign spinners are preju-
diced against American-grown cotton,
but because of the bad manner in
which American cotton is baIed and
delivered abroad.
American cotton is the only cotton
in the world where every bale is sam
pied and carefully examined by every
hand through which it passes from the
local cotton buyer in the interior. on
through the hands of the foreign cot
Ton merchant, and finally by the spin
OerS under the roofs of their mills. 1t
is the only cotton in the world where
grades IN the same bale are not uni
form ard where deductions have to be
made for country damage If the
growers and handlers of American
cotton do not reform the present
methods of delivering our cotton
abroad, 1t will only tend to fnten-
sify the determination of foreign spin
ners to induce a larger production
of cotton in other countries. make
this plea in behalf of American cot
ton after having visited the great cot
ton centers of Europe and personally
investigated the facts herewith record
ed.
l personally inspected large cotton
at Venice. Bremen, Man
chester and Liverpool. At every point
visited, accompanied by my as
sociate. Mr.. Walter Clarke of
Mississippi. where we were
shown every courtesy by the large cot
ton merchants, the members of the
exchanges, and shown through all the
warehouses we cared to inspect and
freely given all the information we
wished, Everywhere, in response to
'bl I1CSlltlIiS dS TO american cotton
bales compared with other cotton, the
answers <"ere the same, namely, that
american cotton was generally receiv-
ca IN bad condition: that it required
more sampling, carried higher rates
Nf insurance, heavier tare, expensive
arbitratiOns and losses f1cEn what is
termed country damage or rot. Every
where we were asked if the American
bale could not be reformed. We had
me opportunity for Judging Compari-
sons. as We found thousands of bales
of American cotton stored side by
Sde with thousands of bale of for
eIgn-grOWn cotton. The American
bales were cut all to pieces from
numerous sampling. the lint hanging
out from these Jagged bales, while
the jute bagging in which the bales
were originally rappe was torn. cut
and hanging in shreds. The bales were
neither uniform in length. breadth or
thickness. On the other hand. the cot
ton received from other countries was
ooled in nice packages. wrapped in
N.osely-WOven canva and of uniform
-ize. Only one bale in ten. as a rule.
rs sampled of foreign-grOWn cotton,
while the cost of handling. rate of in
~-nFance, etc. is far less as compared
with American cotton. and no arbl-
IatIons for country damage AS a
southern cotton grower and a close
"oerNer, ! was profoundly impressed
M. .heae revelations, and sincerely
.4S' that my exposition of the facts
.".'3 VIII have some tendency IN
"T1|ng the tide of sentiment in the
south in favor of improving the Am
.|"+n Lale, which under existing
methods is costing Southern cotton
-'"Ners a heavy penalty for their APP
..."Et indifference.
We We're shown through the ware
uses Of the Manchester Ship Canal
the president of the association, Mr..
"u90n. Here we found the finest
reGouee facilities in the world, a
nearly one mile in
9Th. four stories high. and built en-
N Of reinforced concrete. In one
mont of this warehouse is a large
-" set aside for picking American
q Gales of the so-called
&c. or rot. No other cotton
..od from any other part of the
aries a loss for country dam
on the tracks IN the outside of
ton of the warehouse | found
.~Fl 'ads of cotton being unloaded
n' cent into this section for picking
a'E"unt of damage. | found that
Nf #EFG 49, - - Jnt IF carton