The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1908-10-09
SENATOR SMITH.
Favors Mammoth Convention to
Demand Better Prices.
HOW GROWERS LOSE

grower SnOruu GeJ the Beneht OK
the Thirty Pound Tare, and the
Meeting Adopted Resolutions to
That Effect.
A dispatch from Bennettsville to
The State says Senator-elect E. D.,
Smith came to Bennettsville Monday
at the Invitation of the farmers in
this section and made an enthusiastic
address in the court house Monday
afternoon. The Immediate reason
for asking hm to be here was the
disagreement between the local cot
ton buyers. and farmers in regar1
to the deduction for tare on cotton.
the buyers having, since the 1st OF
October, been operating under a rule
which makes deduction of SO cents
for each bale of cotton having more
than seven yards Of bagging on the
bale.
Senator-elect Smith discussed the
cotton situation in broad way, adj
vocating mammoth convention
| for. the purpose of demanding higher
prices and holding the cotton from
the market, advocated the storing IN
warehouses, referred to work that
has been done along this line in
Florence and Columbia. He stated
that Liverpool makes deduction for
tare of per cent on the gross, or
80 pounds tare for each 500-pounI
bale of cotton and that in fixing the
price this 30-pound tare is consid-
cred, as well as every other item
of expense in connection.
He then stated that if the Southern
farmer did not get the benefit az
the 30-pound tare and put 80 pounds
tare on each bale it would be the
fault of. the Southern farmer and
he should not blame one elre
for it. He illustrated tie point -
follows: Suppose for every bale
of cotton there is a deduction Of
five pounds for sand. Suppose Mr.
Farmer picks his cotton. prepares it
for ginning and knows there Is no
sand in it. He then stated that Mr.
Farmer would be fool If he; did
not stop long enough to put FIVE
pounds of sand in it. H. ~.
Senator Smith stated that his. SER
vices were at the disposal Of the cot
ton growers and in all probability
he would make trip West immedi-
ately. He referred to the fact that
at congresses and before the cot
ton is prepared for exporting the ex-
porter patches up all holes where
the samples have been taken from the
bale, puts on more bagging and gets
the advantage of the 80 pounds ot
tare.
He spoke of the complaint made
by the European spinner when III
this country recently Of the con-
dition in which the Southern cotton
was received in Europe. He said
that the merchant in onenng HIS
goods for sale had adder to his
goods the price of the freight, box
ing and for wrapping and other ex-
penses, that the buyer pays for ali
these things. That it was only just
and right that the buyer of cotton
should also pay for that in which
the cotton is wrapped
He discussed the effect Of the gov
ernment reports on cotton and stated
that since the government gives de-
finite information as to the produc-
tion. ginning and other facts in con-
pection with the cotton that 1t should
go further and give government Sta
tistics and have regular monthly m
ventories as to the number OF bales
and weight in every warehouse ana
in buyers and exporters hands.
His idea was that the present III
formation is very beneficial to the
buver and exporter in as much as the
farmers hand is exposed to the buy
er and exporter, whereas the buyers
and exporters hand is unknown TO
the farmer At the conclusion OF
his address the following resolutions
were passed:
"Whereas, the amount deducted
from the gross weight Of all cotton
for tare is 6 per cent, or 80 pouno9
for each 50O-pound bale, we, the
farmers of Marlboro. hereby pledge
ourselves TO put the so pounds tare
ON each bale of cotton we produce
and prepare for market.