Bryan daily eagle and pilot. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1909-1918, 1909-08-06


Tho Eagle Ia neither prepared nor
inclined to discuss the facts involved
10 the unfortunate disagreement be
tween the Farmers Union and the
oil mills The issue Is well defined.
President NeilI charges that the mills
have formed trust which ~oftjmes
forces the price Of cotton seed so low
that II almost amounts to confiscation
Of the cotton seed This is a serious
charge and II true iustifies drastic
action on the part OF the farmers. But
the mill men deny that any such
trust existk claiming that the price OF
seed Is regulated by the law OF sup
ply and demand. In support Of this
denial they say that Il would be I'm
possible TO establish and maintain
such trust. that there Is keen com
petition among the mills both In buy
ing the seed and selling their products
and that this rivalry would surely
cause some Of the two hundred COM
petitors TO break any such agreement
a. Is alleged to exist. Furthermore
they say that the attorney general and
his yigilant assistants and the yari.
Gus county attorneys, especially he
Of Travis county. would never allow
such an opportunity to win fat fees
and fame 10 20 unimproved.
As to President Neil's charge that
the mills are making profit OF So or
81 per ton on seed. the mill men say
that this Is an overestimate. They de.
ny that the street price denotes what
they pay. This is. they say. an In
stance where the middle man comes
In. The farmer sells his seed to the
ginner. II n country ginner pays the
same price as the town ginner he must
lose the cost OF hauling. and this.
OF course, he cannot afford to do.
The mill men claim that an estimate
OF 81 to 81 as their share OF the profit
world be nearer the correct figure.
and that while some mills make good
dividends at times. this Is due 10
changes In the market rather than TO
the cheapness Of the seed
Were the principals In this contro-
versy the only ones interested they
might BE- allowed to fight II out with.
out protes, from anybody. but neither
the farmers nor the mill men live un.
TO themselves. Their quarrel injuries
every bushes interest In the state.
II President Nell carries out his threat
TO ship all the cotton seed GU,
Of the state II win be ca.
lamisy in which every business man
In Texas will be sufferer. II Is there
fore not only our right but our duty :
TO protest against such radical action
only as last resort. The farmers
have right to protect themselves but
they have no right In so doing 70
Inflict serious injury on all other
classes. An toil mill is an absolute
necessity, Indispensable TO the prosper
~ Of the town where Il Is located.
To say nothing OF It's regular disburs-
nenis OF money In salaries. wages.
axes and many other items. It's beLe.
It's TO the farmers alone are of inesii-
nable value. Think of the time when
here were no oil mills and contrast
hem with the present Then the cot
ON seed was nuisance TO be gotten
ID OF. The only uses 10 which Il was
pplied were feeding 20 stock and fer
LIKING the land. All It's mos, valua. |
ie ingredient. the oil now worth mil
ons every year. was lost. for the l
II Is not only OF no value but det- I
ment when fed to cattle. When the
Fed was used as a fertilizer the loss
as equally great. The oil did not ,
arich the soil and the kernel and hull
nd 20 undergo the slow process Of a
before they were avail
Bile as plant food. Had the boil wee
] invaded the farmers then. II would |
i've meant utter ruin and the fairest g
,rtion of Texas would have been
'actically depopulated. II was the
'tton mill that made II possible TO
'mbat successfully the boil weevil. Z
ow the farmer goes to the oil mill $