The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1909-11-03
THE TARE ON COTTON
4 UNIFORM SYSTEM IS VERY
BADLY NEEDED By ALL

This is a Matter Hhic;, the Officers
of the Farmers Union Ought TO
Look After.
The Progressive Farmer says its
editorials in regard TO the six per
cent on cotton basg!ng have e1ci,-
ed widespread interest in all parts
Of the South, and have brought US
numerous letters and interviews from
:otton buyers and cotton ulanutac-
urers rs we'll as from cotton grow
IT'S themselves. The lack OF :ator-
nation concerning this subject OF
o,ron tare among all classes in the
South is nothing less than amaz-
aS. and while we stand ready at
ny time 10 correct any erroneous
statements OF ours in this matter.
aone has yet been shown 10 De an
error. and what follows this edi-
torial is based on the bes. iator-
| nation 10 be secured.
Our position. then. in regard
! to this whole matter should not
| be hard to understand. European
manufacturers (who buy nearly SO
per cen, OF the American cotton
CROP have fixed the tare at 8 per
cent o! the gross weight OF the bale
That is to say. they allow 80 pounds
tare on o00-pound bale. or -
pounds on q +Go-pound bale. etc. 4
prominent cotton manufacturer tells
rs shat rebate is given the expor-
ters in case the tare Is less than
per cent. but this doesn't in any way
aaec, our position. The tacss so far
as they have come 70 light simply
show that the foreign buyers who get
the bulk OF our cotton set prices
with view TO paving for only 40
pounds OF lint for each 500-pouad
E; bale
II the farmer does not pu: on
/: this amount OF bagging the rebate
| goes TO the exporter for this short
age when this rebate really belongs
70 the farmer. Cotton manufac;ur-
crs with whom we have talked, and
corresponded. have admitted the
truth OF this statement. bu, have ar
sued that competition is likely 20
: cQualize this matter. In gctual prac-
ficc. however. the farmer who has
the bale with light weight bass;ng
usually accepts the prevailing price
per pound for cotton when Il is Of
fe-ed him. and does not sc; the ad-
vantage OF the theoretical compe-
tt!t!or among cotton buyers.
What We are pleading for is
uniform system. We at least want
the farmer TO know what the STAN
| dards are. so that II his bagging is
under weight he will get the ad-
vantage and not have the rebate 80
| only TO the exporter. This is q mas
ter which the officers Of the Farmers
Union would do we'll to take up.
Somehow or other one uniform STAN
! dard must be brought about. With
the foreign spiEnerS fixing the price
for cotton with view 10 paying
for only $40 pounds OF lint in bale.
i; Is not fair $og the cotton buyers
ofsihe South TO make All organized
effort 20 have the farmers use only
twenty-five pounds o: baSging-that
is 10 say 10 have the farmers put
in eight pounds OF l2-cent cotton
where The European spinners. our
largest buyers. are figuring On pay
Ing them for l-2 cents bagsins
and ties.
We notice ,ha! some South Caro-
lima papers are advocating smaller
bales. Since % pounds Of tare is
allowed by the buyers. farmers are
urged 70 make only io0-pound bales
on which % pounds OF ,are would
give nearly the .uil s per cent which
the foreign mills allow. This, now
ever. is not satisfactory plan.
either for farmer or for the manu-
tacturers There ought to be de-
finite understanding between the
farmers organization and the manu-
Iac,urers' organization as 70 the
amount =. ,ere 20 %. allowed on each
bale and the present double stand
ard system with all Of its !.:egu-
ia.!;!es. uncertainties and losses for
ever done away with.
II the tare We're less than per
cent. bu, uniform and Gnvarying.
prices would soon De adjusted 20
compensate for the increased per-
centage OF lint in bale. but with
the recent double standard system.
The farmer gets caugh; between the
upper and under mi!lstones and has
oSt thousands and thousands OF dol
lars as a result AS we see K. X
per cent tare is 20 hc recognized
standard bv European manufacturers
and il mas been The standard so
onc that manufacturers tell US II
rouid b. almost impossible 20
'hanSc i'-ihcn ths American stan
lard should he revised 10 accord
With H. In other words. We must
lave uniform system. and the
,er cent tare seems 20 DE- the only
re that can De agreed upon.