The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1909-10-16
Heavier Bagging Once Again.

per cent tare on cotton bagging have
excited widespread interest in al
parts of the South, and have brough,
VI numerous letters and interview.
from cotton buyers and cotton manu-.
facturers as we'll as from cottor
growers themselves. The lack OF in.
formation concerning this subject OF
cotton tare among all classes in the
South is nothing less than amazing
and while we stand ready at any time
to correct any erroneous statement OF
ours in this matter has yet been
shown to be an error, and what fol-
lows in this editorial is based on the
best information to secure
Our position, hen, in regard to
this whole matter should not be hard
to understand. European manufac-
turers (who buy nearly 60 per cent
of the American cotton crop) have
fixed the tare at per cent of the
gross weight OF the bale. That is to
| say. they allow; 80 pounds tare on a
500-pound bale, or "a pounds on a
400-pound bale, etc. A prominent
| cotton manufacturer tells us that a
rebate is given the exporter in case
the tare is less than per cent, but
this does not in any way affect our
position. The facts 80 far as they
have come to light simply show that
foreign buyers who get the bulk II
our cotton set prices with a view to
paying for only 470 pounds of lint
for each 500-pOund bale. If the far
mer does not put on this amount OF
bagging the rebate goes to the ex-
porter for this shortage when this re-
bate" really belongs to the farmer.
Cotton manufacturers with whom we
have talked and corresponded have
admitted the truth OF this statement.
but have argued that competition is
likely to equalize this matter. In ac-
tual practice, however, the farmer
who has the bale with light weight
bagging usually accepts the prevail
Ing price per pound for cotton when
It IL offered him. and does not get the
advantage Of the theoretical compe-
tftion among cotton buyers. 49,
What We are pleading for its a uni
form system. We at least want the
farmer to know what the standards
are. So that II HIS bagging' is under
weight he will get the advantage and
not have the rebate go only to the
exporter. This Is q matter which the
officers Of the Farmers Union would
do we'll to take up. Somehow or 9TH
er one uniform standard must be
brought about. With the foreign spin.
ners fixing the price for cotton with
| view to paying for only 47O pounds
| OF lint In a bale, it is not fair for the
cotton buyers of the South to make
an organized effort to have the far
mers use only twenty-five pounds OF
baggfng-that is to say, to have the
farmers put in eight pounds of 11-
cent cotton where the European spin
ners, our largest buyers, are figuring
on paying them for 3 1-2. cent bag
ging and ties.
We notice that some South Caro-
lima papers are advocating smaller
bales Since % pounds of tare is al
lowed by the buyers. farmers are
urged to make only 400 pound bales
on which % pounds of tare would
give nearly the full per cent. which
the foreign mills allow. This, how
ever. Is not satisfactory plan either
for the farmer or for the manufacture
ers. There ought to be o definite un-
derstanding between the farmers or
ganizations and the manufacturers
organization as to the amount of tare
to be allowed on each bale and the
| present double standard system with
all of Its irregularities, uncertainties
and losses forever done away with.
II the tare were less than 6 Der
cent. but uniform and unvarying
prices would soon be adjusted to com
pensate for the increased percentage
or lint In a bale, but with the present
| douole-standard system the farme,
| gets caught between the upper and
neither millstones and has lost thou.
sands and thousands of dollars as a
result. As we see it. If per cent tare
Is to be the recognized standard b,
Europeon manufacturers-and It ha,
been the standard 80 long that manu-.
facturers tell US it would be almos,
Impossible to change it-then the
American standard should be revised
to accord with 1t. In other words
4 We must have a uniform system. and