The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-12-04
FERTILIZER SCARE
AND.NOTH|NG| IN II.
The Potash Situation in
Germany Creates Stir
Among Farmers.
BRADLEY TALKS
THROUGH HIS HAT
Boston Man Gets a Lot of Free
Advertising, and Frightens vir-
ginia and Southern Farmers.
There Will Be No Material
Advance in Cost of
Fertilizers.
BY FRANK $. woopsoN,

Virginia and North Carolina farm
ers who are large buyers OF fertiliz
ers have been unnecessarily nsitated
for several weeks past by rumors that
have reached them through circulars
and otherwise that there is to be big
advance In the prices for all kinds OF
fertilizers, and that the year of 1911
Will find them in tho hands of a giant
monopoly supported by a great gov
eminent; that they will be bled to the
limit on their fertilizer bills, and tina.
they can find no relief because the
government OF Germany has decreed
that all Of the potash that enters into
the manufacture OF fertilizers. 80 per
cent. Of which comes from Germany,
must pay an Immense export duty be-
fore 1t will be allowed to leave that
country. There have been stories in
the papers to the effect that the En-
peror OF Germany and his official fol-
lowing, together with tie private
owners OF all the potash mines, have
decreed that American fertilizer maxi
err s must pay exhorbitant rates for
potash.
scarecroNx Sent Out.
In view of all OF these reports. the
Industrial Section is crowded with in
quiries from the farmers in the two
States named. and i am asked to ex-
plain the situation. II seems that the
farmers have been receiving circulars
from New England fertilizer companies.
and these have been followed up dur
ing the past two weeks with an inter-
view In the New York Sun with one II
:. Bradley. of Boston. who is the chair.
man OF the board OF directors of the
American Agricultural Chemical Com
pany. big fertilizer manufacturing
company
II Is true that the German govern
nert recently decided to take control
of the potash mines and make the
American buyers or potash pay mora
for the product than they had been In
the habit OF paying. and IL is true that
tho proposition was OF sufficient I'm
portance 10 call the State Department
of the Uniter States government into
the discussion.
The situation In its ineipiency was
grave enough to call number OF
American fertilizer people to Germany,
and not a little dickering in one way
and another followed. Mr.. Robert s.
Bradley. of Boston. was one % the
Americans who made the trip to Ber-
lin. and on his return to this country
he FASTENED into print, and 1t is the
talk he had with reporter OF the
New York Sun on his return, which re-
port was mailed for a purpose broad
cast throughout the fertilizer-consum-
ing section. that has gotten the farm
ers OF Virginia and North Carolina SO
stirred up. But after all, MIR. Bradley's
talk is largely on the bosh order and
Is needlessly alarming. All through
tho Interview Mr.. Bradley uses the big
ST.. and 1t would seem that he wants
everybody to think that everything
that has been done to help the situa.
ton was done by him.
What Bradley Says.
He explains that the potash busi-
ness has been controlled by a German
syndicate for more than thirty years,
and that this control has been eSer-
cised not only over the production OF
the commodity. but its sale in all the
markets Of the world. 1t has been the
custom to form such syndicate for
period of five years, and the last
syndicate expired by Limitation al mid
night OF June 80, 1919
Mr.. Bradley then goes on to relate
some real interesting history with the
big 81" bobbing up everywhere, He
says:
FOR months before attempts had
been made to form new syndicate
had been in Berlin for some time In
vestigatlng and preparing to buy pot
ash in case any opportunity was or
ferea, BY midnight of the day mon
toned, tho delegates representing
about sixty mines, who had been In
session, had failed to come to aniagree-
n1ent This caused an open market
at the moment, and l Immediately
made contracts running two years, to-
Eether with option to run one year
on a future contract period OF tlve
years. This covered the entire REQUIRE
ments Of the American Agricultural
Company for seven years.
"At half past ! o'clock that same
morning the president issued an eaice
calling a meeting of tile delegates
for O'clock, when " new Syndicate
was formed. This. OF course, closed
tho opportunity to buy potash at less
than syndicate prices
"The contracts ] had made were re-
ported. of course, to the new ssnoica.e'
and the news caused some consterna-
prices We're about SO per cent. bei LOW
the prices that had been rullns. ro!
Instance, the syndicate prize OF mlurla aaa
OF potash landed in New YORK was Ny
Il ton, while. according 10 my contract
it would be about SEQ,
Talked lrrum the Sh0uller.
Within wesS, Was Walled On
4 In Berlin by Geheimrath Ne,api!er;
councillor OF tic government He
threatened me with the invalidation
Of my contracts by government action
IL refused to surrender them or 70
make some compromise that would be
strongly intimated that the govern
ment would put on potash an export
duty which should counteryail what
ever advantages i had gained by the
contracts made
'''Ry whosa authority do. you make
the statement asked the Gshetnl,
rath., III
s','By that of Herr Sydow, the min.
tster OF Trade and Commerce of Prusr
sia,' he replied.
1T is a fact that the PrussiaGS GOV
nrnment owns three pnlash mines