The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1911-04-13
They Want MORE
New Orleans Cotton Exchange Denounces
Bagging Trust.
ROBBING THE FARMERS

The Exchange Demands Relief for
the South, and Would Check Ra.
pacity, Which Would Increase the
Duty and Thus Plunder the Cotton
Growers of Millions.
That the cotton bagging and the
trust, not satisfied with robbing the
American cotton planter of one mil
lion dollars annually through unjust
tariff placed upon bagging and ties
under the Payne-Aldrich tariff law,
are planning to increase their levy
on the cotton crop to S2,O0O,000 an
nually, is declared in resolutions ad-
opted Monday by the New Orleans
Cotton Exchange.
The resolutions appeal to Congress
to place bagging and ties on the free
list and urge the enactment of the
necessary legislation at the present
extra session of Congress. President
w. B. Thompson, of the Cotton bx-
change, in letter which he address,
ed to each member of Congress, tells
of the great Importance to the South
Of this alleged tariff steal. He says
in part:
"The cotton crop of the South
yields an average Of about 12,OOo'-
600 bales. Of this total approximate
ly five-eights, or 100000 bales, rep
resenting an average money value OF
over s5O0,O00,0O0 are exported and
exchanged for foreign gold. The
mere statement of these facts attests
the Importance of the cotton prod'lc-
ing industry, emphasizes the obliga-
ton, which the country at large owes
the producer of this crop and estab-
fishes his right to at least just treat
ment at the hands of the general law
making power.
Under the present tariff law, the
duty on steel cotton ties amounts to-
I2.7 cents per bale, or S324,O00 or a.
crop of 100000 bales. This tariff
is prohibitive, as is snown by the fact
that no steel ties are imported.
Therefore the government has no
share in this impost which constl-
tutes simply and solely tribute levied
upon the cotton farmer for the ben
eft of the cotton tie trust.
"The duty on jute bagging imposen
by the present tariff law amounts I'd
5A cents per bale or s630,0oO, on
a crop of 100000 bales. This tar
if is to a large extent prohibitive in
asmuch as it yields only about $780,
600 in revenues to the government.
The balance of about s495,O0O con-
stitutes a tribute paid by the Gotten
farmer to the bagging trust.
"But the bagging trust Is not sat-
fsfied with it's share of this impost.
II desires to raise the duty TO figure
which will not only prevent the gov
ernment from receiving any revenue
therfrom, but will enable the trust
TO take from the farmer four times
as much as it has been able to take
heretofore.
"This trust has recently n1aae d
technical test case based upon ques-
ton of chemical analysis, and has
secured a. ruling thereon from the
board of general appraisers In New
York, which will change the duty on
imported bagging from the p-esen
rate, which amounts to about Ia
cents per bale, to an ad valorem duty,
which will amount to about 81 cents
per bale. This means an increase
from SG30,000 on the crop to prac-
tically $4,000, 1000, all of which the
trrst will collect from the farmer
without any division with the govern
nent.
Thus under the 2ayne-i erich
law as heretofore interpreted, the
cottor producer has borne the bur-
Iitn of a $950,0C0 yearly tax on bag
cling and ties and if the chemical in
terUretaticn holds, he will hereafter
be mulcted in the yearly sum OF 81
! 500. 900 for his baling materials, all
of which goes into the treasures or
the bagging and tie trusts.
From this it will appear that not
only the proposed outrage, but the
nrocant tax on bacging and ties is in
ADEQUATE and wrong; and because the
Western farmer has, and has had for
more than 10 years, his binder twines
on the free list, the tax upon the
Southern farmer stands condemned
on the additional discrimination