The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-04-11
PROTEST ALLEGED ROBBERY FROM THE COTTON PLANTERS New Orleans Cotton Ex- change Appeals to Con-
 gress for Relief TARIFF LAW UNFAIR TO SOUTHERN FARMER Allege Tie Trust and Bagging Trust Are Robbing Cotton Growers of
 Million Dollars Annually
 and Want More

New Orleans. April 10-That the cotton bagging and tie trusts, not sat isfied with robbing the American cot ton planters of nearly $1,000,000 an nually through the unjust tariff placed upon bagging and ties under the Payne Aldrlch tariff law, are planning to in- crease their levy on the cotton crop to s2,S00, 900 annually" Is declared in reso- lutions adopted today by the New Or leans cotton exchange. The resoiu- tions appeal to Congress to place bag ging and ties on the free list and urge the enactment of necessary legislation at the present extra session of Con- gress
 President W. B. Thompson of the cot ton exchange. in a letter which he ad- dressed 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 annually an average of about 12.000,000 bales. Of this total approximately five- eighths, or 7500,000 bales. representing an average money value of over s5oo.- o0o,O0O, are exported and exchanged for
  these facts attests the importance of the cotton producing industry, empha- sizes the obligation which the country at large owes the producer of this crop. and establishes his right to at least jusr treatment at the hands of the general law making power.
 Under the present tariff law the duty on steel cotton ties amounts to 27 cents per bale, or to s324,0o0 on a crop of 12,000,o 900 bales. This tariff is prohibitive as shown by the fact that DS sel ties are imported. Therefore the government has no share in this impost W. n constitutes simply and solely tirrute levied upon the cotton farmer for the benefit of the cotton tic trust.
 The duty on jute bagging imposed by the present tariff law amounts to SAC per bale or to sSSo,0oo on d crop of 120oo,- 900 bales. This tariff is to a large ex- tent prohibitive. in as much as it yields only about s10OO00 in revenue to the gov ernment. The balance of about s5a0. QUO constitutes a tribute paid by the cotton farmer to the bagging trust.
 Trust Not SatisIled
 But the bagging trust is not satisfied with it's share of this impost. It de- sres to raise the duty to figure which Will not only prevent tine government from receiving any revenue therefronl. but will enable the trust to take from the farmer four times as much as 1t has been able to take heretofore. This trust has recently made a technical test case based upon question of chemical analysis, and secured a ruling thereon from the board of general appraisers in New York; which will change the duty on imported bageing from the present rate, which amounts to about 5Lc per bale, to an ad vaiorenl duty which will amount to about 2Ic per bale. This means an increase from s6So- 600 on the crop to practically 2,5o0on1, all of which the trust will collect from tho farmer without any division with the government.
 Thus under the Payne Aldrich law as heretofore interpreted the cotton pro- ducer has borne the burden of a S950- 600 yearly tax on bagging and ties, and if the chemical interpretation holds. he will hereafter be mulcted in the yearly sum Of $2,SO0, 900 for his baling materials, all of which go into the treasures of the bagging and tie trusts.
 Prom the reasons stated it will incon- testaby appear that not only the pro- posed outrage but the present tax on bagging and ties Is negotiable and wrong; and because the western farmer has now and has had for more than b years his binder twine on the free list, the tax upon the southern farmer stands condemned of the additional vice of dis elimination