The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1913-05-13
COTTON GRADES TESTED.
Bill Passed by Congress to Standard
ize Cotton Grade-Will be Bene-
fetal to Farmers.

the farmers of South Carolina, and
particularly the cotton growers, is the
measure introduced and passed
through the efforts of Senator E. D
Smith requiring the department OF
agriculture to test the tensile strength
that is, the yarn-making quality OF
each and every grade Of cotton; to
bleach every grade whether in the
form of yarn or cloth, in order to de-
termine the cost and the result OF the
bleaching; to estimate carefully the
amount of waste in each grade in
cident to vonverting it into yarn ana
.c1oth: to estimate carefully the value
bf this waste
From this it will readily be seen
that the result of these experiments
will be of incalculable benefit to the
grower. This measure became law
at the last session of congress and
the department of agriculture is now
engaged in the work of Investigation.
II will give the producer the reQui-
site knowledge from an impartial OF
5 fetal source of the real commercial
1 value of every grade of cotton.
AS is well known, both the expert
and domestic buyers make diner
enoe between middling and the lower
grades or any where from 1925 to $l5'-
90 per bale. The producer had no
wav of knowing whether this was
right. lust or not. No had to take the
word of the trade. By vurtue OF this
law he will be furnished bulletin
giving him full knowledge OF all these
facts. so that when he comes to mar
ket he will be thoroughly informed as
MO the value of every grade in refer
e to its manufacturing value, and
not have to take the word Of an
serested party.
In conjunction with the above law
n he grades have been standardized by
the government. Senator Smith has
begun a campaign to have every ship
ping point in the cotton-growlng
states furnished with set OF these
tandardized samples, that is, every
shipping point where there is a sworn
4eigher or other competent Official
n take charge of them. It can readi-
" be seen that, with the knowledge
the farmer who comes to market to
sell is thoroughly equipped to protect
himself against being buncoed or de
ceived as to what grade his
cotton is and the value of that
grade. to illustrate, when
a farmer comes to market where
there is a set of standard samples
he can determine himself what his
grade is and not be dependent upon
the buyer to say what the grade IS.
When the grade has been determined
by comparison with the government
standard, the farmer then can deter
mine the value of the grade by re-
ference to the government tests fur
nished him. For instance, suppose the
buyer offers the producer a half cent
or three-quarters Of cent less for
his low middling than for middling.
Suppose the farmer, by reference to
his bulletin, finds that, according TO
government tests, low middling for
Manufacturing purposes is as Valu-
able as middling. With this know
ledge, he can demand the same price
for his low middling as he does for
middling and it would be up to him
whether he takes less or demand the
same. In, a word, he will be in pos
session of all the knowledge avail
able in reference to the value and the
J Grade of his cotton that the mill man
and buyer has, and can govern HIM
self accordingly.
In Senator's opinion, this is the most
important eglSlaLlon ever eAdCI0u III
behalf of the cotton grower.
Senator Smith has reintroduced and
is pushing his bill locking to the regu-
\ lation of cotton exchanges. This is
the same measure that came near
] passing at the last session of con-
! 9sess. Briefly stated, this bill pro-
vides that in each and every contract
for the future delivery of cotton the
grade or grades contracted for shall
he specifically named in the contract,
and such grade or grades as are nam
ed shall be according to government
standardization. This will legalize
the standardized grades in interstate
commerce and give the sanction OF
- IN tho ,,co of tho standard grades