Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1913-05-14
NATIONAL LEGISLATION.
Senator E. d. Smith is Pressing
Legislation That VIII Bene-
fit the Farmers of the
South.

Of more than passing interest 10 the
farmers of South Carolina, and par.
ticularly 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 sensible
strength. that is, the yarn-making
quality of each and every grade of
cotton; to bleach every grade wheth-
er in the form of yarn or cloth, in
order to determine the cost and the
result of bleaching; to estimate care
fully the amount of waste in each
grade incident to converting it into
yarn and cloth: to estimate careful
ly the value of 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
a law at the last session of congress
and the department of Agriculture
is now engaged in the work Of in
vestigation. 1t will give the produc-
er the requisite knowledge from an
impartial official source of the real
commercial value of every grade of
cottoc.
AS is well known, both the export
and domestic buyers make differ
ence between middling and the low
er grades of anywhere from $l.25
to SIS. 90 per bale. The producer
had no way of knowing whether
this was right, just or not. He had
to take the word of the trade. BY
virtue of this law, he will be fur
nished bulletin giving him full
knowledge of all these facts. SO that
when he comes to market he will be
thoroughly informed as to the val
ue of every grade in reference to It's
manufacturing value, and will not
have to take the word of an interest
ed party.
In conjunction with the above
law, the grades have been standard
lied by the government. Senator
Smith has begun campaign to
have every shipping point in the
cotton growing states furnished with
a set of these standardized samples,
that is, every shipping point where
there is a sworn weigher or other
competent official to take charge
of them. 1t can readily be seen
that, with the knowledge furnished
by the provision which is already
law, as to the value of each grade,
that if each shipping point is fur
nished with a set of samples, the
farmer who comes to market to sell
is thoroughly equipped to protect
himself against being buncoed or
deceived as to what grade his cot
ton is and the value Of that grade.
To illustrate, when a farmer comes
to market where there is 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
" ith the government standard, the
farmer then can determine the val
ue of that grade by reference to the
government tests furnished him.
For instance, suppose the buyer
offers the producer a half cent or
three quarters Of cent less for his
low middling than for middline.
Suppose the farmer, by reference to
his bulletin finds that, according to
government tests, low middling for
manufacturing purposes is as valua-
BILE as middling. With this knowl-
edge, he can demand the same price
for his low middling as he does for
middling and it would be ap to him
whether be takes less or demands
the same. In a word, he will be
in possession of all the knowledge
available in reference to the value
and the grade of his cotton that the
mill man and buyer has, and can
govern himself accordingly.
In senator Smiths opinion, that
is the most important legislation
ever enacted in behalf of the COTTON
growers.
Senator Smith has re-introduced
and is pushing his bill looking tc
the regulation of cotton exchanges
This is the same measure that came
near passing at the last session Of
congress. Briefly stated, this bill
provides that in each and every
contract for the future delivery o.
cotton the grade or grades contract
ed for shall be specifically named IL
1 4 i