The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1914-12-21
To PROTECT
YOUR COTTON
FROM DAMAGE
DEPARTMENT SPECIALISTS URGE
THE WAREHoUSlNG OF COTTON
OR PROTECTION IN Temporal
RY SHEDS.

vent what promises to be an unusual
amount of country damage to cot
ton this year, the cotton marketing
specialists of the department OF agrl-
culture are urging farmers and others
to warehouse their cotton, or, If this
is impossible to build temporary
sheds to protect it, They state that
even under normal conditions our
baled cotton suffers injury to the ex-
tent of many millions OF dollars in
value from what Is commonly called
country damage" Owing to the war
in Europe, the present crop cannot
be marketed readily, and an unusually
large amount of cotton, they point
out, is lying unprotected around gins
and ON the producers premises. The
aggregate amount of country damage
therefore, they say, is likely this
wear to be far greater than usual,
and in view of the fact that there
is such large surplus, spinners and
exporters viii unquestionably discrim-
mate sharply against damaged cotton.
They particularly urge farmers to
depart from their usual custom ana
protect their cotton, and ask the fac
tors to offer the very best terms pos
sble The following is a statement by
the specialists of the measures to pro-
tect cotton which they believe to be OF
special Importance this year:
1T is generally believed that many
new warehouses should be built i'll or
der to house the crop, but careful
investigation by the office OF mar
kctS indicates that, if all the ware
houses at the ports in the interior,
and belonging to the cotton mills were
used every bale of cotton produced
this wear could be stored without the
erection of additional buildings. This
does not mean that the present facill-
ties are adequate, or always available
to the persons who are i'll the most
serious need of them. The best stor-
age houses are generally located at
the ports and the large interior towns,
and are usually under the control of
actors or commission merchants who
operate them primarily in order to in
crease their volume Of business. In
order 10 store cotton in these build
ings, it is usually necessary for the
farmer to pay charges for selling,
weighing, etc, whether he wishes the
service of the merchant in the transac-
ton or not. II is also true that very
few of the cotton mills are willing to
open their warehouses for the accom-
mediation of those who wish to store
cotton. Again, the farmer is frequent
" not willing to ship his cotton to one
of the large towns to have it stored,
and is averse to paying any charges.
! The small warehouses located in towns
I and villages pay very high insurance
rates, and their business is on such
a small scale that the cost OF handling
! is necessarily much higher than for
ompanies which do a large business.
But. Notwithstanding all OF these diff
! lcultics, cotton should be stored. For
his own protection the farmer should
be willing to depart from his usual
! custom in the present emergency,
Factors should offer the very best
terms possible. This would not only
be patriotic on their part. but 1t would
enable them to establish business con.
Inections which would unquestionably
prove to be good investments. For
similar reasons, and to help avert a
serious economic loss, the mills should
allow the freest possible use of their
storage facilities.
Notwithstanding all handicaps,
there are some advantages in placing
the cotton in the hands of factors il
the larger markets They are pre-
pared to store cotton economically
having buildings which carry very
. low insurance rates, and their cost o
/ handling is comparatively low !
) competent factor or commission mer
chant can usually sell the cotton Il
better advantage than the farmer o
small merchants. II is usually posi-
BILE to borrow money on cotton on bet
ter terms when stored in such centerS
and this is another reason why cottol
should be stored. Few individuals ant
-, comparatively few banks are willin
, to advance money on cotton when
9 is not properly housed and insured
, Those who do so. are taking certai
=, amount of risk and almost inyariabl
n charge much higher rates OF interes
h than the owner of the cotton need pa
If his cotton is properly stored. 1t
Il also understood that no part Of tn
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