The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1914-05-07

lively large. AS an example, Georgia,
with a crop averaging 100000
bales annually has but 80 compress
es, while Oklahoma, production but
10000, has 50 congresses.
Although the bad condition of
many bales delivered to the COM
presses furnishes some eXtenuation,
the quality Of the work is in many
instances unnecessarily poor, due to
overcrowding and carelessness in
handling. Pressure by carriers, leg
islation, and, systematic compress in
spection would vastly improve the
present undesirable conditions, which
cause the ultimate consumer to pay
far higher price for his cotton
goods than is necessary considering
the vast amount produced in this
land to-day.
The character of the American cot
ton bale, both as to condition and
covering, has been source of univer-
sal complaint and criticism for many
years. The blame has quite natural
ly been laid at the door of the plant
er. He in reality has been merely
the victim of an out of date, incor-
rect, and oppressive method of arriv-
ing at the net weight of cotton in
bale. The buyer, whether for domes-
tic or foreign trade, does not pay cot
ton prices for the bagging and the
ties placed on bales at the ginnery,
although a vast majority of the cot
ton planters suppose they do. AL
lowance for "tare' always is figured
in some manner or form in the price
offered to planters for their cotton.
In other words, a 500-pound bale is
considered as containing 470 pounds
of cotton. If the ''middling" price
in Liverpool is II cents, the bale is
worth not $50 but s56.40. AS the
buyer purchasers on a gross-weight
basis he must protect himself against
the tare rule; hence his offer to the
planter, profit and other items of ex-
pense having already been reckoned
in, is s56.4O divided by 500 pounds,
or 11.2S per pound.
The effect of the whole tare sltua-
ton is, indeed. vicious. Its net re-
suit is to introduce complications and
confusion in all cotton transactions
whether it will go to New England
or to some of the numerous Southern
cotton mills. In other words. he does
not know whether he should put on
%, "a, or 80 pounds of tare. AS
matter of fact he practically puts on
the same amount of bagging and ties.
weighing usually from 19 to 22
pounds. If he attempts to 'tare up
his bales he is met by the notice
from the great cotton-buying con-
Germs that operate in his section or
from mill owners if in the Southern
mill sections, that they will not pur-
chase cotton that carries more than
the usual amount of bagging and
ties, which is six yards Of bagglng
and ties.
In the interest of good, straight
forward business and for the protec-
ton of planter, cotton merchant,
spinner and consumer the present
diversity in assessing tare and in
making tare calculations should be at
once terminated. The economic
waste involved in the purchase OF
millions of pounds of extra canvas,
on which freight and handling
charges must be paid, should be stop
ped at once.
The present system of cotton grow
ing and distribution is both wasteful
and costly. 1t loses money for the
grower and for the ultimate con-
sumer, and the needed reform of
these methods will aid in solving the
problem of the high cost of living for
the great army of cotton consumers.