The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1917-07-06

Washington, July 4-(Special CORES
pondence. 1.-The preparation of rsmie
fibre bids fair to become an important
industry in this country. . charter
having been granted to the Universal
Ramie Fibre Company, capitalized at
$4,000, 900. which will prepare the fibre
for the spinners The world war has
opened up this opportunity
Ramie is fbrous plant grown in
China, India, and the Malay Islands,
and 1t has been successfully cultivated
in Florida, Louisiana, Texas, Alabama,
Mississippi and California. In fact it
will grow in any tropical or sub.tropi.
cal climate. It is the linen of the Bible,
fax being grown in cooler chimes than
those of the Holy Land, and out Of the
fibre were spun the mummy cloths with
which the Egyptians swathed their
dead. 1t takes lite name from r mesis.
Some of these mummy cloths are in a
perfect state of preservation today and
might we'll serve to lay away, until
such time as commercial rivalries are
no more, the Democratic policy of free
trade.
Ramie fibre makes the most durable
cloth known to trade Glossy and fine
- silk, with which It is often mixed,
stronger than linen, absolutely mildew.
p 'oof, beautiful alike to the sense Of
sight and touch, 1t Is q pity that 1t has
not received the consideration which 1t
deserved In order that it's production
might have been encouraged in the
Southern States, where 1t thrives 80
well. For wears it has been carried in
the hemp and::Asx schedule Of our tariff
laws, where It does not belong, any
more than silk. But while, under Re.
publican laws 1t shared with fax q
protective tariff on its fabrics. yarns
and silver, the Democratic tariff law
denied II protection, and, with the linen
industry II suffered the fate Of all
American industry under the New
Freedom" until the war saved 1t from
destruction.
In Emmendingen, Germany, up to
recently, was to be found the only very
large mill which processed and spun
ramie yarns This factory is subsidized |
by the Government. and of course Ger.
many has. since 1879. operated under a
protective tariff law. 1t is reported !
that Japan lie paying increased atten.
tion to the development Of the ramie |
industry. and the low cost of produc-
ton In Japsn would, In time OF peace.
subject us to a competition which only
. protective tariff could possibly Offset.
Another advantage which the German
factory has Is in the process Of sepsr.
Ating the fibre. The Germans do this |
by simple process of fermentation. the
cost being negligible quantity. But
the stencil accompanying the process
exceeds that which was given off by
the recent jamestown naval base graft,
and no American living within four
miles Of fermenting plant would ever
again vote the Republican ticket after
getting q Whit The result is that we
must treat our ramie grass chemically,
which is just what the Universal plans
to do and that entails an additional
cost In the manufacture of the yarns.
This new fibre company should be
encouraged in the work bv a protective
tariff on rsmie yarns, silver and rowing.
The mills that buy these products for
into fabrics, should have
protection on those products. Whether
The growth Of the grass needs protec
lion or not remains to be seen. A few
PEARS ago the American Cane Sugar
planters, at y meeting In New Orleans,