Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1918-12-13


ists which holds in its grasp our i'm
portations of sisal, that it is costing
American farmers many millions of
dollars annually, and that the power
held BY this monopoly to fix prices
regardless o. the law of supply and
demand is most dangerous. The SEN
ate committee urged that the depart
ment of justice take such action as
the law and the facts warrant. In
view OF the fact that the American
people are being forced to pay for
one of the necessities of life many
millions more than the fair value
thereof, the committee referred the
matter to the state department with
the suggestion that it be taken up
through diplomatic channels to see if
some measure of relief could not be
obtained. The committee also urged
the farmers of the country to make
every effort to find suitable substi-
Lulo LOT SlSdI.
In 1917 the United States Depart
ment of Justice instituted a suit
against the Yucatan Monopoly,
claiming that it was in contravention
of the anti-monopoly laws of the
United States. The hearing of this
suit also dragged, but in August,
1918, Judge Hough gave a decision
adverse to the department of justice.
The Food Administration has been
struggling with this monopoly for
some time past, but the Mexicans are
aware that the grain crops of the
United States would be threatened
with total loss if sisal from Yucatan
were not available for binding it.
Consequently the monopoly is in po-
sition to snap it's fingers at the gov
eminent of the United States, and
to do exactly what it has done-ex-
act the payment of an unreasonable
price for the sisal for the binder
Irvine supply of the United States.
In October. 1915, when the mo-
nopoly grabbed the sisal business by
the threat, there existed in Yucatan
and in this country great surplus of
the article. The prospect of the enor-
nous crops of 1916 led to the absorp-
ton of this surplus, but the disap-
pointing 1916 crops caused enor-
nous quantities of binder Irvine to be
carried over into 1917. Meantime
another accumulation of unsold hemp
in Yucatan had taken place. There
fore in 1917 there was not only an
enormous stock of binder Irvine, and
of raw material, but the price was
maintained by the monopoly at the
top notch figure in the history of the
trade.
Coming down to the present day,
with a price of 16 cents per pound
for sisal, or about 800 per cent of
its value before the monopoly was
established, there is enough sisal In
the United States and Yucatan to-
day to bind crop equal to what the
1917 crops were. Notwithstanding
this the American farmer is up
against 20 cents price for his bind
er Irvine, which price the Food Ad-
ministration has been forced by this
Mexican monopoly to countenance.
Although the price of sisal was adj
vanced nearly 900 per cent in the
United States by the monopoly (and
Is now maintained at more than 200
per cent in excess of its pre-war
yalue), the unfortunate sisal farmer
of Yucatan has not been paid by the
profiteers price high enough to
even cover the cost of production,
and consequently the plantations are
deteriorating and are threatened
with extinction. Owing to the mill
tary despotism which has existed in
Yucatan the farmers there have been
helpless. Those who endeavored TO
oppose the dictatorship of Alyador
were either forced to leave the coun-
try, had their properties seized or
were put in Jail.
Although American efforts to kill
the monopoly have failed, the latest
news from Yucatan indicates that the
unfortunate sisal farmers may help
themselves. Recently an association
of sisal farmers, representing over
so per cent Of the production, sue
ceeded in getting an appeal before
President Caranza. They said that
the Monopoly was Illegal because the
contracts imposed by it were signed
under duress; that the monopoly had
not paid the farmers the money
which it had contracted to pay. They
also charged graft and the expendi-
ture of huge sums for socialist prop
uganda in Mexico and South Amer
lea; also for the furthering OF the as
pirations of Alvardo to be president
of Mexico. 1t also appeared that the