The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-03-23
COTTON SEED PRODUCTS.
Crushcrs Have Coopcrated With Food
Administration.

The patriotic response to the effor
OF the food administration to stabiliz,
the cotton seed industry Is source
OF satisfaction at Washington. Tn,
study OF this industry over past year,
nus indicated most violent specula
uon. boarding and waste: to prevent
which rules and regulations were pre-.
pared which have met with the Co
operation OF those patriotic people en-.
gagged In the business, and amonf
them being the producers. ginners
seed shippers. crushers and refiner.
and manufacturers of lard substitutes
These various steps in the interest
have heretofore engaged In conflict
always with tho result as shown by
the charts of a tremendous advance OF
the manufactured article and which
must be borne by the consumer.
The prevailing price of cotton seed
IL about $50 per cent. above the pre-
war normal price at which this COM
modify sold. As the food administra-
tion>ru were not understood until
December. II was found that more
than 75 per cent. OF the cotton seed
had passed from the hands OF the ac-
tnal producers OF same into the chan
neis OF commerce. being either i'm the
hands OF the seed merchants or i'm the
hands OF the crushers. The desire of
the food administration has been to
transmit TO the consumer the material
based upon the price received by the
producer plus necessary business fac
tors through which this material
passed. To arrive mt this end, and
that there might be no discrimination
in buying seed from the actual pro-
ducer. the food administration I'm its
rules has specified that quality con-
sidered. no llcensee crse4aing seed
shall pay higher prices In one market
than he pays i'm another market: that
the margin allowed the seed merchant
WAS 81 per ton plus his customary
cost OF loading; the margin or spread
allowed the crusher was ,13 per ton
between the price paid delivered at
his mill and the price at which he sold
tho manufactured products from the
cotton seed. this margin To include all
cost or manufacturing interests, la
Dor. bags and overhead expenses, and
which u was found would result i'm
a very reasonable net profit to the
crusher.
The crushers are required by the
food administration to make fun re-
ports every two weeks These re-
pcrts are carefully examined. Fur
thermore. the books of each crusher
are subject TO audit to ascertain that
the margin or spread of SIS is not
exceeded. and any crusher whose
books may show an excess Is subject
TO having his license cancelled, after
which he can not conduct his business.
Owing to the acute conditions ex-
isting among the cattle feeders ant
the demand for fertilizer. the crush
era were asked to make u maximum
price upon their cotton seed meal, to
which they patrioticaily responded
and which resulted i'm very general
reduction In the price of that com
modify.
The manufacturers OF lard substi-
tutes were asked to establish a max
imum price at which they would sell
the lard substitutes to be manufac-
tored from the oil of this crop. and
they patriotlcally responded.
The result has been highly satisfac-
tory In stabilizing the price OF cotton
seed and all OF its products and today
the entire industry promises to he up
on sound foundation based upon
service. efficiency and economy. re-
sulting In "a fair price TO the consum-
er based upon tho price ut which the
raw material has been sold by the
producer.