Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1919-08-22
TO cUTcosT OF COTTON
Government Suggests Means For
Eliminating WastefuI Practices.

AS one effective means Of reducing
the high cost Of living the government
through various agencies already es-
tablished Is seeking to eliminate
wherever possible, and at least short
en-, roundabout and expensive routes
between producer and consumer.
How much difference should there
be between the price that farmer gets
for his cotton and the price that the
mill pays for the same cotton?" asks
the department of agriculture.
1.-THE North Carolina cotton mills
paid about $15,000,000 more for the
cotton they used last year than the
farmers received for it. Getting down
to a unit basis, the farmer who grew a
bale of cotton lacked $11.50 Of getting
what it was worth to the cotton mill. "
it says. "a little Of the $11.50 went
10 the railroad for hauling the cotton
to the mill. AS most Of the cotton con-
sumed by the North Carolina mills Is
grown in North Carolina and nearby
sections of South Carolina and Geor-
gia, the freight item did not amount to
a great deal-probably 80 cents hum
dred, or 80 points on the cotton involv-
ed. The average cost Of exchange on
the draft bill was probably one
eighth Of one per cent. Including other
necessary costs of selling and delivery
with these items, the total expense
would be about $3.50 to SO a bale in
practically all cases.
1.-The natural conclusion is that the
farmer is getting less for his cotton
than he should have. or that the con-
sumner Of cotton cloth is paying more
for it than he should pay, maybe both,
while the middlemen are making q pro-
fit out of proportion to the services
they render"
These facts were ascertained by the
department, and are embodied in a
circular, Suggested Improvements in
Methods of Selling Cotton by Farm
ers." The solution suggested Is direct
sales, or, in any event, less indirect
than at present. That would probably
involve cooperative selling organiza-
tions among cotton growers, and direct
dealing by such organizations with
the cotton mills. Certain difficulties
in the way of direct selling are pointed
out and suggest interesting classi-
flying service that would be made as a
means of overcoming them Sugges-
tions apply, to some extent, to the en-
tire cotton growing territory, but east
ern North Carolina, where cotton mills
are in close proximity to the cotton
fields.
The first suggestion is that the farm
ers grow the kind of cotton the mills
need. 1t is pointed out that most local
cotton mills use only one or two
grades and usually only one staple of
cotton and that 1t is necessary for the
farmer or some other agency to fur
nish what the mill demands.
A compress and ample storage and
shed space at central points in the
main producing areas, it is suggested,
would improve conditions. A very i'm
portant suggestion Is the establish
ment of disinterested CHASING service
that would serve the interests Of both
the producer and the consumer. This
would enable the farmer to know the
value of his product, and cooperative
selling would better enable him to rea-
lize that value in dollars and cents.
AS to North Carolina, better ginning
facilities are needed. The old gin
neries are not capable Of pressing large
or average sized bales to the density
usually obtained In other states. AS
a result, the average weight OF bales
in North Carolina is low and the mills
complain about 1t.
Less damaged cotton should be
shipped to the mills. Mill owners say
that they have neither the inclination
nor the facilities for conditioning cot
ton, and wish to buy only from
shippers whose cotton has already been
put in the best possible condition.
This objection could be met by farm
ers' organizations.
The final suggestion is that farmers
grow better varieties of cotton. There,
again, the benefits Of organization are
apparent. Many buyers, knowingly or
unknowingly, buy the better staples
without paying a proper premium for
them. The result is that the farmer Is
inclined to stop growing the better va
riety, out of which the buyer makes
an abnormal profit, but for which the
grower receives practically no more
than an inferior variety.