Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-02-10
Cotton and Jute i'm
Tilt Over Tariff Rates
BY HARDEN COLFAX.

Like knights Of old, the fair King
Cotton and the swarthy Prince Jus are
riding full tilt toward each other. The
prize Is the American consumers purse.
Tariff hearings before the ways and
means committee last week brought for
ward demands for protection for the
American monarch against the inroads
which the Far EaStrner Is charged
with having made, and quite opposite
requests that jute and its products be
left severely alone in their positions at
Uncle Sans customs ports.
Time was, and very recently, when
cotton and jute we're close friends. m
deed, cotton continues to rest in the
embrace of lutte. for more than 80 out
of every 100 bales OF raw cotton are
covered with bagging made OF the great
cloth of India at this very moment.
When the 1922 tariff act was being
drafted, cotton men were vociferouS IN
their position that this bagging should
be made available at the lowest possible
cost. Now jute Is free of any duty, ana
bagging suitable for cotton covering Is
dutiable at q merely nominal figure.
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A couple Of years ago the cotton in
dustry began to cast about for new and
extended uses of its products. One or
the first things discovered was that NIL.
lions of bags and sacks are being uSeu
right here at home which are made OF
jute. Also, it occurred to some 1nvesu-
gators that cotton bales well might De
covered with cotton cloth, thus add1ng
to the market for the product Itself
Tests were made which resulted In dis
closing distinct advantages in wearing
qualities of the cotton covering as con-
trasted with jute. Weatnermg less
have not been completed. The whole
sale grocery trade was surveyed and 1t
was reported by the Department OF
Agriculture that cotton bags used BY
this trade each year account Tor about
100000 bales of cotton, but that II an
bags used by grocers were OF cotton the
consumption would be 100000 bales ad-
ditionaL.
Other calculations showed that II cot
ton cloth were used for covering baleS
Of cotton 100000 bales Of cotton would
be required to produce this cloth, on a
crop Of about 100000 bales.
ia - 49,. &* n X
It was asserted by witnesses before
the ways and means committee last
week that jute and its products In the
average year displace about 1,75O, 600
bales Of cotton In the United States, but
at the same time 1t was admitted that
cotton could not take the place of jute
for all purposes. so that conservative
estimates of an increase in consumption
of around one million bales OF cotton
might be made If jute were driven into
less favorable economic position, With
results that would mean an increase IN
the price Of cotton of about cents per
pound on $4,000 000-bale crop. which,
roughly, would mean about $4,000 600
more in the total price for the crop-a
tidy sum. Therefore. the champions OF
cotton as against jute earnestly asked a
duty on all jute now free, and heavily
increased rate ON that which already is
dutiable.
On the other hand, not all cotton in
tereSts, even, are agreed upon the de-
STABILITY of this warfare on jute. Cot
ton cloth as a covering for cotton bales
would mean a higher cost to the farm
ers by about so cents per bale, 1t was
asserted, and some skepticism was
voiced as to any compensating benefits
accruing.
Every individual Is in touch with jute
as well as, with cotton, whether con-
sciously. or not. The foundation OF
practically Ell rugs and carpets Is 1ute.