«W«|ilipi:'ii| LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. —-j^X:^ Shelf...»V\i.P UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. FLAX CULTURE: AN • OUTLINE • OF • THE • HISTORY • AND PRESENT • CONDITION • OF • THE • FLAX INDUSTRY • IN • THE • UNITED • STATES, • AND A • CONSIDERATION • OF • THE • INFLUENCE EXERTED • ON • IT • BY • LEGISLATION. / EDMUND A. WHITMAN, A.M., OF THE BOSTON BAR. WITH AN INTRODUCTION BY J. R. LEESON. •MY 25 ]8«P i} BOSTON : RAND AVERY COMPANY. 1888. 0^-U,J ^:X>' Copyright, iSS8, by J. R. Lekson. RAND AVEKY COMPANY MADE THIS BOOK. PREFACE. This volume aims to be brief, readable, and pertinent to the point at issue ; name- ly, that a duty on imported flax is unneces- sary, and a hinderance to the development of the flax-ofrowine and linen-manufac- turinor industries ni the United States. The facts and figures upon which this study is based are taken almost entirely from publications of the United States Government, and the object has been to tell the story, so far as is possible, in the words of the government experts. Fre- quent references have been made for ready verification. CONTENTS. PAGE INTRODUCTION 7 By J. R. Leeson. FLAX: ITS CULTURE AND USE IN THE UNITED STATES 17 FLAX CULTURE AS INFLUENCED BY LEGISLATION 68 APPENDIX 91 FLAX CULTURE AND USE IN THE UNITED STATES. AN INTRODUCTION By J. R. LEESON. That " supply waits upon demand," Is so universally acknowledged as to have be- come a truism ; so trite, indeed, as to make iteration a tedious jarring of a worn-out string. There are, however, some among us who would seem to think that demand is created by supply. This is, practically, the position of those who advocate the retention of the duty on flax. They have endeavored to induce our farmers to pro- duce flax fibre before the demand of Amer- ican spinners is sufficiently extensive to warrant the necessary study and outlay involved. By limiting the home consump- tion of flax throuofh the enhancement of the price of the flax-spinners' raw material to the extent of the impost duty, the believers 5 IXTRODUCTTON. m thiscart-before-the-horse method of pro- cedure would, to borrow the quaint phrase of Adam Smith, "diminish the number of those who are capable of paying for it, — surely a most unpromising expedient for encouraging the cultivation. It is like the policy which would promote agriculture by discourao-inof manufactures." Probably our agricultural friends may be safely left to decide for themselves what crops it will best pay them to cultivate ; they have shown their grasp of the situa- tion, no less than the fertility of the land, by a gross annual product of their farms of two or three thousand millions of dollars worth, leaving far behind every nation which gives statistics of its growth, and supplying us all with greater variety and abundance of food than was ever known in any country or any era. The advocates of a duty upon flax fail to perceive the littleness of the interest under review. What is this demand, for the supply whereof farmers are advised to make such elaborate preparation ? The value of flax imports may be taken as an approximate measure of actual consump- INTRODUCTION. 9 tion, home-grown flax being of such in- significant amount as to be inappreciable. The farmer is asked to turn aside from the cultivation of hay, with an annual product of nearly three hundred million dollars ; potatoes, exceeding fifty million dol- lars ; or cotton, with three or four hundred million dollars worth : in order that he may supply two million dollars worth of flax! What is the inference that is permissible from these data, namely : the increase in the ofrowth of flax fibre in the United States from less than 5,000,000 pounds in i860 to over 27,000,000 pounds in 1870, and the subsequent decline to less than 2,000,000 pounds in 1880? The rise and fall in supply having been exactly coincident with the shortness or abundance of cotton, and the consequent greater or less demand for a substitute therefor, it is fair to ascribe the increased or diminished supply of domestic flax to the varying vicissitudes incident to the raw cotton supply ; the inevitable conclusion is, that the effect of the duty on scutched and hackled flax upon domestic production is absolutely nil, and lO INTRODUCTION. that the statement of the competent wit- ness given on page 40 may be accepted as true, that " if there was $1000 per ton duty on flax, it would not make the slightest difference with farmers." Why should the American farmer devote years of preparation for the supply of such a limited requirement? He wisely scatters his flax-seed thinly, raises a seed crop with- out effort or special study, and markets the product readily at a profit. He has more sunlight, more heat, and less moisture in the air, than any flax-grower has in coun- tries where fibre chiefly is produced. He will do well to continue his self-appointed course, which takes into the account the meteorological conditions which surround him ; leaving the growth of fibre to those who have experience, cheap labor, and a humid atmosphere, to aid them. It might be inferred from the display of pyrotechnics with which we have been favored on this subject, that American farmers must grow flax for fibre that they may be entitled to a respectable status in this connection. As a matter of fact, showing the fallacy in this assumption, INTRODUCTION. 1 1 the value of flax seed annually grown in this country exceeds the value of all the flax fibre raised in Great Britain and Ireland, equals the value of the cele- brated Belgian flax crop, is far in excess of the value of the Dutch crop, and is four or five times more valuable than all the flax fibre, straw, and tow of flax, now imported into this country for domestic manufacture, while it is of ten times greater value than all the manufactures of linen imported, other than woven fabrics, which are not manufactured here except in limited quantity. The Territory of Dakota alone produces flax seed to the extent of double the value of all the flax fibre imported. It is stated in a recent official document that " in many instances a single crop [of seed] has paid for the land, in addition to the cost of breaking and planting." With such facts before us, and bearinofin mind the so-called aro-uments in favor of maintaining a duty on scutched and hackled flax with the supposed object of inducing the growth of flax fibre, it may be expected that we shall next be gravely informed that the major is contained in the 1 2 INTROD UCTION. minor quantity ; recalling Sir Isaac New- ton's amusino^ adventure durino- an absent- minded spell in cutting a hole in the door for his cat to pass through, and then making a smaller aperture for the accom- modation of the kitten. It need not be doubted that the growers will discover the proper time to produce flax fibre, without being helped thereunto by peripatetic blowing of penny whistles, and the periodical explosion of sky-rockets, which has been witnessed in these modern times, in relation to this question. When we consider the fact that Russia can annually export over four hundred million pounds of flax, In addition to a large home consumption ; when we reflect that under the stimulus of good prices and a special demand during the period of scarcity of cotton In this country, our flax- growers never attained an annual product of thirty million pounds, — say one-fif- teenth of the Russian export, — what Is the Inevitable deduction from such data ? Is it not clear and conclusive that the farmers fully appreciate the merits of the case, " the want of a regular and IX TROD UCTIOX. 1 3 accessible market"? It indicates no less clearly the futility of present attempts to shriek our farmers into flax culture, as well as the folly of perpetuating the import duty upon a material which, as all the facts and statistics show, must be imported if flax-spinning- is to continue in this country. When an increased use of flax fibre shall have been superinduced through the devel- opment of the manufacture of woven linen fabrics, the intelligence of the farmers may be relied on to avail themselves of what- ever advantages may be offered by such enlargement of the demand at home for flax of high quality. Meanwhile, what is the rational course for the economist and the legislator ? There is but one answer : Provide an adequate demand before creating a supply ; remove every impediment, — take the duty off the raw material, and thus encourage the establishment of flax-spinning enter- prises in our midst, and the supply of home-grown flax will, in due season, doubt- less be forthcoming. As President Monroe so suggestively intimates in his masterly communication to Congress, in 182 i, " By 14 INTRODUCTION. the increase of domestic manufactures will the demand for the rude materials at home be Increased." It has been said by the opponents ot free flax, that because the duty on scutched flax is two per centum more than on hackled flax, a large proportion of flax imports consists of hackled flax, which would, but for this difference of two per cent of duty, be imported as scutched flax to be hackled here. That there are those who can listen to a proposition that two per centum less duty will oflset a difference of one hundred per centum in the wages, which is admitted to exist between hack- lers' wages here and in Europe, indicates the height of absurdity to which the dis- cussion of this flax question sometimes aspires. A glance at the statistics will show how needless are the crocodile's tears which a mention of the hackler's hypothetical hard lot seldom fails to bring forth. The imports of scutched flax in 18S7 were 4,645 tons, value $1,026,207 ; of hackled flax, 1,236 tons, value $649,73 7- ^^ we compare the relative value of scutched and hackled flax imported in 1SS4 and in INTRO D UCTION. 1 5 1887, ^^^ ^t once see how little foundation there is for the outcry now being raised, ostensibly in behalf of domestic hacklers. While the increase in the imports, during the period named, of hackled flax, was less than twenty per centum, the imports of scutched tlax show a sfain in the same time of over seventy-five per centum in value. And yet we are seriously invited to pity the poor hackler, and shield him from the assaults of that terrible ogre, the hackled flax importer ! It will be observed that throughout this volume the nomenclature of raw flax which obtained prior to the tarift" of 1S70 is employed. Raw flax is held to mean the fibre of the flax plant so long as it remains a fibre simply. The several preparatory processes through which the fibre passes — rippling, steeping, spreading, lifting, scutching, hackling, each requiring care and mechanical dexterity — are designed and intended to put the fibre into a con- dition suited to the reception of the first process of manufacture, i.e., the preparing. Until the preparing frame has metamor- phosed the material, there is no essen- 1 6 INTRODUCTION. tial change in the form or nature of the substance : the bulk is lessened, the dross thrown off, the fibre disintegrated, but it is a fibre still ; it is flax, not a yarn, nor in any scientific sense a manufactured product ; it is unfit for use in any art, and is therefore strictly a raw material, and nothing more. In this sense it was always regarded and legislated upon before the passage of the Act of 1870, when by spe- cial pleading and sophistical ratiocination, suggested by the exigencies of a private need and particular interests, it was sought to attach to hackled flax a different char- acter from scutched flax. That this is an unnatural, far-fetched designation, a " dis- tinction without a difference," will be ad- mitted by those who candidly analyze the nature of the material, who study and re- flect upon the methods of manipulation to which it is subjected, and who, throwing aside that prejudice which is born of a restricted vision, regard the elements and principles at issue with the single desire to judge aright, and form a just conclusion. FLAX. Its Culture and Use in the United States. Among the articles placed upon the " free list," in the so-called Mills Tariff Bill, is unmanufactured flax in its various forms, dressed and undressed. At a recent meeting of the Flax and Hemp Spinners' and Growers' Association, held this year in the city of Washington presumably for the purpose of influencing legislation, it was unanimously voted that the interests of the flax industry require that the present duty on unmanufactured flax be retained ; and memorials were presented signed by employees and workingmen in flax manu- facturing establishments to the same effect. The present treatise is devoted to a review of the condition of the flax industry in the United States, and an examination of the 1 8 FLAX CULTURE question whether the present rates of duty are of any benefit to our flax growers, and may not, indeed, be a burden to the farmer as well as to the manufacturer and con- sumer ; whether, in short, the duty on raw flax is not one of those curiosities of the protective system that the tariff reformer, whether free-trader or protectionist, desires to remove. Flax has been grown and manufactured in this country ever since the first colonies were settled. Before the invention of the cotton-gin so cheapened the production of cotton fabric, flax spinning and weaving was a common household industry. The older generation of the present day re- member the spinning-wheel, and distaff wound with flax, in the corner of the country kitchen. The importance of the industry was early recognized, and it was carefully fostered by legislation. The Massachu- setts General Assembly passed an Act to encourage the production of flax as early as 1640; and Massachusetts was followed AND USE IN UNITED STATES. 1 9 by Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, and other States.' In 17 19 a large immigra- tion of Scotch- Irish from Londonderry to New Hampshire improved the colonial knowledofe of the cultivation and manu- facture of flax.^ A series of papers be- tween 1787 and 1 79 1, by Tench Coxe, Commissioner of the Revenue, shows the manufacture "in a household way" of all sorts of linen goods. In the first nine months of 1791 he reports the manufac- ture, " in a family way," of 25,265 yards of linen cloth in Massachusetts and Rhode Island alone. The census of 18 10 shows tHe production for the census year, of 21,211,262 yards of linen made in families. Of this amount New York produced 5,303,000 yards; Pennsylvania, 3,000,000; Connecticut, 2,250,000; and New Hamp- shire, 1,000,000 yards. The flax was in most cases grown by the families that manufactured the linen. ^ Sixty years ago Connecticut flax was strong, clean, and * Rep. of Dept. of Ag. for 1862, p. 119. ^ Ibid. 3 Rep. of Dept. of Ag. for 1S77, P- l?^. 20 FLAX CULTURE good. The flax from New York and Vermont was strong but not clean.' As has been said, the uivention of the cotton-gui, and the consequent cheapen- ing of cotton cloth, destroyed this house- hold industry ; but it by no means killed the linen industry. For certain purposes linen is indispensable ; and its strength, beauty, and durabihty so far surpass cotton, that it maintains its place in defi- ance of all competition. However, the domestic production of flax fibre gradually fell off^ and died out ; and, to quote from the report of a Con- gressional commission in 1864, " It is well known that the only mill of this class in our country', fully equipped for spin- ning and weaving fine long line yarns (located at Fall River, Mass.), was, after a great outlay of capital and immense exertions to operate at a profit, converted into a cotton-mill at a heavy loss, in con- sequence of an insufficient home supply (of raw material), the mill being precluded ' Kep. of Dept. of Ag. for 1S79, p. 573. AND USE IN UNITED STATES. 21 from using foreign stock by a practically interdlctive duty." ' In other words, for some reason, a " practically interdictive duty " did not induce our farmers to turn their attention to the cultivation of fine flax fibre. Let us now see what protection the tariff has afforded to the flax growers. From the establishment of the government until 1842, unmanufactured flax was admitted free of duty, except for a short time be- tween 1828 and 1832, when a duty of thirty-five and sixty dollars a ton was im- posed.^ Even Alexander Hamilton in his watchful care of American industries saw no reason for imposing a duty on raw flax. In 1842 a uniform duty of twenty dollars a ton was imposed on all forms of raw flax. In 1846 this was changed to an ad valorem duty of fifteen per cent, which amounted to twenty-five to thirty dollars per ton on the ' 38th Congress, 2d session, Sen. Ex. Doc. 35, p. 51. ^ "On unmanufactured flax, thirty-five dollars per ton, until the thirtieth day of June, 1S29, from which time an additional duty of five dollars per ton per annum, until the duty shall amount to sixty dollars per ton." Act of May 19, 182S. United States Statutes at Large, vol. iv. p. 272. 22 FLAX CULTURE average. In 1857 raw flax was again re- stored to the free list, and it there remained until the war tariff of 1861 which imposed a uniform duty of fifteen dollars per ton. This fiorure ran the crauntlet of some six- teen tariff bills, until 1870, when raw flax received a most vigorous taxing. Flax straw, which had never hitherto had any duty imposed on it, was now taxed five dollars per ton, — a prohibitory duty. The duty on the tow of flax, which had been five dollars per ton, was doubled ; and a curious distinction, which had never been thousfht of before, was made in the forms of flax fibre. The duty on the undressed fibre was raised from fifteen to twenty dollars per ton ; but dressed or " hackled " flax, which is the fibre with the chaff and tow combed out, practically merely cleaned, was taxed forty dollars per ton. These are now the present rates of duty.' We have seen that the tarift' killed one ' These figures are taken from the " Tariff Compilation, 1SS4," 48th Cong., 1st session, Sen. No. 12. In this connection, tlie following cjuotation from a letter of a manufacturer to the Secretary of the Treasury in 1886 AND USE IN UNITED STATES. 23 large linen industry ; what has been the history of the general industry? An enor- mous impulse was given to the flax indus- try during the war of the Rebellion. The supplies of raw cotton were cut off, and the Northern mills lay idle. This increased the demand for linen goods, and every effort was made to encourage the domestic production of flax. The Agricultural Re- ports of the United States during the years of the war are full of careful reports on flax, and contain much valuable informa- tion on flax culture to aid the farmer. In 1863 Congress appropriated twenty thou- sand dollars for an investio^ation " to test the practicability of cultivating and prepar- ing flax or hemp as a substitute for cotton." A commission was appointed which exam- ined the whole subject thoroughly, and is of interest: " Flax is long fibred and kept straight. Tow is short fibred and not kept straight. Flax is usually tied in bundles of about one hundred pounds each, and tow is pressed into bales of about five hundred pounds each. Hundreds of tons of flax have been entered at ten dollars per ton duty, during the past three or four years, by being laid straight into tow presses, and pressed into five-hundred-pound bales, like tow." — Rep. of Sec. of Tr. on Tar. Revis., p. 105. 24 FLAX CULTURE made a most elaborate report to Congress.' These efforts of the General Government, combined with the high price of flax, stim- ulated the growth of flax, and the amount of flax fibre produced was large. When, however, the close of the war supplied the mills with cotton, the production of flax fibre began to fall oft', so that, to quote from the Agricultural Report of the United States for 1879, " It is impossible to esti- mate the amount of American dressed flax consumed at the present time. It is a ridiculously small amount at best, — too small for a country boasting such diversity of soil and climate. The quality of the last crop was considerably below the aver- age, and the yield was likewise small." ^ To-day, in 188S, the best-informed men in the flax-fibre industry are unable to estimate the amount of American flax pro- duced. A Qfood deal of flax is still sown, but merely for the seed. Nothing is so convincino- as the actual statistics, and that is our excuse for the tables below. ' 3Sth Cong., 2d session, Sen. Ex. Doc. 35. - p. 579. AND USE IN UNITED STATES. 25 Statistics of the Productiim of Flax Fibi-e in the United States. Pounds of fibre produced. Census of 1850. Census of i860. Census of 1870. Census of 1880. 7,709,676 4,720,145 27,133,034 1,565,546 Thus, in spite of the high rate of duty imposed in 1870, the production of flax has fallen off enormously, and the amount produced in 1880, under a high tariff, was less than one-third the amount produced in i860, when flax was on the free list. Ohio has been a leadingf State in the cultivation of flax. The following figures, taken from the State Agricultural Reports, will indicate the history of the flax industry in that State : ' — Pounds of Fibre produced. Pounds of Fibre produced. In 1862 1865 1870 1871 2,738,238 3,146,892 16,864,378 " 24,477,361 In 1875 1880 1883 5,285,417 3 5,642,025 2,501,545 ' See Rep. U. S. Dept. Ag. for 1877, p. 175. ^ Highest point reached. ^ There is a discrepancy between these figures and those in the return of the United States Census. This is probably due to the return of the State Board including coarse fibre and tow not taken into account by the census officers. 26 FLAX CULTURE It is estimated that in 18S3 seventy-five million pounds of straw were grown in Ohio, though but two and a half million pounds of fibre are returned, five or six pounds of straw producing one of fibre. The remainder of the straw was burnt. The rapid decrease of the production in Ohio is shown most strikingly by referring to the fio'ures from a few counties. Produc- tion in pounds. Trumbull County. ('■reene Couniy. Allen County. Preble County. D,irke County. 1881 1882 18S3 459,435 150.900 66,890 338,900 20,434 I 1 .000 155,900 10,621 433,700 134,800 4,114 339.676 87,178 56,880 New York was once a laree flax-Qfrowinof region ; and a similar comparison by coun- ties shows the history of flax in New York, the figures being taken from the United- States census. Produc- tion in pounds. Whole State. Washington County. Rens.selaer County. S.Lawrence County. Schoharie County. 1S70 18S0 3,670,818 843,965 1,285,033 343,262 774,773 324,642 104,266 1,510 84,811 30 AND USE IN UNITED STATES. 27 These are some of the counties where the well-known " North River flax " is grown, Rensselaer County being " the seat of the linen industry in this country." ' Turn now to the statistics of the imports of unmanufactured flax into the United States, the figures being taken from the Agricultural Report of the United States for 1877, except for the two last years. Cwt. Value. 1850 .... 14,474 $128,917 1855 . 28,961 286,809 IS60 . 213,687 1865 . 28,332 369,359 1870 . 38,540 605,962 187s • 86,440 1,112,405 I88I . 108,920 1,462,286 1887 . 141,960 1,908,845 It is instructive but tiresome to multiply tables. Some further tables, giving the most recent statistics, are to be found in the appendix. ' Rep. Dept. Ag. U. S. for 1S77, p- 1S3. 28 FLAX CULTURE It has been assumed in the foreofoinsf discussion, that the flax fibre produced in this country, though yearly diminishing in amount, was of a fine quaUty suitable for manufacture into threads and cloths. But this is very far from the truth, and it may be confidently asserted that outside of a very small amount of " North River flax" grown in New York, and possibly an in- significant amount grown in New Jersey, the bulk of American flax is fit only for paper-stock or upholsterer's tow, and only a small amount is good enough for even the very coarsest kind of bagging. In 1879 Mr. Gary, a flax manufacturer of Dayton, O., estimated that there were then a hundred flax-mills in the West turn- ing out a yearly product of three hundred tons o{ toiv. Three-tenths of this amount, he estimated, was used by upholsterers, four-tenths as paper-stock, and the remain- ino^ three-tenths for baofeinsf-' The follow- ing significant note is repeated in the Agricultural Reports for the State of Ohio ' Rep. Dept. Ag. for 1879, p. 577. AA'D USE IN UNITED STATES. 29 for the years 1881, 1882, 1883, at the end of the tables showing the production of fiax : " This crop is of very uneven dis- tribution throughout the State, though not for lack of adaptation of soil or climate. T/ie total production has muck diminished since the change in the tariff on jute. It was formerly considered one of our best paying crops for its cost of production, and was somewhat extensively raised." ' Jute is an East-Indian fibre used in the manufacture of coarse bagging. The Agri- cultural Report of the United States for 1877 also shows that the fibre produced was of the very coarsest kind, and the production was stopped by the placing of jute on the free list. In Portage County, Ohio, the report goes on to say, "The largest Max-mill in operation a few years ago has failed. The market for seed and fibre was too far away ; and though the crop paid well, it was thought to be exhaust- ing to the land ; and now one may travel hundreds of miles in the county, and not * See Rep. Dept. of Ag. Ohio, 1SS3, p. 405. 30 FLAX CULTURE see a flax field."' " In Delaware County, of the four yfc?.r-mills formerly in opera- tion, the three smaller ones run about one- fourth time, producing- tow which now sells for two and a half cents per pound." ^ As has been said, a small amount of the better grade of flax is produced in New York, but even there the production is rapidly falling off, and the quality declin- ing, A mill at Herkimer, the same report says, uses forty tons annually, and em- ploys two hands, cheese dairying having almost entirely superseded flax culture ; and flax for the mills in Rensselaer Coun- ty is largely imported from Canada and Europe.^ In the Transactions of the New York State Agricultm-al Society for 1870 (p. 491), there is a report from the secretary of the local society in Washington County, the source of much North River flax. He says, " Favorable mention may be made of the flax crop, but it becomes evident from year to year that its culture is decreasing. ■ p. 1S2. ^ p. 1S3. 3 iijid. AND USE IN UNITED STATES. 3 1 Our thirty or more flax-mills have dwin- dled to a half-dozen." Nor is all the flax grown in New York of a quality suitable for linen manufac- ture, as witness the report from Steuben County, found in the Transactions of the State Society for 187 1 (p. 599). The sec- retary of the County Society says, "The culture of flax is already occupying much of the attention of the farmers in the northern part of our county. This sea- son about four hundred acres were sown. The straw is entirely used in making up- holsterers tow!' This State Society takes the place in New York of a State Department of Agri- culture, and its annual reports are now published with the official documents of the State. It is a curious commentary on the importance of the flax industry in New York, that since 1871 there is no mention of flax to be found in these annual reports, although much space is devoted to almost every crop ; nor do the reports from the counties mention flax. 32 FLAX CULTURE The Tariff Commission appointed in 1882 paid a good deal of attention to flax, and incidentally much tliat is interesting came out in the testimony. Mr. Hiram Sisson of Eagle Bridge, N.Y., appeared before the commission as representing the flax-growing industry. His testimony is so instructive that it is quoted at length : — Q. How much capital in round numbers is in- vesied in the manufacture of flax, jute, and hemp fibre to be used in textile fabrics in this country? A. I am not prepared to state. Q. Is there any considerable amount invested? A. They are raising a great deal of flax in the West at present, but it is for seed only. Q. I am not talking about that ; but I understand from the paper submitted by your association (Flax and Hemp Spinners' and Growers') that you recom- mend ail additional duty on the raw material, rather in the hojie of encouraging the growth of the raw product in this country for the purpose of manufac- ture hereafter, than for the purpose of protecting an agricultural industry, if I may so call it, which has not attained any considerable magnitude. A. We are in hopes, if we could get more protec- tion, that this business would increase and enlarge. AND USE IN UNITED STATES. 33 Q. I understand that it is grown now principally for seed, jxcept in New York State. A They do that, but they cannot afford to raise tlie flax, and prepare it for market, because there is no money in it. Q. And it is not now raised for market, except in New York State ? A. But a duty might help to do that. Q. That is exactly what I wanted to get at. Now, can you tell me about how much capital is in- vested in New York State in the production of the fibre, exclusive of the seed for oil? A. I do not know that I could answer that, except by saying that within the past year (1881) I have han- dled between four and five hundred thousand pounds of dressed flax. Q. And that flax was produced in the State of New York ? A. Yes, sir ; produced in the State of New York. Q. What is the value of that flax? A. Perhaps that amount would be worth $60,000. Q. And the capital invested in producing that amount of material is how much ? A. I could not say. The fai-??ier sows it, and then it goes to market, and he gets what he can out of it. Q. But there are not firms exclusively devoted to this industry? A. No, sir. 34 FLAX CULTURE Q. How much enhancement of price would be necessary to induce the farmers to bring it (the flax straw that is now burned in the fields), to market? A. That I cannot state. Q. As I understand, the reason it is not used by the manufacturers, is that they can buy the material in other quarters cheaper than they can get it of the farmers of the West. A. Certainly. Q. Can you tell how much cheaper they can buy it in that way ? A. I cannot say, because there are so many grades of flax. / a?/i not very well informed in regard to American flax.^ Very evidently not, and yet this is the sort of testimony that is rehed on to keep the duty on flax. Mr. Sisson apparently forgot to say that cheese dairying was replacing flax culture in New York. He remembered only that he handled half a million pounds of New- York flax the previous year (1881). If that is correct, he must have handled more than half the crop of the State, as the whole production of New York by the ' Rep. of Tar. Com., pp. 2S2, 2S3. AND USE IN UNITED STATES. 35 census of 1880 was 843,965 pounds. This, at Mr. Sisson's figures, would be worth something over $100,000; and yet to en- able a few fiax dealers in New York to handle even less than this amount, the American people were called upon to pay $154,508.63 in duties on raw flax during the year ending June 30, 1887, and domes- tic linen manufacturers were handicapped to that extent. It was variously estimated before the commission, that from half a million to a million tons of flax are annually burned by Western farmers.' The larger limit is probably nearer the truth. Mr. Sisson tried to convey the Impression in his testi- mony, that this was done because the manufacturers of linen could buy their flax cheaper abroad ; and that, although the Western farmer would be glad to give away the straw to be rid of it. As Mr. Sisson expressly stated that he was not well informed as to American flax, his misstatements may be perhaps excusable ; " Rep. Tar. Com., pp. 2S7, 28?, 992. 36 FLAX CULTURE but the truth is, that this Western flax is utterly worthless for linen manufacture. The flax is grown for the seed, and the fibre is coarse and useless for fine goods. Such being the condition of the flax- o-rowincr interest, what is the state of manufactures of flax in this country ? The tale is almost as doleful. In the peti- tion of the Flax and Hemp Spinners' and Growers' Association to the Tariff' Com- mission, it is recited that " Several millions of dollars have been expended by more than fifty flax-spinning mills, in an effort to manufacture linen goods in the United States ; but although capital was not lack- ing, the American Linen Co. of Fall River, Mass., the Willimantic Linen Co., the United States Linen Co., the Sprague Linen Co., and many others, had to aban- don the business, ... so that the pres- ent manufacturing establishments number about one dozen." ' It was also shown in evidence, that there were only ten millions of dollars invested in this country in the ' Rep. Tar. Com., p. 2S7. AND USE IN UNITED STATES. 37 manufacture of flax, hemp,' etc., — an amount but very little in excess of the amount paid in duties on flax, hemp, etc., for 1887 (^9,497,981.74). The present condition of the flax-grow- ing interest in this country was very well summed up by one of the manufacturers, in his testimony before the Tariff Com- mission. (p. 275.) Q. What is the objection to putting flax, jute, and hemp on the free list, as raw silk and raw cotton are now on the free list ? A. My answer is, thai it would spoil a magnificejtt possibility for the American people. This is indeed protection run mad, — to tax the whole American people annually as much as the entire capital invested in the flax industry, in order not to spoil a magnificent possibility, and what, in spite of strenuous efforts on the part of the Government, has remained a possibility for a hundred years. If the witness had called it a magnificent impossibility while ' Rep. Tar. Com., p. 288. 38 FLAX CULTURE the present tariff on raw flax, dressed and undressed, continues, he would have been nearer the truth. If, however, he meant a possibihty in taxation, the prospect is truly magnificent. What, then, is the reason for this con- dition of the flax-growing- industry in the United States ? Is it because the tariff is not high enough, and more protection is needed ? It would seem that if good flax can be easily raised in the United States, the present prices would be a sufficient inducement to the farmer without any duty at all. Flax fibre brings from $300 to $500 per ton, and the finest grades of dressed flax bring as high as $750 a ton.' The average price of the " dressed line " imported in 18S7 was $525 per ton. The Western farmer sells his straw at ^3 to $6 per ton, and, more often than not, is un- able to sell it at any price. The Flax and Hemp Spinners' and Growers' Association says that a higher duty is needed; although a leading manu- ' Rep. Tar. Com., p. 1526. Rep. Dept. Ag. 1S79, p. 56S. AND USE IN UNITED STATES. 39 facturer and member of that association told the Secretary of the Treasury in 1886, "The duty upon foreign flax is $20 per ton, which is, and has been, entirely inadequate to insure the cultivation of flax fibre in this country for our own use. The duty should be increased to $60 per ton as a stimulus to the American agriculturist." ' But what say the farmers? The report of the Tariff Commission gives some light on this point, in the testimony of H. Koelkenbeck of Chicago. He testified that he was not connected with any manufacturing industry, and was engaged in improving flax culture in the West. He had visited the flax districts of Missouri, Illinois, and Iowa, and was the only person who appeared before the Commission who showed an intimate knowledge of flax culture. His testimony is as follows : — Q. " You are decidedly of the opinion that the taking off the duty on flax would ' Rept. of Secretary of Treas. on Revision of the Tariff, 1886, p. 105. No data are given to show that this increase of duty would produce the desired result. 40 FLAX CULTURE not interfere with its manufacture in this country ? " A. " My opinion is that if there was $1000 duty on flax [per ton], it would not make the shghtest difference with farm- ers. I have been four weeks among the farmers of Missouri and IlHnois, and I have asked them, 'What do you think of the present duty?' They say, 'We do not trouble ourselves about it : we could not undertake the preparation of flax fibre for manufacturing purposes ; it is altogether out of our power to do so : we have not the knowledge or the time for it.' " ' And later when he was again asked re- specting the farmers, he said, " The farmer says, ' I cannot trouble myself about that, because there is nobody who wants the fibre. Nobody comes along and pays me a reasonable price for it ; for if I was to cultivate flax especially for its fibre, I would have to bestow a o-reat deal more labor and care on it, and have to sow four times as ' P- 995- AND USE IN UNITED STATES. 4 1 much seed ; and I prefer my present mode of culture.' "' Here, it is submitted, is the key of the difficulty. The fibre that is at present grown in this country is worthless for the manufacture of linen, and the farmer can- not produce suitable fibre without very much more trouble and labor than he is willing to give in the present state of agri- culture. That is the whole trouble, and the only trouble, with the flax-growing industry, and no amount of duty can over- come it. In order to bring out this point more clearly, it is necessary to give a brief account of the methods of cultivation necessary for the production of fine flax fibre, and contrast them with the agricul- tural methods at present in vogue in America. The finest flax in the world is produced in France and Belgium, and it is generally conceded that the success of the French and Belgian growers is largely due to their ' p. 996. 42 FLAX CULTURE methods of cultivation. The United States Government in its Agricultural Reports has often described the best methods of flax culture, and the substance of this sketch is taken from the Agricultural Report for 1879. The report in this volume, cover- ing over a hundred pages, is by Charles R. Dodoe. In his letter transmittino- the report he says, " The report has been pre- pared particularly with a view of impress- ing upon our farmers at this time the importance of fibre cultivation as an ele- ment of farm practice, in the hopes that languishing industries may be revived, and new ones established. The best prac- tice in regard to cultivation and prepara- tion of the fibre has been given." Flax is peculiarly susceptible to influ- ences of climate and soil. It requires a moist climate, and for that reason the low- lands of Holland and Belgium are well adapted to flax. A moist, deep, strong loam forms the best soil. The flax plant grows from two to five feet in height, and the roots penetrate deep into the ground, AND USE nv UNITED STATES. 43 frequently extending as far into the ground as the plant extends above it. The ground must be ploughed deep, and well pulverized. The land should be ploughed in the fall, and in the spring a second ploughing should be followed by a thorough harrowing, and before sowing the ground should be ploughed and harrowed again. In Belgium, the land is, in addition, thor- oughly trenched w^th a spade. Much attention is given to the manuring of the land. In the fall, twenty-five to thirty loads of solid manure to each acre are ploughed in, and in the spring liquid ma- nure is applied to the extent of twenty- five hundred gallons per acre.' After the last harrowing the land is rolled, and then gone over with a hand bush, or w^ooden, harrow followed by a light roller, as in that condition of the ground a heavy horse would trample it down too much. "The object of the Belgian farmer," says the Congressional Commission of 1863, "is to obtain a deep and friable soil, ' Rep. Dept. Ag. 1S79, p. 5S6. 44 FLAX CULTURE equally enriched throughout, which is only accomplished by great care and attention. The land has the appearance of the most perfect garden cultivation," ' Much attention is paid to the rotation of crops, flax being rarely planted oftener than once in seven or eight years on the same land.- After the land is prepared, the sowing must be carefully done. The seed should be sown in rows eight or nine feet apart, and the sowing had best be done by hand. It should be evenly sown, and much prac- tice is necessary, as the seed is very slippery. The Belgian farmers, who cul- tivate for fibre, sow from two to four bushels of seed to the acre ; the Ameri- can, who cultivates chiefly for the seed, sows half a bushel or three pecks to the acre. Where the seed is evenly and thickly sown, the plants grow tall and slender without much branching except at the top, and the fibre is thus long and fine. Where the seed is thinly sown, the ' Rept., p. 22. • Rep. Dept, Ag. 1S79, p. 5S5. AND USE IN UNITED STATES. 45 plant grows low and bushy, with many branches growing out close to the ground.' The fibre in such plants is coarse, weak, and brittle, and worthless for the manufac- ture of any but the very coarsest fabrics, but the yield of seed is large. ^ After the sowing, the land should be again gone over with the hand-harrow and roller. While the flax is ofrowinor, it must be carefully tended to remove all weeds. In Belgium the weeding is done by hand, when the plants are a few inches high, by women and children who crawl about on their hands and knees with cloths to protect them from the ground, working always towards the wand so that the plants may be at once blown back in an upright position. 5 All writers agree that it is absolutely essential to remove all weeds. " Flax will not thrive in close proximity to obnoxious weeds ; on dirty land it will prove a failure, or will treble the expense ' Rep. Dept. Ag. 1S79, P- SS?- ^ Rep. Dept. Ag. 1S62, p. 115. 3 Rep. Dept. Ag. 1879, P- SS?- 46 FLAX CULTURE of harvesting," says one.' " It is a crop that absolutely compels clean culture," says another, for " weeds stunt the stem and impair the fibre." ^ It is easy to see what a task this imposes on the Ameri- can farmer, with the wonderful reproduc- tive power of weeds in our fertile soils. Who has not seen a field neglected for a few weeks after harvest, so covered with a dense mass of bushy and clinging weeds that locomotion is seriously impeded, and the traveller struggles through to find his clothinof covered with roueh burs and clinging seeds ? All this is utterly incom- patible with flax culture. In fact, Mr. J. R. Dodge, an expert in tlax culture, in a report printed in the Congressional docu- ments of the Thirty-eighth Congress, says that the trouble with weeds is the promi- nent reason why fiax is not cultivated in the United States. " The task is too her- culean for the industry and perseverance of our farmers, when natural disinclination ' Rep. Dept. Ag. 1S64, p. 92. - Rep. Dept. Ag. 1S63, p. 116. AND USE IN UNITED STATES. 47 is combined with the high price of labor." He enumerates the various weeds that afflict the flax grower, and quotes from an old English local poet, speaking of the kerlock weed, — " But he says, says 'e, ' It ain't no use Vor to go to a girt expense, Vor 'twill come agen, whate'er thee does, Nor a year a two from hence.' " ' The flax should be harvested when the leaves begin to fall and the stems turn yellow, albeit the seed is not at that time fully ripe. In Europe, the harvesting is done by pulling the plant up by the roots. In this country it is usually cut with a machine. Pulling is essential to the best fibre ; for, apart from the fact that cutting dries and injures the fibre and gathers the weeds, it is said that " one inch of straw at the base is worth two at the top of the plant." ^ The pulling is thus described : " When the flax is standing- erect, a hand- ' Also in Rep. Dept. Ag. 1863, p. 116. * Rep. Cong. Com. p. 24. 48 FLAX CULTURE ful should be grasped with both hands just below the seed-bolls, and pulled ob- liquely from the ground with a sudden jerk, the dirt adhering to the roots being shaken or knocked off on the boot." ' The plants should then be laid evenly on the ground, and be kept straight throughout. Compare this careful and tedious cul- ture with the methods that now obtain in the West. There flax is grown for the seed, which is used for making linseed- oil. The seed is allowed to ripen fully, thereby injuring the fibre. Mr. Hiram Sisson, although he represents himself as not very well acquainted with Ameri- can flax, told the Tariff Commission, " I will tell you what I know about flax in Illinois and Iowa. There they sow their flax for the seed wholly. All they do is to plough the ground, sow their seed, and mow the flax with a machine, dry it, and put it through a machine that is pro- pelled by horse-power, to knock off the seed, leaving the straw on the field." ^ And ' Rep. Dept. Ag. 1879, p. 588. ^ Rep. Tar. Com., p. 281. AND USE IN UNITED STATES. 49 yet Mr. Sisson tried to make the commis- sion believe that an increase in duty would bring this sort of stuff to the flax market. The linen-manufacturer can do nothing with this straw that is sold by the load, like hay in a tangled bulk of fibre, pitched on the load loose as it comes. In some sections it can't be sold at any price, and in such case is burned to get rid of it.' Mr. H. H. Stevens, of Lexington, Ky., who appeared before the Tariff Commis- sion in behalf of free flax machinery, said, " It is the handling of the stalk that makes or mars the fibre. An Englishman some thirty years ago said of Anierican flax, ' They handle it like hay.' It is the same to-day." ^ The Congressional Commission of 1863, in summing up the situation in this coun- try, say, " The raising of marketable flax for long line, imposes too many burdens on the grower, and is produced at too great a sacrifice of seed, to warrant at present its extensive cultivation in this country. . . . ' Rep. Dept. Ag. 1S79, P- 572- ^ Rep. Tar. Com., p. 1948. 50 FLAX CULTURE It seems to be better adapted to countries of humid climate, and of comparatively small areas of cultivation, subdivided among- a dense population, accustomed to cheap hand labor." ' It is submitted that this is equally true to-day. The flax is, however, by no means ready for market when it is pulled from the ofround. The flax of the arts is the fibre between the outer bark and the inner woody pith of the plant ; and several tedious processes, requiring skill and ex- perience, are necessary to separate the fibre from the wood and bark. Most of this work must be done by the farmer, before his product is marketable, partly because much of the work can only be done by hand, and partly because, in our vast country, the flax-mills are too far away to warrant the shipment of the bulky flax straw. A brief review of these pro- cesses is necessary to a clear understand- ing. The plants must not be allowed to lie on ' Rep. Cong. Com., p. 51. AXD USE IX UXITED STATES. 5 1 the ground, but must be at once gathered into sheaves, and stacked, as the fibre may be injured by the heat of the sun, or the seed by dampness. When the seed is dry, the next process is " rippHng," or remov- ing the seed. This can be done by hand or by machine, care being taken to keep the stalks straight. This, of course, pre- vents the use of the threshing-machine, and consequently the small farmer must do it by hand. The next process, which is termed " ret- ting " or rotting, is the one by which the fibre is so loosened from the wood, as to be easily removable.' The process requires great skill and experience, and, if unskil- fully done, will injure or entirely ruin the fibre. The retting is a fermentation of the gummy substance that binds the fibre to the wood, and is accomplished by ex- posure of the flax to the dew in the fields, or by immersing it in water. The former process is the most common in this coun- ' See Rep. Dept. Ag. 1879, PP- 5^9~59°> for a more detailed account of this process. 52 FLAX CULTURE try, as requiring less labor and trouble ; but the latter process is used abroad, and is the only process by which really good flax can be made. The flax must be kept entirely under water, and yet must not rest on the bottom. Soft water is the best, in ponds or slowly running streams. Retting pools are constructed, twelve or more feet lono-, six feet wide, and four feet deep. The flax is laid carefully in rows, with the roots all pointing one way. In a short time fermentation sets in, and bubbles of foul-smelling gases rise to the surface. This process occupies from five to ten days, according to the weather, coarse fibre taking longer than fine. The retting should be carefully watched, and when thought to be completed, the flax should be tested every few hours, as the change for the worse is very rapid. If the retting continues too long, the fibre is rendered weak and cottony ; if not long enough, it is dry and coarse, and much of it is knocked away in the later pro- cesses. The flax is then removed from AND USE IN UNITED STATES. 53 the pools, and in this operation too much care cannot be used. Hooks or pitch- forks injure the fibre, and the bundles must be handed out by a man standing in the now disgusting- pool. In fact, the water in the pool forms an excellent liquid manure, and is sometimes strong enough to kill fish, when allowed to escape into the stream. The bundles are drained on the bank, and then carefully spread out to dry, evenly and thinly over the grass, the flax being occasionally turned with long wooden poles. When the plant is thor- oughly dry, it is again gathered into bundles and housed. It is evident that this retting process requires great care and skill. Repeated attempts have been made to expedite the process with hot water or steam, but none have been successful, or able to supply the place of water retting. Much of the value of the flax depends on the retting, and the quality of the water used has much to do with the success of the operation. Thus flax retted in the river Lys in Belgium 54 FLAX CULTURE brings twenty-five per cent more in price than flax grown on equafly fertile soil and retted in France. There is no other place in Europe where the same quality is ob- tained, and it is not improbable that there is no water in America that has the pecul- iar chemical qualities of the Lys.' The next process in the preparation of the flax for market is the "scutching," or removal of the woody pith. This is accom- plished by breaking and beating the flax, when the wood drops out, and the fibre is left. This ma\- l)e done by hand or by machine. The operation, when performed by hand, is very dirty and disagreeable, but is a necessity unless there is a flax-mill close by, as the scutching machine is an expensive piece of machinery. The last process is the " hackling," a combing process, by which the chaff and short tow are removed, and the long, clean flax fibre left ready for spinning. This process also is performed either by hand or machine, but mostly by hand, even in large mills. ' Rep. Tar. Com., p. 1526. AND USE IN UNITED STATES. 55 The reasons why the American farmer does not grow fine flax are now apparent. The farmer who has sufficient intelhgence to cultivate flax, does not care to send his wife and children to weed the flax field on hands and knees. He himself is accus- tomed to do his farming- with improved machinery. He ploughs, sows, reaps, binds, threshes, etc., all by machine. Labor is expensive, and he cannot afford, nor is he accustomed, to employ sufficient skilled labor to go into a culture that requires so much hand-work. Nor does he have the time or patience to acquire the special knowledge and manipulative skill of the manufacturer. These difficulties have been repeatedly stated in the Agricultural Re- ports. For instance, here is a quotation from the Report of the Department of Agriculture in 1864 : " But flax growing in this country has its drawbacks at the pres- ent time. First, the farmer lives thirty miles or upwards from where he could bring his flax to market : what is he to do in the event of growing such a crop ? Where is 56 FLAX CULTURE he to get it broke or scutched ? Should he contract with a man cominof alono- with his machine, who works for him, he must submit to his exorbitant charge which would take away half the profit of his crop. This is not all. Although his flax has got into small bulk by scutching, even if he has to send a great distance to market, he is still at the mercy of the buyer, who prob- ably would tell him that it got too much rotting, find some other faults, and finally say it would not suit him. The farmer gets bewildered, thinks of the long jour- ney home, calculates his expenses, offers his flax at a reduced price sooner than bring it back, and lastly w'ill sicken of flax growing." ' The same thinof is said more in detail in the Report for 1877: "Among the obsta- cles in the way of profitably growing the fibre are the following: First, the want of a regular and accessible market. Second, the labor involved in pulling flax on a large scale is greater than can be secured ' Rep. Dept. Ag. 1864, p. 183. AND USE IN UNITED STATES. 57 at the proper season at wages which will leave any margin of profit. Third, the process of ' rotting ' or eliminating the fibre from the stalk in the old-fashioned way is tedious, and thought to be un- healthy. Fourth, most farmers do not suf- ficiently understand the rotting part of this process, and are therefore very liable to injure the fibre by some failure either in method or degree. Fifth, the processes of breaking, scutching, or hackling by hand are very disagreeable, necessarily involving the operator in an atmosphere thick with dust and dirt, and yet requiring skilled workmen, such as it is often quite impracticable to secure."' "In the Ohio Valley there is objection to flax on the score of injury to the soil. ' It is hard on the land,' is a common remark of corre- spondents."^ Besides all this, American flax is seldom prepared twice alike. No two growers seem to seek the same standard. In ' Rep. Dept. Ag. 1877, p. 183. ^ Rep. Dept. Ag. 1885, p. 417. 5 8 FLAX CULTURE Russia, on the other hand, all flax ex- ported is subjected to government in- spection, which establishes regular and uniform trades of flax. The manufac- turer, therefore, prefers the imported flax, though it costs a third more.' The Report for 1879 emphasizes the point that flax culture " is, in one sense, a trade to be thoroughly learned, and followed after it is acquired." The question naturally arises, that if this is all true, why is it that the Flax and Hemp Spinners and Growers' Association persist in asking for the retention of the duty? This question can receive no satis- factory answer. A hint may perhaps be gotten from some of the testimony before the Tariff Commission. We have already had some instructive quotations from the testimony of Mr. Hiram Sisson, who represented the flax- growing industry. As a grower, his evidence is of value. ' Rep. Dept. Ag. 1879, p. 573. AND USE IN UNITED STATES. 59 Q. How much duty are you asking to be put on imported flax? A. The duty is $20 a ton now. We only ask to increase it to ^30 a ton. On what is called hackled flax, it is now $40 a ton, and we want that increased to $50 a ton. This is a kind of conpromise between the niani/facturers and the growe7-s of flax. We have already agreed to this arrangeirtent, so that it will give tliem a little p7-otection and its a little. Q. This increase of duty, $10 a ton, which you ask, you assume would bring this flax that is now burned to the manufacturer? A. It would be a help in that direction, although it would not be very much help. All the flax that comes in here frotn fot'eign countries would, under such an increase of duty, cost the manufacturers a half a cent a pound more than it does 7ww. Q. That is to say, $10 a ton additional duty would enable the manufacturers to buy American flax to advantage ? A. It would help. We would like to have the duty more, but I don't know that we can get that done.' It is unnecessary to point out what non- sense this all is ; but the instructive thing about it is that the Flax and Hemp Spin- ' Rep. Tar. Com., pp. 283, 2S4. 6o FLAX CULTURE ners' Association favor protection for that somewhat mythical personage, the grower of flax fibre, on account of a compromise arrangement by which their own protec- tion is secured. The American Flax and Hemp Spinners' and Growers' Association would have in- creased the surplus in the treasury by $58,825 in 1887 if this increase had been adopted, and they are unable to show any benefit to accrue from this tax to any domestic interest. Even Mr. Sisson ad- mits that " it would not be much help." If, then, an increase of fifty per cent in the duty on raw llax " would not be much help," why retain the present duty, which, so far as can be ascertained, is no help at all? There are linen-manufacturers, however, not connected with the Spinners' and Growers' Association, and not, therefore, under the spell of such sophistry ; and a most fitting summing-up of this whole discussion is to be found in the recom- mendations and suggestions to the Tariff AND USE IN UNITED STATES. 6 1 Commission, of Messrs, Finlayson, Bous- field, & Co., flax spinners at Grafton, Mass. They say in substance : ' — 1. Flax is not grown in America to any extent for textile manufacturing purposes. The bulk of it is produced only for seed, the fibre being destroyed. None is pro- duced of a quality high enough for fine linen thread or yarns. 2. The manufacture of linen does not receive any encouragement by having raw material of sufficient quality grown on the spot. It would not develop, but cease to exist, unless supplied with material from abroad. 3. The development of the manufac- ture is the only means of encouraging the production of superior flax. The market must be created for the farmer, or he will not attempt the growth of a crop requiring care and skill. 4. The manufacture of linen can best be encouraged by the introduction of ' Rep. Tar. Com., p. 1526. 62 FLAX CULTURE the raw material, whether dressed or un- dressed, free of duty ; and with this devel- opment the farmer will in time find a profitable market open to him. 5. The quality of the fibre is so depend- ent on favorable conditions of soil, climate, and water, that it is questionable if any one country can produce the entire range of qualities of flax necessary for the manu- facture of linen thread and fine linen. 6. Even under the most favorable cir- cumstances, many years must elapse before the American farmer can acquire the requi- site skill to produce fine fiax. 7. The manufacturers must have qziality at any cost. This admirable summary, made by intel- ligent manufacturers, states the whole sit- uation, and suggests the true remedy for the existing difficulties. The Western farmer does not raise flax for fibre, because he has no market for it, the few flax-mills being all in a narrow compass on the Eastern seaboard ; and the fate of the AA'D USE IN UNITED STATES. 63 American Linen Company, the Williman- tic Linen Company, and other concerns of large capital, which failed in an attempt to manufacture linens, largely on account of their inability to get cheap raw material, is a sufficient warning to any but the bold- est, not to establish any more linen-mills here. The farmer does not raise flax, be- cause there is no home-market for it, and there are few mills to create a market. If the duty on raw flax of every descrip- tion were wholly removed, a stimulus would be given to the linen-manufacture in America ; competition would then be encouraged, and the consequent demand for flax would be an incentive to the farmer that no duty can supply. With flax-mills springing up in all sections of the country, a ready market would be pro- vided for the farmer. His attention is more likely to be directed to the niceties of flax culture, should he receive the direct encouragement of domestic manufacturers to grow fine flax. At any rate, it is diffi- cult to see what interest will be injured 64 FLAX CULTURE by the removal of the duty on raw flax, dressed and undressed. In spite of the present duty, the Hnen industry of America, having an invested capital of ten milhons, imports annually nearly two million dollars worth of the raw material, and from that source the surplus in the treasury was increased by over a hundred and fifty thousand dollars in 1887 ; and yet the production of Ameri- can fibre is steadily falling off. Instead of manufacturing our own linen goods, we are importing over fifteen million dollars worth per annum. How much of this could be manufactured in this country if the manufacturers could import their raw material of every kind, free of duty, may be left for future determination. With the present duty on raw flax, however, it is idle to expect the manufacturer to risk his capital in an enterprise where so many wealthy corporations have failed. Enougfh has been said to show the bur- den of this tax on the domestic manufac- turer, and its uselessness, nay, direct AND USE IN UNITED STATES. 65 injury, to the grower ; but a few words more are necessary in defining what is raw flax. A curious distinction was in- vented in 1870, between the " scutched " flax, from which the woody fibre has been revoved by hand or machine, and the "hackled" flax, which has undergone a further process of combing to remove the chaff and tow. For some unexplained reason, the duty on "hackled" flax is double that on the " scutched " product. It can hardly be because one is regarded as a manufactured product ; as both have been subjected to mechanical operations, differing only in degree. It is not easy to frame a definition of "raw material" to cover all cases; but it may be roughly defined as material that requires some further mechanical process to fit it for use by the consumer, it being of no use to the consumer in its existing condition. Under this definition, flax is still raw material until it is manufactured into thread, or yarn at least. This defini- tion applies equally well to cotton and 66 FLAX CULTURE silk, and no one ever thought of calHng ginned cotton a manufactured product, to be taxed at a rate different from unofinned. In fact, to draw a rough parallel between flax and cotton, if it were the custom to gather the cotton-plant, the removal of the fibre from the boll would correspond to the " scutching ;" and the ginning, which removes the seed, to the subsequent " hacklinor." Yet ginned cotton is univer- sally admitted to be a raw material. So, too, with silk ; the eggs of the silkworm, the cocoons, the silk reeled from the co- coon, are all admitted free of duty. In the tariff of 1846, a duty of fifteen per cent was imposed on reeled silk, while the cocoons were admitted free, but that need- less distinction has long ago been repealed. The maintenance of this distinction be- tween " scutched " and " hackled " flax can only be a burden on the manufac- turer. It were just as reasonable to compel the Northern cotton-mill to gin its cotton, as to force every American flax- mill to hackle European flax. AND USE IN UNITED STATES. 6/ The foreeoinCT considerations should be sufficient to convince the candid reader that the proposal to place tlax on the "free list" is a reasonable one. The re- moval of duties on raw flax will be an in- centive to the linen industry in America, that free-traders and protectionists can alike welcome. To retain the duty on flax of any kind, is not protection. FLAX CULTURE AS INFLUENCED BY LEGISLATION. It has been said that the present pros- perous condition of the flax and hnen industries in Great Britain is due to the careful legislative protection granted to those industries a hundred years ago when they were in their infancy ; and that the maintenance of the duty on flax will have a similar tendency to build up the linen industry in America. The foregoing pages of this volume are a sufficient answer to this assertion ; but it will be of value to sketch more in detail the legislative pro- tection and encouragement that has been given flax growing in Great Britain, and contrast with it the very similar measures that have from time to time been adopted in the various Colonies in America. Vari- ous statutes are cited at length in order to show the extent of leQrislative care, and AS /NFL CHEATED BY LEGISLATION. 69 they are well worch reading. The facts as to the history in America are taken mainly from Bishop's " History of American Man- ufactures," a standard work published in 1 86 1. The source of the information as to Great Britain is the work of a Scotch linen merchant, Alex. J. Warden, entitled " The Linen Trade, Ancient and Modern " (London, 1864). Great Britain. By the statute of 24 Henry VIIL; chap. 4, in 1532, it was enacted that, — " Every person having in his occupation threescore acres of land apt for tillage, shall sow one rood with flax or hemp- seed, upon pain to forfeit three shillings fourpence for every forty acres." And elsewhere fines paid for non-com- pliance with this law are recorded. In 1562 this statute was re-enacted, with the amount of land to be sown in flax increased to an acre, and the penalty to five pounds ; and it was not until 1593, after sixty years of protection, that these statutes were re- pealed, because they failed to accomplish 70 FLAX CULTURE the desired result. In i66S, almost a hun- dred years after, " England was almost wholly supplied with linens from France." ' In 1 73 I Parliament passed an Act that may be commended to modern legislators, preamble and all. It is entitled, — " An Act for further encouraging the manufacture of British sailcloth. " Whereas the wealth and prosperity o( this king- dom does very much depend upon the preservation and improvement of its manufactures, and whereas the manufacture of sailcloth does give a comfortal)le support ... to many of his Majesty's subjects em- ployed in the same, and there is reason to believe that it would 1)6 greatly improved in this kingdom, and the exportation of it to foreign ports considerably increased, if the duties payable upon the importation of rough and undressed tlax . . . were taken off; therefore ... be it enacted . . . That from and after the 24th day of June, 1731, it shall and may be lawful for any person or i)ersons whatsoever to import into this kingdom any tiuantity of rough or undressed flax, without paying any subsidy, custom, imposition, or other duty whatsoever for the same." Thus it appears, that, at the time when England was maintaining a protective tariff, ' The Linen Trade, p. 363. A S INFL L 'ENCED B V LEG/SLA TIOX. 7 [ it was deemed important to admit raw flax free of duty. Section four of the same Act increased the bounty on sailcloth ex- ported. The cultivation of flax was, how- ever, not neglected by Parliament ; for in 1766 the sum of /^ 15, 000 annually ($75,- 000) was set apart from the import duties on linen "as a fund for the encourage- ment of raising and dressing hemp and flax in this kingdom." Three years later this amount of ^15,000 was apportioned, ^8,000 to England, and /7,ooo to Scot- land. The amount for England was in- creased in 1 78 1, by stat. 21, Geo. III., chap. 58, § 3' — " That for the encouragement of the growth of hemp and flax in . . . England there shall be applied . . • in bounties yearly a sum not exceeding ^15,000, . . . at the rate of fourpence per stone for every stone of flax weighing fourteen pounds to be raised in . . . England in the year 17S2, and in every subsequent year, for the space of five years, and which shall be broken and properly prepared for market." This munificent appropriation should have increased the production of flax ; but 72 FLAX Ci'LTL'RE Mr. Warden states that for fifteen years no one claimed a premium in England, and but few in Scotland ; and he cites as his authority the thirteenth Report of the Commissioners for Examining- the Public Accounts, dated March i8, 1785/ Compulsion and boimties have alike been unavailing to turn the attention of the English farmer to l]ax-gro\ving ; and Mr, Warden, writing in 1864, says' that "at the present time, the quantity ot llax grown in Iingland is insignificantly small. Many counties produce none at all. Dorset . . . and a few others grow small quanti- ties, and in certain portions of Yorkshire a little more attention is paid to the culti- vation ; and although the quality of what is raised is good, the quantity is very much less than it ouQfht to be." He oroes on to quote from the annual report of Mr. Baker, a factory inspector, who says, " We can neither produce from abroad (?) nor induce our farmers to grow the raw material in sufficient quantity. The same ' P- 11-- ' PP- 37>S 379- AS INFL UENCED B V LEG/SLA TION. "J I complaint is made in the Federal States of America, where the production has fallen off enormously." This reads much like the quotations from our own agricultural reports. Of Scotland Mr. Warden says,' " At one period a very large quantity of flax was raised in Scotland ; but the culti- vation has gradually decreased, until it is now all but extinct in many counties. In 1812 about 5,000 acres were grown, worth, at ^^20 an acre, /^ 100,000. In 1834 great complaints were made about the growth of flax at home having ceased." He adds the following statement of the decrease in acreage of flax in Scotland : — Acres Acres Year. IN Flax. Year. IN Fla.V. 1854 . . 6,670 1856 . . 2,723 1S55 • • 3.461 1857 • • 1,534 Like American writers, Mr. Warden de- plores this decrease in flax-growing, proves the profitableness of the crop, and urges the farmer to an increased production of flax. This brief review of the history of flax- ' p. 439- 74 FLAX CULTURE ofrowlno- in Eno-land and Scotland strength- ens the position taken in the body of the book, that flax-growing- for fibre is a trade to be learned, and cannot be successfully followed without much care-taking and patience. The British and American farmers dislike the trade ; and compulsion, bounties, and duties are none of them sufficient to induce a ireneral cultivation. Whether or not the various bounties and duties on linens stimulated the pro- duction of cloth, and contributed to the present status of the linen industry in Great Britain, is a question outside the present inquiry. We are now concerned merely with the inquir)- as to the effect of bounties and duties on fiax-growing, and it is certain that at the present day the British linen-mills are largely supplied with the raw material imported from for- eign countries. In Ireland the course of development was somewhat different. The climate there is well adapted to the growing of flax and the bleachino- of linen ; but the linen Indus- A S I NFL UENCED B Y LEG I SLA TION. 7 5 try there has been stimulated by the course of the EngHsh Government, in vigorously discouraeine all other branches of manu- facture except linen. At the end of the seventeenth century Parliament restricted the exportation of all woollen goods from Ireland except to England, where pro- hibitory duties were laid on their importa- tion. This action ruined the woollen trade in Ireland. Several thousand manufac- turers left the kingdom, and some ot the southern and western districts were almost depopulated.' The course of England was doubtless influenced by the fact that the Protestants in the North of Ireland were engaged in the linen industry, while the Catholic part of the population was mostly enofaofed in other industries. About this time an Act of Parliament allowed flax and linen produced in Ireland to be imported into England free of duty (stat. 7, 8, Wil- liam III., chap. 39). This stimulated the growth of flax ; and for several }-ears ^20,000 was appropriated annually to ' The Linen Trade, p. 391. 1^ FLAX CULTURE cncoura_L;c tlu; industry. Mucli \vas done by \va\- of bcnintic^s, hut mostly for the ])rodiiction of liiu'ii cloths ; \(^t ior some reason no mill lor the s|)innino; and weavinLi" of linen 1))' machincn'y was erected in Ireland until some forty )ears alter similar mills had been put in operation in l{n_L;land.' This o-eiUM'ous assistance from the? R'o^'- crnment, conlinuetl lor more than a hun- dred years, does not set'm to ha\e been cntireh' successful. Mr. W'ardtMi oives tables showini;- the acreage! of llax in Irc- Luul, and also the imports of raw llax, ^vhich are worth summarizinp- : — YlAKS. AcKi:s Sown. Vi:.\KS. Ac s '-J ■»^ § s (ft- ro CO O en a\ >^ a o r^ ri O 3 Q (1, ri d> >; CO CO >> « Ln — -• t-^ ri ro "-n on^ 3 tL. ':^ >- M CO H- O fO — M Q ^H — CO — — ro ri — M o o o" CO ' — 1 CO' coco t^ O TO o •^ ri ^ 0\ CO 3 c r^ c/: a ii 6 -t- o (1^ ^ d> c J^' LO ^ s rt O "-— CO ■Tfr^roCNO CO 1— 1 fc, f^ n C\ ci r-^co O O o s." S- C~. ri ON " CO O "^NO ex o "o o Cn ro M 1 f^ ' p- lo o -t ci Z/1 *^ > 1:^ o H, M. 1-, vo CO \0 a >-^ c r^ -^ LO s 3 n o r^ o Q Oh in tij OJ < d 3 in Alabama Arkansas California Connectic Dakota . Delaware Georgia . Illinois . Indiana . Iowa . . APPENDIX. 93 o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o GOO o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o q^ q_ o o o o o o q^ o o o o o o o o o o o o o \0~ rrco^co' rf M -1- O O ^^ :o -O ^ 1- O -1- ri ^ f4 00 o oc NO — o "^cc -J- •rt r^ COO — — — CnO "o CO >- o o CONO M o — rf M f 1 t^ u-i ^ >_ CO r^ M Cn n MD t^ (-1 NO o M CO CO M 00 M rOiO C0\0 CO M 00 O D f 1 M "-o - rt- n O M NO o CO - « •* r^ ^ LO t^ CO M CO ~ uo O - - C\ O t^ ri o ■— u-1 — r^ O'O •-' o Lo ■<+ CO •+ ■-o 0^ CN O — 0\ "-^ o O O <-i o OnOn O •J-1 r^NO On M —^ -+ —^CO ^ '^ Cn t^ CnO CO - CO NO — lo D CO - i--"cy"'" i-T 1 1 On ' O CO On coco CK On ONO -f CI 1 •^ C/D - NO -^ O CO "^ o o O « O cO'i-J^-CO M ^ -^o o •J-l ON O NO CO -rt\0 ro>0 ro - r^ O - uo t^\0 — lo ri r-v O CO N On uo t^ ON O M -^l^ C\ „ un»H ^. " O CO Li-iO •* On On CO l^ M CO »- r^ >j-i o d" M o •i- O On O O lo O M O M r^ CO ro l^ M — CO t^ loCO ^ - CO « COOO On N C-1 — CI O cO__ CO r-^ CO 'l- tj-i Tt- r-. - "j^oo CO O r^ t^" r^o CO 1^1 CO 'l-io t^co •* ro m Cnoo o n CO >o CO -i-ior^ONMONO On H« O CO rt- >- N a^'i- p-< •-On CO cOnO "o --t- rj- — CO M HH r-. O NO 1 ►- 00 N "^ ^ - CN 1 "00 O NO m" n -^ tv. :^ ' N- M H- o rj- -f - CO u-NO CO M t^ On M OO CO -■ 'i- O -VO M D % ■ "o ■ ' '5 ' • • C • >. .-o 3 rt ■- |^ . O 'S. ^ t/3 s'E":: o U3 CJ C c/: t/5 ^ ^ & & s t: .9 ?fgg 03 £ '& t^. o in rturtrtra.--._.-~(U(Uo ^ ' M rn ■^- — M O ri Q 73 Cii H U t/; lu < rt - u. _ -a D ^s /, < o 55 -•"CO 5 w-^ S < c C Z — ~ ^ > '-' t^ o ^ rt > ct O i- o t« rt -O ~ O rt =5 o ;2^ X 5 1 c -n :^-'a o ! a. rt. H .= ■• X c > tA t^ r^ O -1- Ln 5= O^ o l-O CO NM >-n rC CO » » ro *ft »*= ■^ M n- •^ »; o *w "2 '^ III 1 1 1 1 c 3 >t C 1 >^ ^ 3 c Q 1 [ 1 o 1-1 u a- n o O O "-o o il_ CO CO ro M -1- • ' -a ii • - ^ tn "u en (U s.s eedle or other process, no lly enun erated or provide :es and insertings, flax or nes and seine and gilling other manufactures not sj numerated and provided ax, or of which flax shall omponent material of chie 'Si OJ 3 <_) 3 C E o manufactured and unm ed hemp, jute, etc., manuf n* j-i *v 5 3 X c "5 ^ S 3 o :s c<^^ -J =:<"'==" ♦^ rt 03 bO ^\A Jcn< H S 96 APPENDIX. S >^ "^ ^ 1^ 2^^ ■^ ^ € "^ « 5J '^ -"^^ §•- ■^'00 * 5J ^ it ,^, ^ ^ 5; « o ro 00 M vO -r O M vr o o •/-% ro o 3 O o « O ro I^ «* oo" oo~ tf« « CO r^ 00 <:^ (S ■/~l O r^ r^ D r^ O (5 CN c^ « 4 q. O » M CO n >- Tt- CO n o CO Cn c/:_^ o 3 G " o CO ro CO OT !?* I^ oo" OO O ir^ CO M w -1- O O " vo "t °- r^ o CO o" vo" •? _3 VO CO o ro ' -t- o r^ r> «± N c 1 •- • >^ y- •- • >, linens, ry use, :es and !ie pro idustry partiall use a ■a 3 OJ .- • is r; • c :-• XI ■a er into uniestic nd tow lolly red fo s u § -1 • c (13 >•■ rt en 5 c ^ a. ■ > o (« c .^ CJ .S c "rt E 'rt S S'S ° a O ■J ;^ 5 .y i ■2 c -^ .u:5s| H O *^ *-* r: C j: u £ i^ S i^ u l- .^ o ^ <; < < APPENDIX. 97 lo •^j>- lA <3 (U Ooo u'^ c ■^ O -n o a 2_c i tu CD fO ro > < 1 = Ph ro 00 Cs r^ r^ t^ oo " c/^ On " "^ "^^ vC .^ -f C^ ro (> o 3 CO o ^ "^ in fi M ri 'n f^ pj » o- r^ «t oo « VO C\ O CO VO^ °. "^ 1 ^ _3 cT 00* w -? i-C rO Cn -^ VO C) > :^ lO Cs r- 'I; - OO 1-. ¥5: lA r^ n " O CO N 00 cs CO CO^ ^ f^' ■S CO co" o" m' in 3 O u^ in CO -t- Q _ ■■ "„ -^ co ««! t^ ^^ m ^ J- in m CO vO in -t- CN O 0^ 3 r^ m tC ^ O 'i- in rt- K t '^ ^„ T o_ 0) C o 6 try; ally as ure; lady ens, use, and C 'S 3 ■f^O Si.S c o .5 o o^^Sg Sn "S-^ c 0) •2 g •^ S O >*- C . r O . 3 c sesof don IT flax and cles whol nufacture terials in ns cles manii consum cles of ;uries, et broideries rt .„ OJ 'rt S ^ ^73 .— H s e'^ a s t^a^'^^ S s < < < < 98 APPENDIX. ■Sh As ^ « .-^ >'^l I— 1 ?i S? "^ « PQ Vs < --.^ t^ ii:: '-^ -- « ?-^^ ■^0 t; d o S D. t^ LOOO CN VD ro LriCO O t\ M '-' 3 O r^ "^ CO J^ O roco CO OnO On S' fO O M LO ro ro r^ O O CO O CI r^ vo ON t^ n '+ n ri C-) vD L1-, ON c^ U t-O L(-i LO "-r^ M M M N l_l »^ KH 1— 1 tfl 1ft: «^ 1ft= > < ^^ O CO o\ CO O M LTi O M CO « Lo O CO o -0 1- ■^CO "-ri On J> CnCn -Th t-N vO >-o r^o ►- CO VD CO .'a cC' CO mo CO CO ro >- O CWO M 3 "-> LOCO "^ LO CO ro CA l-^ 0\C^ - Q CO o ■+ cr\ t^ l~v. .- M t^VO \0 M m -^ Tf -^ 'I- r^ Li-i cn t— ■ l~l 1.4 NH ^^ 1ft: 1ft: o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o Jl M rovo r^ O u-i M r^ CO On •+ O 3 n u-i t^ m O r^ Cn O CO CO •+ CA ri -t r--. r^ O Cn Lo CI t\ ri Ttco > ro On ■- C?\ O' c? coO" ^ O" CO rT 1- Cjn -1- -^ CO VO CO M GO r^ M CO u-i u-ivO O •J-vCO LT) O CI M CO C) 1ft: 1ft: „- *ft c ^lo.Jo lo Jo lo CCto [O lo ■^'S^'o-ISHS . o >> 3 .... i^ Q 3 Q >> = X o J^ ■ ■ ■ ■ E c re" 2 . . . . -o o . . . • -T3 !5 ir; ri" Lnvo t^ S -t- >oo r^ ti S -1- LovO i^ u O,'00 'CO CO CO OJ O-X' CO CO' CO o P-CO CO CO 00 j^ CO OO CO OT 'U CO CO CO' CO o CO CO CO CO c - t) H APPENDIX. 99 TABLE V. Much is said about the inabihty of the American flax-grower to compete with the " pauper labor " of Europe. The follow- ing tables show the comparative cost of the production of flax in America and in Ireland. It will be seen that while the cost of labor is undoubtedly higher in America than in Ireland, yet this is to a great degree compensated for by the greater value of land in Ireland. In Holland, flax land readily brings a yearly rent of 300 to 350 francs per hectare, equal to $25 to $30 per acre, a price for which good flax land can be bouorht outrig-ht in the West. In all manufacturing processes, America has an advantage in cheap fuel and water-power. (The first table is taken from the Report of the Tariff Commission, p. 995.) lOO APPENDIX. d III in o o o "^o o NO "J"! O t^ u-1 1-1 H CO f -1" H- - -1- H < c o to u o o U iVi?;// ^;/ c o U O O "~> o o o o O "^ in CO ri CO o "J^c/j 'o ri ^ « " CO - ■eft o -t- CO >> s o U O'ou^OLoQOOO in "- "CI c O c 3 O U O "o O O "^o O O O lo If) CO f I fl >^VO O Lr, fO CO 4) C o o ffl c 3 O O If) O LriiOiO-^ •j-v "CO 1^ ro -)- O ro S ••&£■;■"■• c o < D. 7) '--^ Oh I02 APPENDIX. TABLE VI. Tills table shows the acreai^e of flax in the flax-growing countries of the world, with tlie yield in fibre., the value of the same, and the average value per acre. Report of Tariff Commission^ p. ig6y. Quantity Country, i8So. Acres of Flax. ol Kibre produced, in tons. Value of same. Yield per Acre. About Russia . . . 2,000,000 250,000 $50,000,000 $25 00 Germany . . 329,362 57,432 1 1,500,000 35 00 Austria . . . 245,090 50,463 10,900,000 44 00 Italy .... 200,356 22,953 4,600,000 23 00 France . . . 162,099 36,969 11,000,000 68 00 Ireland . . . 157,534 24,508 7,500,000 48 00 ISel^ium . . . 140,901 29,580 9,000.000 64 00 Holland . . . 44,114 7,Z86 2,200,000 50 00 Sweden . . . 33,639 4,205 850,000 25 00 E-ypt . . . 15,000 1,875 375,000 25 00 Great Britain . 8,985 1,398 300,000 33 00 Denmark . . 6,292 787 158,000 25 00 Greece . . . Total Europe, 957 3,344,329 119 25,000 26 00 487,675 $108,408,000 United States, i88i. Iowa .... 287,400 ■] Indiana . 193,400 No merchantable fibre pro- Kansas . 160,900 duced ; flax burned or Illinois . 160,300 otherwise destroyed. Minnesota 95.200 - Total quantity of flax Ohio . . 80,600 j-^^v/ raised on this area, Missouri 55,000 about 8,000,000 bushels, Nebraska 50,000 valued at $8,000,000.' Wisconsin 44.500 - Total Western Sta tes, 1,127,300 ' The crop of flax seed for 1SS5 is stated to have been 12,000,000 bushels, valued at $13,500,000. LIBRARY OF CONGRESS DD0m3aiit>4Q