Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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VOL. XLII.*NO. 125 NEWBERRY. S. C.. TUESDAY OCTOBER 31, 1905. TWICE A WEEK. $150 YEAR ORGANIZATION OF COTTON GROWERS THE PLAN URGED BY MR. W. K. SLIGH. After Talking to Many Cotton Plant ters in this and Other Counties. At The request of many cotton farm ers with whom he has talked during the past several days, Mr. W . K. Sligh has consented to give to the public a plan which he' has had in mind for the more perfect organiza tion of the cotton growers, and a con sequent increase in the price of cot ton which will make its grow'ch prof itable to the south. The cotton plant ers with. whom 'Mr. Sligh has talked think the plan if properly carried out, would work great advantage to the south. When seen yesterday by a rep resentative of The Herald and News, Prof. Sligh, in talking of his plan said: "That the Southern Cotton Growers association has rendered valuable ser vices in behalf of the cotton farmers is conceded by all who are familiar with the facts and unbiased in their judgment. That it -has failed as yet to raise the price to eleven cen-ts per pound, the price demanded by the Asheville convention, is no reason why its efforts sdiould not be seconded further by every well-wisher of the south, but on the contrary, this is the very reason why -every one should ral ly to its support at 'this time. What is the situation today? Representa lives of the cotton growers after ma ture de beration and in view of the responsibiity resting upon 'hem have solemnly declared that eleven cents is a reasonable minimm price for cot ton this year and they have asked the cotton growers to hold their cotton for this price. Havee farmers done it? Yes, a few here and 'Ehere have complied ' ithf the request, many have sold to satisfy pressing obligations and the great majority have sold all or some part of'their crop simply be cause -tbey have though it under the ircumstances, good business to do so. "And wha't are the circumstances under which the farmer finds himself * and under which he considers it pru dent to sell :his cotton at current * prices? First, the current prices are good when compared with prices that he h-as received some other years. At current prices he can make some mon ey and that is more than he is accus tomed to do. So he takes his small * ~ profit wihile he may, and 'that from his viewpoint is not a bad thing to do. "Second, he knows that -The South ern association demanded eleven cents and he knows that his own state and county convention passed resolutions to hold for eleven cents. He is con vinced that eleven cents can be had if enough cotton is held for thait price and he himself would be willing to hold if he could have positive assur ance that enough others would also hold. But righ'r here is the trouble. He does not know what others will do, neither can he know. It is not so much a lack of confidence in his fe! lows that is the trouble as it is a lack of information upon which, to base confidence. Under present conditions * the farmers in our county cannot know what the farmers even in the adjacent counties are doing with their cotton. South Carolina would like to know what Texas is doing and Texas * is equally anxious to learn the true conditions in South Carolina and Georgia and Alabama .and the rest of the states. Cotton growers in South Carolina, for instance, can't 'be expect ed to withhold their cotton from the market at ten cents unless they have positive, tangible proof that a definite numiber of growefs in other states are doing likewise. To expect them to hold on the mere strength of resolu tions, passed under the influence of a strong appeal, is unreasonable and un businesslike. There is no fault to be found with the resolutions and the ap peals. They are good in their place and serve a purpose. But they do not tell how many bales will be theld for eleven cents, and that is just what must be known to make this move ment succeed. Can this be known? Can enough bales be secured and pledged to insure -the price demand ed? Yes, if a clear-cut, practical, eco nomical plan can be devised that will appeal to a large number- of growers because of its simplicity, security and strength. Is such a plan possible? Yes, three great facts which should never be lost sight of make such a plan not only possible but feasible. Now for the three great facts. First, for all practical purposes the south enjoys and will conEinue to enjoy a monopoly in the production of cot ton. Second, cotton at twelve cents per pound cannot be displaced by flax, wool or silk, its only sibstituies and rivals. Third, cotton is not. quick ly perishable, but can be kept for years in good condition and that with out expensive housing. These facts translated mean that the cocton grow ers of the south furnish the world's supply of cotton, that the world can and will pay at least twelve cents per pound for all it needs unless the cot ton growers choose to sell for less and that if the world is unwilling or unable to take all the sonth grows in a given year she can keep it until the next year and get her price. It is not lost simply because ic is not sold the year it is made. All speculation proceeds upon the theory that when a bale of cotton is made it will be sold the same year. "The plan made possible by these facts in rough outline is this: "Let the cotton growers deed in trus a definite number of bales to be sold for not less than a fixed price per pound basis middling. Let there be, say three trustees, two fronA the county in which the deed is made and one representing the whole south who shall be a trustee of all cotton deeded under this plan. 'Make it a condition that it shall require the consen- of two 'trustees and the owner of the :otton before a sale can be made. Let the grower hiave the keeping of his :otton, he may keep it at home or warehouse it. Letr all bids or applica tions for cotton 'be sent 'by the local trustee to the -general trustee who shalI tabulate the same and apportion to the several counties the amount, each is aufhorized to sell; this of :ourse will be in proportion to the :otton held in trust. The local 'trus tees will then apporition to the individ ials in tcheir counties and notify them to bring in their cotton on .a fixed day f they want to sell. E'ach grower will get paid for 'his cotton the day it is leliversed. The work of the trustees would ble purely clerical. They would simply collect say 25 cents a bale for :xpense of 'handling which would go *n'o the general treasury to pay sala r'ies. All cotton held in trust at the :lose of the season would be carried ver and sold the next year before any aew cotton was offered. "In trying to put such a plan as this into operation the- deeds of trust should be so drawn that they would riot go into effect until a fixed number f bales had been deeded and a time Limit should .be fixed in which to se :ure the required number. The details f such a plan would work themselves >ut in due time. Some such plan as this would effectually withdraw a def nite number of bales from the mar ket until the fixed price is reached. The minimum number of bales 'to be placed in trust slhould be large enough' to dominate the situation beyond doubt. As soon as this number of bales is pledged outside growers would 'he inspired with confidence to hold for the fixed price and cotton would advance at once to that price. "Moreover: the plan while wih-. drawing the cotton from the market would still leave it in the hands of the grower, who would not part with 't until it is sold. If the grower would care to hold for a still higher price he could do so. The object in having a general office for The whole country is to insure every man's having an equal chance with every other man to sell his -cotton. In the event a sur plus should be .carried over the gener al office would see that every man carried his share and his share only. The plan ought to appeal very strong ly to the manufacturer. It would give him a level price. IThen, too, he could get cotton in large lots without the charges of the middle men. The gen eral trustee should be a man of nation al repute, Mr.. Jordan, for instance, and the county trustees should be the very best men that could be secured. "All that is needed is the money necessary to make the ini*ial canvass and a strong faith in the southern peo ple. And why no't attempt this or something better? Is not the prize large enough? Did any people ever baittle for a greater? Is not this the day of large things? Does anyone doubt that the price would go to twelve cents if sufficient cotton were withdrawn from the market and held for that figure? No one doubts it, ev ery one believes that the price could be kept at twelve cents every year un der those conditions. He who doubts the success of such a plan simply has not sufficient fraith in the southern people. Wdiy doubt th1em? Have they had a chance to prove what they will do? Are not our people already awake to the great posisibilities before them? Are they not tired of being the hewers of wood and drawers of water for a /set of speculators who have seized upon their one great product and made its price their favorite play thing with which to gamble? Let the coflton growers have a -chance to say what they will do. Will the Southern Corcton association take' hold of this matter and give the people a definite, sure plan along which to work or will it content itself with speeches and resolutions? "If the association will not lead, then the fact ought to be known that an effort might be made. to get indi viduals to supply the necessary funds. "Of course, There twill be persons enough to cry "trust, trust," but this is no trust. It do~es not have one ele rnent of a trust in -it. It does not seek to destroy competition, it does not seek to lower .the price of any product or commodity, and it does not infringe anyone's rights in coitton. No man has any right in cotton except .the man who raises it, until it is acquired by purchase atr such price as the grower may accept. If a number of laborers have the right to pledge one another that they will not work for less 'than a stated wage, the cotton growers have a right to pledge themselves that they will not accept less than a fixed price for their cotiton, the pro duct of their labor. If farmers have a right to meet and pass resolutions pledging .themselves not to sell cot :on for less than a certain price, surely hey have -ohe right to take s'teps to rnake their resolutions effective." Reflections Of A Bachelor. Tlhe more a man loves a woman the more he 'has to tell her so, or 'she won't believe him. A girl has an awfully deceptive way of making a man believe he is doing the proposing. A woman is mighty clever to make a man think the reason she loves him is that he loves 'hers You can never make a man believe when he is carrying a bundle, that ev erybody does not think it contains some awful queer woman's clothes. A curious thing about women is that either they find fault with o r .ay cheap cigars smell in the ho or with the money you waste on good STATE SECRETARY DELIVERS ADDRESS COUNTY COTTON ASSOCIA TION MET ON SATURDAY. Gratifying Interest Noted-Large At tendance-President Smith Could, Attend. The county cotton association held a meeting in the court house on Sat urday. The attendance was very good and much interest seemed manifest ed on the part of the farmers present. The disposi:ion of the average farmer is to sell his cotton when the market goes down, and to hold it when it goes up. Inasmuch as the market has tended upwards in the last few days, it is probable that a good many farm ers have felt encouraged to stand for the .minimum price as fixed by the Southern cotton association. This may account for the large attendance and the interest in the meeting on Saturday; or it may be that the farm ers were expecting President E. D. Smith of the state association to be present, and make an address as had been advertised, or it may be that they-1 have at last realized that they are masters of the situation if ,they but stand together. At any rate it was gratifying to note the interest in the meeting. It was impossible for Mr. Smith to get here inasmuch as he had 1been or dered to Texas. Mr. F. H. Weston, the secretdry of the state association was present, however, and made a most excellent talk. The meeting was called to order by President R. T. C. Hunter who intro duced Mr. Joseph L. Keit*c. Mr. Keitt gave a brief histry of the or ganization of the farmers, and advised them to organize and stand firm by the organization and told them that by so doing they could secure a price for their product which would give them not only the.cost of production, but a reasonable profit, and as good business men, they should noit expect anything less. President Hunter then presented Hon. F. H. Weston, the secretary of the state association. He spoke for about an hour; urging the farmers to stand up to the Southern -catton as sociation, .and giving his reasons for the position that he book in strong and forcible language. He began his address by regretting the absence of Mr. Smith, and stated that they had been disappoinited in the action of some of the Texas farmers, and that 'Mr. Smith and Mr. Jordan had been .ordered to Texas to talk to the farmers out there, and to explain to them the folly of forcing their cot ton on the market at this time, thus weakening the influence of the South ern cotton association in securing the minimum price which had been fixed by the asociation. Mr.,Weston said it was scarcely necessary to speak of the history of the association as that was still fresh in the memory of all present. He said that high priced cotton meant prosperity to the south. Every vocation in the south was dependent on the cotrton business. Last year when disaster threatened the south, a convention of southern ootton grow ers and men in every business in the south was held in New Orleans. There wa.s no politics in This convention. It was a meeting of the southern people interested in the growth and develop ment of the south, and the only cre dentials required for admission to this convention were that you were a pa triotic southern man. It was a busi ness organization. As a result of this convenition, disaster which threatenedI the south was averted, and in the face of a fourteen million bale crop, the price of cotton was forced from six and seven cents to ten cents, because at anythiner less than that price cotton could not be produced except at a loss. Mr. Weston stated that the south ern slates have an absolute monopoly of cotton production, and can fix the price and the consumers must come to them in order to secure tthe product. The man who buys and the man who manufactures makes money out of cotton, and it was but right and rea sonable tha'r the producer should be taken -into consideration, and that he was entitled not only to a living, but to a reasonable profit upon his labor. England and the other countries which it is claimed can grow cotton have the same government, the same conditions and the same labor which they had in i86o and 1865 when cot ton brought $i.6o per pound, and they .could not produce it then, and how will they be able to produce it now when the price is under 15 cents. In, addition to this there is no product which can come in competition with cotton. All that the Southern cotton associ ation is contending for is a reason able profit to the farmers and in -Ehis contention the farmer has' the coop eration of the bankers and the mer chants, and unless he succeeds now he may not expect success for .many years to come. Any man who is opposed to this or ganization, and who will not encour age and help it, is either ignorant or has treachery in -his heart, and is cer tainly destitue of patriotic motives. Every other bu-iness is o.:ganized, and the question is, shall the farmers go up against these organizations in a disorganized way. If they do, they are destined to fail. It is possible for the farmers to organize, and they must. This movement appeals not only to your selfish motives, but to your patriotism as well, and you must not fail. When the association last year fixed the price -at ten cents, some who thought they were smart and would get the faugh on the members of the association, sold when it reached eight cents. 'Mr. Weston urged that the farmers needed to trust each other more, and to have more confidence in the advice of t#ie officers of the association. The ass6ciation has statistics, and when a statement is made it is based on facts. When we stated that 'the government report was doctored, some people laughed at us, but we made good the statement. Mr. Roosevelt said in his speech in Atlanta last week that the Southern co'tton association was the greatest organization that had ever been form ed, and whatever he could do to help it to success he would willingly do. JThose w'ho had faith last year in their fellow men, and in the organiza tion, realized for their cotton before July, ten ceits per pound. If you have faith, backbone and -patience, and stand to theorganization now,you will get eleven cents for your cotton. Take your cotton home, and sit down on it. Put it in the warehouse and take the warehouse receipt, and get money on that if you are obliged to:'have money, but retain possession of your cotton, and keep it off the market. In regard to warehouses, Mr. Wes ton said, he hoped people would show a spirit 'of liberality in helping to build them. The fight is not over. It is a plain business proposition. Put your cotton in warehouses, and get money from our banks, and turn the key on it, unless you can'get a living price for it. "I have some business reputation in my community," said MIr. Weston. "I would not come here and tell you to [old your cotton for eleven cents un Less we had some reason for it. Have a little more confidence in your fe! Iowman, and a little more backbone in yourself. Public sentiment should be so strong with this movement, that the man who refuses to join hands (Continued on fifth page)