Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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? 41 VOL. XLIIL N0. 131 NEWBERRYo S. 0., TUESDAY NOVEMBER 2l~1905o TWIEAWEK115 COTTON ASSOCIATION DEXANDS 15 CENT ORGANIZATION WAGING WA ON SPECULATORS. A Vigorous Campaign on Foot-Se retary Weston Talks of the Fight Now Being Made by Southern Cotton Associ ation. That the Southern Corton associ tion is in earnest in the fight to resi and put aside the speculator to tf welfare and benefit of the produce no one .who yesterday visited the offic of Mr. F..H. Weston, the secretary < the South Carolina division, can doub His office force was busily engage sending out literature to the variot counties and there Iwere other ev dences that the work is being pushe in no uncertain way. Asked for an interview concernin this recent activity on the part of tl association, Mr. Weston said: "Today, I am in receipt of instru tions from headquarters in Atlan1 to institute a movement toward si curing pledges from the farmers fc the cotton which they now have o hand for 15 cents. "We know that there is a most a< tive demand for dry goods and th* the mills have not the corton nece! sary to run them to fill these coz tracts. The association considered i cents a fair but not unreasonab price for cotton, but in view of *11 very aggressive campaign that h been instituted against cotton in t 1-&t iewdays -by Thcodore. Price an his allies, it would be absurd for th SSou'hernLCo?tonr association to stan see the producers of cotto througbout the south despoiled < millions of dollars. "We must convince the spinners < the world that the price of cotton to be fixed by .the producer and n< by the speculator. "Mr. Smith is absent from the stat in Texas, speaking in the interest < the association, but I propose -to oi ganize a most vigorous campaign behalf of securing pledges from farrr ers for 15 cents for cotton now a hand. I am now placing these pledge in the hands of county presidents, wit instructions to employ canvassersi every school district in South Cart lina. "W~e 'have the money on 'hand ani propose to pay these canvassers fc their work. The auditoi-'s books wi be used to furnish us the names< every cotton grower in each counit: *The names will be placed in the hanc of the party canvassing the scho< districts an.d thus every farmer wi be approached. "No southern 'man should .stan idly by and see his section robbed< millions of dollars which does n< inure to the benefit of the spinner bt to the benefit of Wall street spect lators. "A similar campaign is being wvage in every cotton producing state in t1a south. This is a fight of product against speculator an,d we must an will win." Concerning the cotton crop of R-ic land county and of the state gene: ally. Mr. WesEon continued: "You have asked me for an exph nation of my opinion of the cottc crop of this county. I am largely ir terested in farming and I am probabi the largest owner of agricultural land in this county, and I am also coi nected with one of the largest bania of the city, .which gives me an e: cellent opportunity of being brougi in contact with the farmer. "This year's cotton crop has bee one of the most disastrous co t farmer of the county in this respec We had abundant moisture an.d oi peopl fertilize very heavily. therel giving us a very large weed. But we realize now that our cotton crop will S not reach 'two-thirds of what it was last year. "This time last year it was really R a favor to get a bale of cotton gin ned, but it now requires only one or two days in the week to meet the - present demands. "We have ipractically completed the harvest of our cotton crop and there is only left in the field to be gather ed that which is commonly known as 'scrap' cotton, which is very thin and - light. ;t "This shortage is practically ex e plained by the fact that freezing r weather -caught a large numiber of :e bolls in a very unmatured state and )f full of moisture, and of course these t- bolls will not open. d "On one of my plantations last Is year on 120 acres I made 130 bales of - cotton. On this plantation I had plan d ?ced this year go acres but fertilized it well and worked it well. Up to g date I have ginned 6o bales of cotton, e and hope t-o get five more. "I would consider my experience as that of every other large planter a -in the county. "I have had occasion to travel over r nearly all of the coun,cies of the state n and have talked with merchants and business men, and in most every in stance I have been told that the cot t ton crop in their section would reach between 6o and 75 per cent. of the cotton crop of 1904." e LS e Harvie Jordan Appeals to the Farmers d in Their Own Interest. e d 'New Orelans, La.-Oldtime bulls are getcing together, and at a confer ance held in New Orleans a day or two ago at which there twere present f such men as Frank B. Hayne, W. P. s Brown, Harvie Jordan, president of >t the Southern Cotton association and others equally as active in sustaining 2, the price of American grown cotton, fI definite plans were adopted for the launching of the most ambitious bull n campaign that 'the cotton world has Lyet had to consider. This is nothing nmore nor less than the tieing tip uin s der contract of some 3.000.000 bales of h cotton which is to 'be held until the n mills .are ready to pay 15 cents per ~ pound. basi.s middling for it. In defense of the practicability of d this .plan. it 'was pointed out that the rcurrent crop can hardly exceed 10, OOC.OOO bales; t'hat *the world's spin ning and weaving industry is novw ~ breaking all previous records in the s natiter of new business and 'general 11 prosperi'ty: that most of the mills are sold up tor a year to come on a basis of 14 cents cotton, and 'have not as d yet purchased rhe actual cotton with 4 with which to fulfill their contracts: >t that the farmer and not the speculator it is entitled to profit by the shortness Sof the crop; that very large portion . of the crop 'has already been sold be d'low its value, and that the remainder e must bring 15 cents if the -season's raverage price is to reach 12 1-2 cents. whic'h is law when contrasted with the dworld's requirements and the 19051 yield. President Jordan announces 'nis in tention of immediately sending can vassers through the cotton states. TPhese canvassers will call "on the farmers and planters a-s rapidly as npossible and secure from them writ ten pledges to hold as many (bales as Y they can-the number of ibales to be is stated-until the absence o'f cotton of 1- fered for sale meeting an increasing :s demand for supplies shall 'have C- brought the 'bid price uip to 15 Cents. it Meanwhile. the effort of speculative "shorts" to cover the pressure on :n them is felt, *will, it is 'believed, ex te ert a signal and favorable effect on t. Ithe 'market both in America and Eu ir rope. yi "1 have already received pledges from a number of repu*cable planters guaranteeing to take off the market many bales of 'cotton," said Mr. Jor dan. "The farmers have not thus far s held cotton -for every time offers I around TI cents have come to them they have let go. Below that figure t only cotton that -had to he sold to z meet payments due has been turned i loose. It is not our purpose to ask .1 the farmers who are unable to hold < cot-ron for the higher prices to em barrass themselves by so doing, but rather to insist on full market values or a little better. This they have all done, as the market 'tendency has I clearly demonstrated. Now we have ( reached a ipoin-E of vantage where ,we t can absolutely control the situation during the remainder of the season. t "We will send' out canvassers to C secure these pledges, but expect a r large number to come in voluntarily by mail to our headquarters at AT anta. In fact, such pledges are now . coming to me by every mail. And s within two or three weeks, 'the cot- - ton world will awake to the signifi- i cance of -what we are doing. We are ] now a thoroughly organized and well c equipped body -and are receiving rhe 3 support and Cooperation of the cotton N growers all over the south." e On December 3, 'the day the gov ernment issues its annual crop esti- t mate, the farmers will hold meetings in every cotton growing county in the south, iwhen they will name state I delegates. Later 'the annual meeting s of the association will be -held at Hot 1 Springs, Arkansas, when general offi- c cers for the association will be selec- f ted. I C Pres. Harvie Jordan, of Southern Cotton assocating has issuetthe fo4- r ngr agreement with the object of securing to the farmer the highest practical price -for the remainder of this year's t mall cotton crop. He suggests that . the farmers ol each locality discuss I the matter among themselves, sign a up the agrcm?nt for the hol,din-g of C as much cotton as they can afford to N take off the market, using th-e form I of agreement as below, and prompOy mail same to the Southern Cotton Association .at Atlanta. Ga., as soon y as possible: ' Form of Agreement. We. the following named citizens of e ........... Postoffice.....County ....State, hereby agree to use every t power at our command to hold the number of bales of cotton stated op- I posite our respective names for 90 days from date and refuse to sell any of said cotton .within that time for less than Fifteen cents per pound. basis C middling, at our market points:t The names of~all signatures will 'be C confidential and none *give11 out to tihe public by the association, only *'he aggregate number of bales from each ~ county he'ld. Names.. .. .. ....--.--.--.--. Postoffice ..........--.--.-.-.-.-. S'ate .. .. ....................t No. Bales .. .... ..--.--.-. --.--. Proclamation. Mr. Jordan's >proclamation to the farmers follows: t To all holders of Spot Cotton:-Tt I is now definitely ascertained from all I reliable resources, inclu:ding the de- I partment of .agriculture at WVashing ton, D. C., that the present crop of c cotton will be in the neightborhood of only 'ten million bales. Half the crop I has already ~been sold around ten ~ cents. An unprecedented demand ex- ' ists for the balance of this crop, which if sold at fifteen cents, would average I the price to the mills at only 12 1-2 r cents. Wie must tie up at least three million bales at once to convince the a cotton ,world that we mean 'business. If t'his is done the market will ad- g vance to our figure. TPhe Southern Cotton association, therefore, asks all spot hol:ders who are able to do so to subscribe to the pledge. marvie Tordan. Lutheran Synod at St. Paul's. W J. B. O'Neall Holloway. ir At a recent meeting of the Lutheran si ynod at St. Paul's the following res utions were passed: "Resolved, That this synod desires o express and .put on record its high g ppreciation of the unusual fact That t is now in ses'ion in a church which as had the same pastor for the term >f forty years. A "Resolved, That 'we -heartily rejoice vith the congregation of St. Paul's .nd with -their beloved pastor, the d Zev. J. A. Sligh, in the remarkable T >lessing of the Great Head of the ,hurc'h, whose favor has brought g hem together this far in their church b ife and history. and earnestly pray b hat the same good Providence may arry -Them on together through m aany years to come. "Resolved, That we would bear sin ere tribute to the long and loyal iork of the Rev. J. A. Sligh in this p ynod-as well as in this congregation -in his unfailing defence of the vital iterests of our church, and especially qewbe-rry college, in the trials and rises tha-E have overtaken her in the w 'ears that are gone, in the strong, ot vise counsel with which he has bless- th d the church and in -his unswerving la .Ilegiance to what he -has always -0 hough-t to be right, just and true." er Other News Notes. 1m T'he -heartiness of the unstinted hos- hI icality of the St. Paul's people as- C< isted Iby nearby members of Bethle- st tem. was a matter of continued fav- ra irable comment, and it was no per- v( unctory action of synod when that. th ody unanimously adopted resolutions tl f thanks. e' In t'he cemetery which had been r; eatly cleaned we sasr the first grave ,ade, William C. Aull, born in 1827 t* nd buried May io, 1863. He died in p; he war. He was a son of Rev. Her- it ,an Aull once a pastor -of St. Paul's. ea le lef:t several chil-dren, six of whom in re living: Geo. B. and Adam L. Aull, li ,f Pomaria, John M. Aull, of Lees- In ille and Mrs. Lizzie Taylor, formerly,w 4rs. Dominick, Mrs. Mary Wertz and tt Irs. W. D. Cromer, of Prosperity. ti The old school house has been rear-- 01 anged and new' patent desks put in; n, lhe last time the writer was within 'n ts sacred 'walls was t'he day after th-e re arthquake of 1886 when he made a hort talk -to the school then taught tU y Mr. George Mills. e John C. Aull, the great grandson of tU tev. Herman Aull, is the efficient sup.. rintendent of t'he Sunday school. tI' St. Paul's still retains that good old j ustom of the mother's britnging all c] he children including the babies t-ot hurch. 0 The mus-ic led iby Walter Counts vith Miss Annie Mae Bedenbaugh t< racefully presiding at the organ was it vhole-souled and appropriate. The uitmost harmony and g6od will al eems to prevail in all the 'delibera- h ions of synod, 'which is a most favor- a ble omen. Not a discordant note in 11 th.e proceedings.g Pastor Kreps makes a good and r~ actful presiding officer and dispatches c~ musiness promptly and intelligently. ti -s decisions are always given quick- t y and fairly. t One of the most uniqlue discourses si ver 'heard on the subject of Christian ei ducation was tihe one delivered by c< ter. Chas. E. Koerner, D. D. Its niqueness was equalled only by .its d veirdness. t' We were struck 'with the great num er of young people in this commu ity. This offers a fine opportunity. cc The writer was happy in the renew- tU 1 of old 'friendships and the forming tF fnew ones. It is his old tramping ta ~rounds.b It was a great pleasure to meet one g f 'his pupils whom he taught her abc's ni old Bethel academy in the fall of t Large and intere'sted congregations a ttcnded all the services. St. Paul's ith all the depletions that went to crease the rolls of other churches ill has large congregations. Sunday Services. Morning sermon by Rev. J. A. B. :herer, D. D., and the overflow con regation in the school house by Rev. F. B. Aull. In the afternoon The !rmon was preached by Rev. J. P. .iller. All these discourses were of high order of merit. All in all this was one of the most !lightful sessions it 'has been our easure to attend for many a day. he ministers and delegates were in >od humor, the people were over owing in hospitalty, 'the weather, trring one day, was ideal and lovely only this incomparable Indian sum er can furnisoh. VISIT THE PRESIDENT. rotest Against Reduction of Rail road Rates. That was a noteworthy meeting hich took place in Washington the Iher day, when the president received e representatives of five of the greaT bor organizations connected with the )eration of railroads-those, of the igineers, fireman, conductors, switch en and trainmen. The delegation, !aded by George Huntley, of the mduc-or's organization, presented a atement showing that the proposed .ilroad freight legislation wou!d in >lve the lowering of rates and that is in turn would mean a lessening of te earning power of railroads and rentual reduction of the wa.ges of ilroad employes. Mr. Huntley assured the president at the delegation represented no Lrtisan or political influence, -but that did represent a class of employes rning $5oo,ooo,oo an.nually, number g no-c less than a quarter of a mil >n organized workers and at least a illion other railroad servants who ould be affected by any reduction in e earning capacity of the corpore n employing them. The national -ganizations of the conductors, engi ~ers. switchmen, trainmen and fire en- have officially protested againsit 'ductions in railroad rates. "What impresses us 'with more force an 'any other side of the issue," saye ec statement. "is this: Why have Srailroad interests in particular ~en selected for this attack? Why is ~ e Interstate Commerce Commission -s~me similar commission not to be othed with the same aibsolute au ority to fix the maximum prices 1 beef, pork, oil, clothing, 'butter and igs, etc.-in fact, everything wh-ich me has to buy every day? It seems ius that such a step would be infin ely more reasonable than this pro >sed move on railroad rates. 'becau'vse I of these and other commodities we advanced by leaps and bounds id by methods which we all agree ould bear investigation, while the eneral average of railroad freight tes has steadily decreased from two mts a ton mile, in 1870, down to ree-fourths of one cent a ton mile day, and during the last ten years e railroad companies have granted blstan'tial wage concessions to their nployes and -also ameliorated labor mditions." In answering the spokesman of the ilegaion President Roosevelt said rat 'his aim was ~to abolish unjust scrimination rather than to effect a ~neraI lowering of rates. "In two re nt cases.' he 'said, "the complaints at have 'been made .to me have been at they are too low as regards cer in big shippers: the complaint in th t'hese cases is a)bout the dif rential, t'he difference of treatment two sets of users of the railways. e difference in favor of one set of ippers as against another set of ippers. Whether this is just or not am not prepared to s.v"