University of South Carolina Libraries
FARMERS OF SOUTH ^ MUST FREE SELVES COTTON PRICES HELD DOWN BY ARTIFICIAL SUPPLY. "Control Your Visible Supply," Correspondent Says is Foremost Thought. To the Editor of The State: When I suggested not raising a[: hale of cottop for a year, wouldn't ! one's first natural thoughts be "im- J practical" and "a mill could run at j any time, but cotton is only planted I once each year?" Wasn't the flying j m&chine, the telephone, , the tele-j graph, the electric light and practi-j , cally every worthwhile thing in prac- \ tice today impractical? Wouldn't j such a letter as this from the pre si-! dent and treasuzjer of several large; kt ' cotton mills and other large *manu' ,faetur&g' enterprises and a student of economics, have more weight with ' you than the first offhand thought of ; the ordinary citizen? .1. "Dear JHLr. itoaaey: "I read with much interest your 1 article and am writing to express my 1 approval of same. I notiee in ye*- : terday's paper that this could not be done, but I know that it can be to a 1 large extent and that the right thing- ' for the cotton^ planter to do is to consider the question of curtailment im- < mediately. Of course, we all know j J, 83 a matter of fact that it will be i U; impossible to get an iarmers this, but enough of the larger and 1 more important ones could be broujfht in to jnnke it effective. The i people, who have no other interests J in cotton than the mere matter of 1 trading, do not 4ake the same view j as those whose interests are directly j i affected by the supply and demand, j With kind regards." i Exactly., ; j May I give you some of my expe- * riences? In 1897 after living in 1 Ntw York for severaj years and see- * ing the Southern' cotton farmer sys- 1 -- tematieally robbed of his birthright ^ .through unfair means, by outsiders * being able to sell $ commodity that ' didn't exist, creating an artificial * supply, and this, artificial suppiy hav- f ing the same effect as an actual sup- * determined by this* 1 , aiti&Aai supply, t decided to speak I out. I suggested the formation of a 1 Southern Cotton jp$nte*s' unienr ^ practically j Cotton fcsso&ftoon. {your recorcfe w>H 3 ... j?W>?bly. & except I. laid 1 more stress -oft "wmng^ irepreaenta- i tive in the leading markets of the < world/and most par titular] v on the 3 urwttirw Vi<iMe - Suonlv."} i WUUV* wi* _______ "Surplus," if ?ou please. To make 1 it aa^aihly as 1 know how, suppose 1 eggs in your city were 50 cents per i cfcawjtod## cor^umgd 1,GQQ doz- 1 en per day; and 1,100 dozen were J bought in, wouldn't eggs decline, but J if your corporation said,' "We will i take charge of this extra 100 dozen, i we wiii control this supply until 900 j dozen or an average of 1,000 dozen 1 came in," wouldn't eggs remain at 50 < cents per dozen? 1 Tbis ove&p/us, this surplus, is ^ : : what must be controlled and is what i fixes ytrur prices. otton is not per- < ishable. I notice that some thought < is being given to haying this repre- J sentation in the leading markets of < the world by forming some export 1 corporations, but my opinion is that t so far as the fanner is concerned as 1 to his financial improvement there 1 will be very little unless the two < thoughts are united and until your i first and foremost thought is "control < your visible supply," "your extra sur- j plus." . Will some one name any cot- i " ton mill in the South that ever "went : "broke" unless they piled up a surplus 1 continued to bile ut> one, until ] it became unwieldy and they natural- i ly "went l>roke:?" Will not the ] Southern cotton farmer "go broke" 3 if he piles ujp more and more of a j surplus? Haven't *ome already gone j 'broke by not thinking about the/sur- ; plus, btrt rather, "I will plant any- ] how, and tnjst in the Lord." Some I one lias said; Lord takes care of j tlie drunks and fools." Certainly ] not always.-.; ! spoke in Atlanta, Co-1 ] lumbia and several other places and 1 had committees appointed, etc., but i what happened? It immediately de- ] yeJoped into politics, and I quit. 1 I remembe* in writihg of the* sub- i |ect at .that time to have said: "In a 3 - crisis as grave as the present the at- < .trtude of every patriotic man should jj be that of judicial calm?only a shal- j 1 Jow optimist Js always blinded by a i desperate situation, only a hopeless \ i pessimist can always see the black- j 1 ness of despair. Surrounded by a ;; xay of hope men of action inevitably I: arise to the necessity of the case."!] They didn't arise then with cotton at' i e? -? ?:? amfa Tliov will rtrnhnhlv ; live Ui. kEilw. AUVJ v not arise now, though the crisis be 1 equally as great. Supply and de-j: man will fix ypur prices as long as . < you live no matter who you are, but j ] if an artificial supply is allowed to H be created against an actual demand, j fiwt iamand will I* hi lower prices, ji / We have a prohibition law. You can _?et' whiskey for legitimate use. We have a cotton exchange law. You can trade legitimately in.cotton. You can't get whiskey for illegitimate purposes. You can gamble in cotton as you always could. Before you get your whiskey you must get a certificate that it is for legitimate purposes. Before you trade in cotton should you not have to get a certificate that it is not for gambling? purposes? The fact that either could j be used for legitimate purposes .is I the cause of their existence today, I but to force the legitimacy of one: and overlook the legitimacy of the J other is all wrong. Get a certificate ] for both or neither or cut out the t gambling and prohibition laws. Will: some senator or congressman explain j this or .prove it is not so? When P[ lived in New York when a man want- j ed to call another a fool or tell him j he had no sense, he said, "You .are a' farmer. Take that cotton or hay out j of your whiskers." It riled me then, j and now after over 20 years have ! passed when a high toned, hard work- j ing, honorable farmer comes in and | says: "Mr. Rodcey, I made 16 bales of cotton and when I pay my fertilizer bill and running expenses, I won't have anything left to buy my children any clothes or shoes." It riles me now. Couldn't most any man tell a crowd exactly what they want to hear and get "Hip! Hip! Hoorah?" Tell them the truth if they don't want to hear it and you get "Oh, cut it out!" Will! tli? cotton farmer improve, until he j becomes less gullible, until - he has j sense enough to look out for tricks, j lies and flattery, until the "friend of j the farmer" is looked on as second- j ary to the "friend of yourself?" Isn't j insurance on cotton in the country! about the highest rate ever? Isn't! the rate for .money up at the top? [sn't he paying the same rate for! storage that he did when cptton was j :ver 40 cents? Oh, I know these old I friends. Before the Confederate war wasn't he considered the real thing? .Vow isn't he considered the > real sucker? After the Confederate; war md slaves were free, hasn't the Southern cotton farmer been 1?e slave practically ever since? Were ihey not rated at so much per head ; is cattle and that so much money will! jermit them toexist? Many live in p ;hfe same old houses as their grandfathers with probably some patches lbout in spelts. With their steam ieati sewerage, W^ter and lights;' :hey certainly have - lots, of luxuries md .conveniences. .How would some )f you like to spend about seven aightg i? the average^farm. house ;his winter? Many have lost their j carms entirely and they are owned,1. >y:town or city men who put others; in their places, even more ignorant, ! arith only one thought, "Get my rei>t, 10 matter about the land." Haven't lis doctor advisers* been treating him ; for typhoid fever, a long lingering illness, when in reality he had ap>endicitisfc and many died from it when an operation removing the diseased appendix would have cured aim? Keep on calling it cramp colic and see if it won't kill you. The other aay I saw an elephant pass my winio\v. subdued, hacked, humbled, with i little man and a short stick by his ride controlling him. I could not help from comparing him with the Southern cotton farmer. If he only knew liis strength he could knock the little tt'lfli V*ic? afinlr lwf a t kAit.i.4 vTAwii aia0 wviviv litv\J aiiig" | dom come. God Almighty blessed the Southern cotton farmer with practiL-aJly the monopoly of a necessary product, and if he only knew his strength, he could knock the little men with their short sticks into kingdom come, but he too is hacked, aumbied, subdued and the little men. svitli their short sticks control him. He has had 40 different things told aim as to why he got a good price for his cotton the past few years? such and such a set of men or such i 1. A'rr* x i ?i. 1 ana sucn ainereni, reasons causeu n. [ think I can tell him why he got it. Simply because he couldn't help it; my more than the man with cabbage, i potatoes, or manufactured goods, orj lumber or brick or practically anything else. The European countries immediately after the war started, began to get in the market for practically everything they needed and later on America came in with the idea, "get it, get it at once, price no abject, but get it." Artificial overL-iiT\rvl*r wahW nnf nrnvl* +V>OTl ftYi nnvr. <v vuiu i?w >? wxv*? %??v thing against actual demand. I saw spot cotton, strict middling inch selling-1,000 points or $50 per bale more than New York July cotton, for the actual demand overran their artificial j supply, but it is over now and the old j ?ame of artificial or fictitious supply is in full blast. Let the Southern farmer remember that practically the balance of the world is fighting- him, Por it is to their interest to keep him iown, ignorant of his real power, and kepn his children in the same Condi tion. Keep on. Have no nerve, no sense and see if you won't be almost is yeu have beea for the last 50 ?i years. Fight once. Cut out that Appendix and see if you don't get well. Isn't your surplus your diseased appendix, the di&ase that kills you? Doesn't this "all manufacturing enterprises closing down" have the effect of putting things lower? Wouldn't the cotton planters closing down put things higher? If the cott.mi farmer closes down, in three days ' % would there be an idle cotton mill in the South? Wouldn't they be scrapping the country to secure cotton to run? Wouldn't prices go up? Which is more commendable?to put things down or to put things up ? Let a man with some money, who wants to help the cause, say he could take care of 100 bales of cotton and say to 14 one horse farmers, making probably seVen bales to the horse, "New York can raise cotton cheaper than you can or you have been lying. I will buy each- of your seven bales, giving you one-half the profits and you, can plant none. If you do plant it you can't make a cent." "Why work a crop for less than nothing and go further in debt? Is it fair to your children?" If a farmer's only ambiHnn is to trv to come out even and get some merchant or banker to run him the next year, his aspirations are not high. My advice is to stop feeling* discouraged, control your .supply, have some sense and don't lose your, nerve. .Can't you get in a position ,to tell your oppressor to "go to .the devil" and "let's see you get it now or hereafter at any .price you say?" Have something to say about prices. Suppose you get in such shape they had to come to you and say "what will you take?" Hasn't it alway3 1 been your saying, "wnat win you give me?'' I spoke out in IS97 because I couldn't help it and do so for the same reason now. I don't want any office, political or any other kind, but I would wish to see .truth, fairness, justice, all of which appear to have had a steady, continuous, gradual decline, while "get the ijfoney" regardless of how just so you keep out of jail, a steady, continuous, gradual advance. ? ITS T> _ ,1 J . . jonn i. xvuuucv. Rock Hill, December 4. In Memory of Frances Crooks, 'the home of Mrs. Mattie Crooks was saddened on. Wednesday, December 8, when the death angel took her Little daughter, Frances, away. All was done that loving hands' could do, but God knew best. ,l When we see a precious blossom, 'That we have-'tended with such Rudely taken from our bosom, ' How our aching hearts despair. Around its little grave we linger, > Till the setting sun is low; Peeling all our Hopes have perished,' With the flower we cherished so. Now fond parent cease your mourning, She is safe in heaven above; And is basking in the sunlight Of God's glory and His love. Sleep on dear Frances, And take your rest, God called you home; He thought it.best. A Friend. Ponzi Finds Job. Plymouth, Mass.,4 bee. 14.?The county jail received a new librarian when harles . P9nzi, quick-rich schemer, became < ah inmate. After he had finished his morning chores today he put his mop and broom away and began the work of cateloging the books of the jail library. As a young man just arrived in this country he performed duties of this nature for a 'university in the South several years ago. Gifts TI Remember there are on Christmas and it behooves ' secure just what you want know the quality of goods shop around. We absolut * i sola 10 oe as ^epresemeu. An experienced Engrave charge of this department \ Engraving and Jewelry Re store will be engraved FR] Below we list a few of ti on display which are most gifts: DIAMONDS, BRACELET BROOCHES, CAMEOS, GENTS' WATCHES, Wj CHARMS, WATCH FOl PINS, BELT BUCKLES, B: Don't fail to see our stoc buying. Coopers Je . " " I Where the Shimar-y Came From ! Here we have the originator of the' shimmy. A dancing girl of South j Egypt ready to -'step out." mmm hl, i? n i??mmm? ???j MASTER'S SALE. j ' ' * " j i JBy authority of a decree of the i Court of "Common Pica?, in the case J ot Dottic B. Hawkins and others ! against Mrs. Lois Merchant and others, dated November 23, 1920, I will sell at public auction in front of the court house, at- Newberry, within the le^al hours tr? sale, on srtlesday in January, .1921 ; that certain tract of j land .in TWuship No. 9, Newberry (.county, containing- four and forty I hundredths acres, more or less, and bounded by lands of A. A. Kibler, J. j B. Simpson and Mrs. Harriet S. Les-1 ftr, The' purchaser will be required to ' pay the purchase price"Tn cash, and to nav for papers, revenue stamps, and recording. ! H. H. RIKARD, . j Master for Newberry County, j NOTICE OF ANNUAL 'MEETING I OF BOARD OF COUNTY COM- 4 MFSSIONERS. Notice is hereby given that the anI r.ual meeting of the board of county j commissioners for Newberry county will be held on Thursday, January i 6, 1921. All persons holding demands of any kind against the coun-r ty, or previously presented to the j board, are hereby required to file the [ same, itemized %nd proven according to law, with the Undersigned or.' or before January 1, 1921. J J. u oaiiipic, Comity Supervisor. II. C. Hollowfar,?. Clerk of BoaVtl, etc. 12-10-17-24-31. SUMMONS FOR RELIEF. (Complaint Served.) The State of Sojjjtb, Carolina?County of Newberty?Court of 'Common Ple?se. William CoW-m^n, Plaintiff, : against / John P. SteyensI Samuel D. Stevens, Nathaniel Stevens, Moses P. Stev- : ens, Robert Pr Stevens, Geortre M.. Day, H. V. Brewer, co-partner? in "? -1 i-T. ^ ! business trading unaer uie mm name of J. P. Stevens & Company, Alex Long and Barney H. Herren, Defendants. To .the Defendants above named: You are hereby summoned and. required to answer the Complaint in; this action of which a copy is herewith served upon you and to serve a copy of your answer to said Complaint on the subscriber at his office in Columbia, South Carolina, within twenty days after^ the service hereof, exclusive of the" day of such service; and if you fail to answer the Compiaint within the time aforesaid the plaintiff in this action will apply to. the court for the relief demanded j in the Complaint, j R. B. Herbert. H. N. Edmunds, Hunt, Hunt & Hunter, Mower & Bynum, George B. Cromer, Plaintiff's Attorneys. November 19, 1920. j - Tni_r I,,,,*,, TrtV,n P Sfpv-I I -'10 Hit; JLSUi.cziuai.rM> uuum a. . . iat Last * " ' I I I' ly a few more days before you to buy early in order to . The people of Newberry this store handles, so why J ely guarantee every articii ! i *r and Repair Man now in j vill give prompt attention to pairs. Gifts bought at this 2E. le many items we now have appropriate for Christmas. WATCHES, BAR PINS, LA VALUERS, PEARLS, \TCH CHAINS, WATCH IS, CUFF LINKS, STICK ELTS, etc., etc. :k :;nd get'our prices before WCiSJ U?UUi C j f ens, Samuel I). Stevens, Nathaniel: Stevens, Moses P. Stevens* Robert' P. Stevens, George M. Day, H. V. i Brewer, co-partners in business trad- j ing under the firm name of J. P.! Stevens & Company: 'I You are hereby notified that the! Summons and Complaint in this ac ,1 < Ua A r 4 Vw * LiOIl WilS 1!SCU ill Llitr wt . Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas for Newberry County, South Carolina, on November 22r.fl, 1920, and is now on lile there. R. B. Herbert, H. N. Edmunds, Hunt,' Hunt & Hunter, Mower & Bynum, George B. Cromer, Plaintiff's Attorneys, j Newberry, S. C. 12-7-31-1 taw SALE OF PERSONAL PROPERTY We will sell at the late residence of T. P. Pitts on Wednesday, Decern-j ber 15 at 10 o'clock the following personal property of said deceased:! 3 mules, 1 horse, 1 mare, 1 rake, j 1 binder, corn and -fodder, 1 buggy,! 1 wagcn, farm implements, etc. W. 0. Pitts, ! J. M. Counts, Executors of T. P. Pitts, Deceased. J NOTiCE. Whereas, stock certificate 16.3 in the Peoples National Bank of Prosperity, South Carolina, for one! .share of stock, which said certificate is the property of the undersigned, has been lost: Notice is hereby given that the undersigned will apply to the Peoples! National JBank of Prosperity, South Carolina, on January 1'7, 1921, for o nam porf-ifinnf-o n-f dfrvlr tn hn is sued in lieu of the above certificate,! which has been lost. (Signed) Mrs. S. S. Tillman, Trenton, S. C. Trentcn, S. C,, Nov. 80, 1920. J 2-3-61. NOTICE FINAL SETTLEMENT. I will make a final settlement of the estate of Annie Marcus in the Probate Court for Newberry county, South Carolina, on Thursday the 30th day of December, 1920, at 10 o'clock, inv the forenoon and will immediately thereafter ask for my discharge as administrator of said estate. All persons holding claims against estate of Annie Marcus, deceased, will present same duly attested to the undersigned, on or before December 30, 1920. T. A. Williams, Adm. Newberry, S. C. Nov. 29, 1920. j 1 t To prevent a cold take 668.?Adv. | PETITION FOR APPOINTMENT j OF GUARDIAN. Notice is hereby given that the un- j cler.signed, on their petition filed for that purpose, will apply to the Presiding Judge of the Court of Common Pleas to be holden at the usual place of judicature in the Town of Newberry, in the County of Newberry, in the State of South Carolina- on Monday, the loth day of December, 1920, This is a ren Thrift Day. To it is the anniversc ed the habit of tl * For many ot til a Kaopinninor_ an "**w " right now. With the pei and the country i 5UIULC lictuddiljr u ing brought hom< If you haver on this National for the purpose c in your financial Feel free to oladi to exnlain t< O JL count here. The Natioi A f? ? b. c, Matthews, President. State, Cour Membe ymm.f - II 1 . urn mm-m. < at 10 o'clock A. M., or as soon thereafter as saiii petition may be heard, for the appointment of the Judge of Probate of Newberry County, in ihej j State of South Carolina, as Public; j Guardian of the estate of Ella Bee <' I Collins, a minor?the nature, condition and value of the estate of said ; minor being twenty dollars per month from about the 11th day of j January, 1920, to be paid by the j i United States Government as com-1 Ipensation for said minor who is the j j child of James Collins, a soldier who died in England on or about Febru-! ary 2, 31)11). while in the service of1 I the United States Government as a | member of Company A, 346th Labor 'Battalion?said compensation to continue until said minor attains the age of eighteen years. No fit, competent or responsible person can be found j who is willing lb assume said trust, i Klossie Bowman, O'Neal Bowman. Nov. 22, 1920. 1 ll-26-2t-taw. 1 i NOTICE TO WATER CONSUMERS j After December 31st inst., the re-1 VtltVtrVA, r llUiwii.wu.. va. ~ ~ ~ 1 per ;he month (which minimum was j put into effect iast summer during , water shortage) will be discontinued, and the old ruling of $1 min. charge per the month on each water meter j will go back into effect. H. W. Schumpert, Sunerintendent. j 12-10-2t. tt&SfctfaS&iiifaKSBlifaJ&iMiSlSa i SB Acccpt 1 .W.W.PI gg , a No Substitutes \U for S ?3 ' | Thedford's 2 g Purely B | Vegetable ? | liver Medicine 1 m f.9 bbI iBBBBBBBBBHHHM WOOD SAWN Do not forget that when you bi chine, cut of which you have seen with Bosch Magneto, and jvhich This machine is also controlled by prevents stopping of Engine ev( ' Saw. And last but not least this the machines that are not equipp not have Lever Control. COLUMBIA SUP! 823 West Gervai* St. \ / linder that January many thousands thn iry of the day upon 1 irift. hers this National Ti id no better time will riod of abnormal co in. process of readju f habits of economy e to everyone. i i't a bank account, ir Thrift Day. This In >f rendering you val affairs. call on your officei > you how simple it i u\ Bank of jerry, South Car T. K. JOHNSTONE, Cashier. ity and City r Federal Reserve 1 / * MEAN AND CROSS? HOW'S YOUR LIVER? Try SarDraS, An Excelent Stimulant and Tonic. One's disposition depends largely on the condition of the body. Hot tempers usually are the result of sluggisn livers, poor aigesnon, sxomp.ch troubles, etc. The nervous system can't be expected to operate smoothly when the digestion is upset. A mean, cross disposition in the morning before breakfast is a pretty bad indication. The system * needs cleansing. Many wise folks take pains to keep their bodies properly. A tablespoonful of SarDraS before each meal will tone up the digestion, stimulate the stomach, enliven the liver ' and purify the blood. A scientific stimulant and tonic prepared from medicinal roots and herbs. Im proves neann ana disposition uy_ cleansing the body and regulating its organs. Does what the common laxatives can not do. Contains no alcohol. All dealers and jobbersM. M. BUFORD it skill selling lots in the Middle Georgia Oil & Gas Company at SarHersviile, Georgia DRILLING OPERATIONS NOW ON BIG MONEY IN OIL Why hesitate when the conditions ?? wli*n evunr tat Bar* chased at $35 each carries with it the right of participating il all profits and leases of the company. My headquarters are at Wm. John* son & Son's store. If more eotfw* lent drop me a card end 1 will call to see you. . Persons who have purchased lots would do well to increase their hold* ings. Liberty bonds taken in pay* ment of lots at market price. We are on the last lap in selling stock. Read D. L. Boozer's letter on the Middle Georgia Oil and Gas company. "j M. M. BUFORD IG MACHINE | k ly our Type "W" Drag Saw main the paper, that you buy one1 alone sells for about $40.00. lever and Friction Clutch, which ?ry time you wish to stop the machine sells for no more than ed with Bosch Magneto, and do 1 PLY COMPANY Columbia, S. C. "I 1 . 1 V 1 17 is National >ughout the land which they start- * i ,i i j irift Day will be j 1 ever come than j ! - i [ nditions ending, ! stmpnt. the ab and thrift is betake a beginning stitution is here liable assistance AIT 11 K* I Sy Uicjr ww iu ww s to open an ac 0 Newberry _ 1!_ . A ouna I W.W.CROMER I Assistant Cashier. Depository J System m