The watchman and southron. (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, May 24, 1911, Image 4
ff jjc dulatcbmaii ;tirt Routinen.
I'uoIi-Im .i VYcune^t i> unit Saturday.
?BY?
OSTEEN PUBLISHING COMPANY
8CMTKU, ?. C.
Tonus:
fl.50 per annum?In advance.
ArivertUcmeuls:
One Square Mrst insertion.|1?H
Every subsequent insertion.. ..
Contract* for three months, or
loafer will be made at r< dated tates.
All communication 4 which sub
Serve private Interests will be charged
for aa advertisements.
Obituaries and tribute* of rOap< el
Will be charged for.
The Sumter w ii> hman was found?
ed In 1850 and the True Southron in
IUI The Watchman and Southron
mow has ths combined circulation and
Influvac? cf both of the old papers,
maul Is manifestly the best advertising
snedium la Sumter.
Complaint of poor stands of cotton
la geuerul and the acreage of cotton
that has been plowed up and replant?
ed 1* greater this yeas, thun for many
years. The farmers who planted cot?
ton early aa a rule have fine stands,
the crop has been chopped out, is free
of grase ?nd in excellent condition, al?
though rain Is now needed.
? ? ?
The organisation of the school
trustees aasociatlon ad Sumter county
which was affected Saturday marks
an epoch In the improvement of the
eubtte aehools, and we expect far
reaching results from the cooperation
of the trustees,
? ? ?
Jones, the I'nion county wife-killer,
failed to oMata the expected pardon,
let there Is no need for him to lose
hope. if he will go gently to the
Penitentiary, conduct himself so as to
gain the reputation of being a model
prisoner, curb his appetite so that he
will loee flesh, cultivate a chronic
rough and frame up another petition
for pardon on the plea of chronic ill
health, he can easily turn the trick
%nd secure hla freedom.
? a s
The turn that affairs have taken
in Mexico and practical certainty of
peace within a short time, is a ter?
rible disappointment to the hero of
?^Alone In Cuby."
? ? ?
The subscription campaign am' V?t?
ting contest which Is being conducted
Jor the Dally Item and Watchm in and
Southron by the United Contost Ad?
vertising company, will be the means
?f dUtrihuting $900 worth of prizes
among those who interest themselves
la securing new subscribers for those
newspapers. The contest for the six
valuable prises will be close and ex?
alting and STill arouse great interest
we feel sure. The contestants who
begin early and make an active can?
vass for subscriptions stand the best
ahaace of winning one of the capital
orlse*.
t t ?
The editors who will gather In an?
nual session In Columbia next week
will put to the prooi the easts that Co?
lumbia is the "square meal" town,
ess
The church of St. Anne which was
dedicated I ir da> is not the largest in
Ihe t?.s.. ot <'harle*ton. but lllshop
Kertbr >p has not within his jurU
dleCion a more beautiful or more per?
fectly approved church edlllce. It is
a gem architecturally and In construc?
tion ?and is a credit not only to this
parish t ut to thj IHoceso.
e o e
I
Th*- bo..ks of registration for the
special bond election to be held on
June /'t i loned Monday afternoon and
comparatively f< w ha\c registered, but
aa the law la construed that all wha
registered f..r the las: regular munlclal
election are ent'tlcd to vote In any
special election and that the special
registration Is merely supplementary,
the poll list will not be so limited as
the special registration would Indicate.
Ilow ^turner 4.oi a Hundred Thou*,
anil hollar Hotel.
Rock Mill Reeses!
Mr. b I>. /enalagi ll mayor of
Sumter. He is likewise president of
the Chamber of Com nie? ce there, in
the latter position io- fnu constantly
hesleffrd by Sumterite-< to push the
movemenr for a new hotel. He took
them at their word, called a no,ting,
and ttfcSSS ptemssM told hlni to go
ahead.
Mr. ./.imlngs *ent OVOff to Char*
b-t'e. asm c,resham. the hotel man,
took htio mmsl to Sumter. called an?
other p it lie meeting?and then
thing* happ. n-d Mr. Hreshain told
the meeting that If the eltlzens of
Sumter would subscribe and pay In
cash 110,000, ho would build and
operate In Sumter g hotel to cost
$100,000 exclusive of furnishings, and
the**, latter h? would pay for him?
self.
That was pore s*jBtg*MSV
And what waa again bmslnea, the
Sumterltes subscribe,| the $l0,0tf b. -
fore the sseatlag edjoumed,
OsgsteejmsgfM SmaHet mill have a
lioii.ooo hot. I run ?.\ on. of th. n,
h'?tel iron In the country.
N ' hot all. All business.
CREOSOTE TARIFF LIFTtD.1
HX1 Mil llol.Ds HECRKTAR\ OF
TREASURE RCSPONSlBIiK.
Hoawr Insjali j Brings out Mlegatlons
That Cu bine! OttCCr \\a^ Kind l<?
Kailrotds.
Wadiington, May 22.?Testifying
before the home oomnilttoe on ex?
penditures In the treasury department
today. J. B, B. Stuart, former col
leetor of cuetomi nl Newport News
said I'rankiin MacVeagh, secretary of
the treasury. had told him the de?
partment reversed a ruling, calling
for eollectlon of a II per cent, duty
on oreoaote Importations because the
railroads c.oild not afford to pay duty |
on that commodity.
Another witness lentiflod that Sec?
retary IfaeVeagh'l brother had inter
-'?d himself in the matter.
Mr. Stuart.w ho Instigated an in
vestigation into creosote imports at
New Mrleans last fall, charging that
the government was losing millions in
revenue because oreoaote, dutiable at
L'<> per cent ad valorem, was being
admitted an creosote oil free cf duty,
was summoned before the committee
as the result of testimony given pre?
viously in executive session by Allan
L. Benson.
Mr. Stuart related how he found
that no duty was being collected at
New Orleans from foreign ships I
whose manif :sto showed their cargoes
to be creosote, the cargoes being re?
ceived as creosote oil. which Is on
the* free list. He told how last Sep?
tember A. Platt Andrew, assistant
secretary of thv treasury, had ordered
that duty he collected on such im?
ports, and that subsequently Mr. Cur?
tis, assistant secretary, had reversed
the order, claiming the goods were
not subject to revenue, because they
did not contain as much as 2 per cent
of chlorine gas and could not be
classed refined creosote. He said
he had called on Mr. Curtis and was
Informed of the decision and that he
visited Mr. MacVeagh, who explained
the decision.
"Did Mr. MacVeagh give any rea?
son for the order?" Mr. Cox, chair?
man of the committee asked.
"Yes," Mr. Stuart replied. "He
said the railroads could not afford to
pay duty on It."
"Was that the only reason he
gave?" asked the chairman.
"That Is the only one I recall."
was the reply.
Previously Allan U Bonaou had
told tho committee In executive ses?
sion that Stuart had told him of the
remarks Secretary MacVeagh is al?
leged to have made.
Bataaoa also visited the secretary
of the treasury to inquire about the
creosote ruling- He told the commit?
tee Mr. MacVeagh had Informed him
that "my instinct told me my assist?
ant. Mr. Curtis, has done right In
reversing the ruling In favor of the
railroads."
When the committee asked if Mr.
JfacVeagh gave any reason, Mr. Ben?
sog replied:
".Mr. afacVs igh laid timber ivai
becoming very SCaroe in this country
ami that everybody should dg what
he could to preserve and conserve
what timber we have. He said It
made a very serious difference with
the railroads whether they paid the
duty or n >t. He did not say to me
in so many words, but he did say the
ratroadl ought to be encouraged to
use that preservative. j
"He also said his brother, Wayne,
had called Og him to Inquire what
the department waa going to do In
the creosote matter, and be said he
told him they were going to admit
it free and that his brother then
said. That was right.*
Mr. Curtis, assistant secretary of
the treasury) was present at the heat?
ing today. He will be called as wit?
ness before the committee later In
the week.
Mr. Cox said the Inquiry would be
prolonged.
In the Police Court.
Tin- following cases were tried in
I he Police Court Monday by Re
? uder Lee;
Tom Wilson. James Wilson, Jim
Stuttle, Dave Williams and Jim Rose
were Interrupted arly that morning
in a liitv game of skin by Policemen
Owens, Williams and Ward, who had
the e.doted card players in court to
answer to the charge of gambling.
Others of those who were engaged in
ti>e name managed to escape the
gl ip of the officers. Tom Wilson
and Jim Rosa plead guilty and were
lined $1", each, while the others,
against Whom there was no positive
evidence, were allowed lo go with ft
flue of ll.tl each,
Cyrus Arthur. To public drunken?
ness, was food I ."..on or la days.
A lot of new i.ks fur young people
have bang received al the library as
well as a number of bonks for older
people.
See the s. M. Pierson Company be?
fore y.ni purchase your binder twine.
Lit- It?W,
Farmers' U
K Practical Thoughts i
R iCouducted by E, W. Dabbe, Tie
Some Random Thought*.
\w have often mentioned the. suc?
cessful operation of the Eastern Shore
Produce Exchange, of Maryland, This
week we have articles from the Am
erican Agriculturist, giving more in?
formation about thla exchange, it is
proof conclusive that farmers can or
ganlse and successfully run a business
enterprise and that they should no
longer '"cuss" the middleman and
commission houses for doing what
they, the producers, should do Cor
themselves?find the places where
thslr Stuff Is In demand and then gup
ply that demand.
see
It Is still very dry. I ?ats are ready
to cut, Corn is getting all the humilia?
tion Mr. Itclver Williamson could
with, if only enough fertilisers will
now be applied and have everything
in readiness to lay by as soon as the
rains come and it begins to grow,
there will be a bumper corn crop
made this year. At least one-third
?f the cotton is not yet up nor will it
i tine UP until it rains. It Is cu?
rious, but every one seems to expert
ra'.n about the time oat-cutting he?
roines general. Hence not a few will
try to get she) d of the rain by cut?
ting oats just s lltle before they arc
ripe.
? ? ?
The next meeting of the county
Farmers' Union will be at Salem
school house next week, Friday, June
2nd. We ought to have important
report! from twa> committees that
will make the meeting of more than
usual Interest.
E. W. D.
FARMERS' EXCHANGE MAKES
HISTORY.
PlonScre in the Field?Former Meth?
ods of Fleecing Farmers outlined?
Commission Men and Local Buyer*
Profit at Farmers' Expense?Grow
ers Organise to Fight for Tholt
nights ? Exchange Victorious?
Handles Two-Thirds Produce of the
lection.
By N, P, WesCOtt, General Counsel for
Exchange.
Eleven years ago, in spite of great
natural advantages and the uniform
industry of a large population of ?mail
farmers, the eastern shore of Virginia
was not prosperous. Tn the decadf
ending with 1S99, it was not unusual
for prime, sweet potatoes to drop,
after a brief reign Of early high price
to 40 or even 30 cents a barrel and
sell at this figure without hope of ,v
covery, though cost of production wsi
nearly $1 and the barrel alone a? that
time cost 13 to 20 cents. In fact,
many a car of Choice Irish Of sweet
potatoes, though they might reach
market in faultless condition and be
paid well for by the persons who con?
sumed them. brought back to the
producer only a few postage stamp--,
or perhaps even a bill for part of the
freight?to meet Which the unhappy
farmer could only offer more of his
1 rathi r leas than valueless potatoes,
.\t that time two methods of mar?
keting were In vogue on the penin?
sula. The older was the familiar sys?
tem of shipping to commission mer?
chants "on c mslgnment," transpor?
tation charges and a commission of 8
to t" per cent to be deducted from
gros-; sales, the balance remitted to the
shipper. Aside from the obvious, and
generally overrated. Invitation to fraud
in the fact thai the commission man
I "held the bag" and that the farmer
had no ( heck upon the accounting,
the system was full of serious evils.
| Shipments were made gen > rally In
small lots, taking the highest rate of
fr< Ight and imposing on the commis?
sion mere'..ant. who must handle his
business In this finely divided state, a
high rate of operating expense, neces?
sitating high commislons, The big
eastern markets near by proved more
attractive to the average small farm?
er, and shipments were practically
confined to a half dosen cities, , hiefly
New York. Philadelphia, Baltimore
and Boston,
< ? I in ^ Offer Speculative Chances.
Generally after a brief period of
high prices for scant early shipments.
i the consuming capacity of these cities
was exceeded ami their markets be?
came glutted. As highly perlshsblc
goods, like vegetables, must find a
prompt sale at sonn- price or become
utterly worthless, the Ural result was
that the bottom dropped out of the
markets so overloaded, Then Inevi?
tably the demoralisation of prices
would gradually spread to all other
accessible markets, New York espec?
ially being a potent, since, ns any ex?
perienced produce min knows. its
j market is a closely watched barometer
for those of the entire country,
sinee the early stages of'every such
nion News
ND ?
?or Practical Farmers
sideNt Farmers' (Dion of Sumter
County.)
glut offered attractive opportunities
for speculation through reshipment t-#
markets still unaffected, a largo part
of the potatoes consigned to the east?
ern cities were finally consumed in
smaller towns and more distant se< -
tions which did not attract con.'ign
ments. But it was the undertaking
of the commission man to sell only In
his own home city. If the New York
price for potatoes dropped to 50 centfl
a barrel, while the still normally sup?
plied Chicago market was paying
$i.7"?, the New York commission mer?
chant could account to the shipper at
Till cents and Sell the goods to hit
neighbor, or turn them >ver to him?
self at that price for reshipment to
Chicago, Thus many thousands bar?
rels of produce for which the retail
dealers In Chicago and St. Louis paid
a good price netted the farmer ab?
solutely nothing, the difference being
i consumed In speculators' profit, cost
of rehandllng, double freights and the
i decay and gem rai deterioration Inct
I dent to delay and rough usage in this
roundabout way of reaching a final
destiatlon.
Local Buyers Prove Bloodsuckera.
Tiie second and newer method of
I distribution, which was gradually
? supplanting the consignment system.
' eliminated these w astes, but was even
j more disastrous for the farmer.
Around almost every station and
wharf there had come to operate one
i or several local buyers. A3 the sole
? agency intervening between producer
: and wholesaler, the local buyer would
naturally be expected to exert a con
t
i slderable Influence on the general
trend of prices. Various factors
combined to accentuate that influence
and to give it a direction ever down
> ward.
In the first plac;?, though the buyer
usually operated on his own or bor
" rowed capital, paying the farmers
" cash and collecting later from the dis
' tant who esaler, on whose order he
' bought, yet the profits of his business
generally took the shape of a fixed
" brokerage of 5 cents a barrel regard
' less of price. It was thus directly to
his interest, and to the interest of his
' class, not only to force down the price
j to the bottom of the market on each
: individual purchase, as would he the
i j case generally with any buyer, hut
I j to force down the market and to pro
i. duce and maintain the lowest range of
i ' prices possible. The lower the price
1 I the more barrels his limited capital
would enable him to handle and *ho
i more nlckles he could get.
I The only real competition armm ?
the local buyers was in the selling
i end of the business. Bach buyer had
usually his own following of growers,
who would sell to him by preference;
the buyers were well acquainted
among themselves, and reports were
frequent of nightly agreements
among them to tix the next day's
prices. Farmer! generally have scant
acquaintance with general market
i conditions. When prices decline they
b< come panicky and sell their crops
; even more freely than on a rising
market, in short, potatoes were gen?
erally plentiful and easy to get; se?
curing orders was the rub, and in the
J fight to get orders, as all had the same
product to offer, their only weapon
was underselling.
it became the ordinary practice of
the local buyer Hrsl to wire out his
? quotations early each morning and
j later In the day. when the loaded carts
and wagons began coming In, to till
the orders thus secured by buying up
the potatoes which he had already
sohl in the confident assurance thai
the farmer would take whatever price
he offered, Thus the grower had vir?
tually no voice In the bargain In which
be was vitally concerned.
Co-operation Decided Upon.
Moved by a healthy discontent with
these conditions and Inspired with
sotm me isut e of practical Imagination,
a few Individuals In the fall of 1899
set to work to establish a union of
eastern farmers to supplant both com?
mission nun and local buyers, sub?
stitute Intelligent and purposeful dis?
tribution of the section's products for
haphasard methoda of marketing, and
put eastern shore farming on a profi?
table basis,
i Their work was original, they had
no known method to build on. On
general principles and plain horse
sense, however. a definite plan was
i formulated and a ( harter secun ?1 for
i the eastern shore of Virginia produce
? exchange. How well Ita founders
hullded, ami above all, how sound la
the principle of co-operation on
which they relied, becomes apparent
on .i brief statement of some further
facts:
Within three years, notwithstanding
? a very general condition of apathy
ami a large measure of skepticism
i encountered at the outset, and In ?plle
of the bitterest son of u light put up;
by tin- local buyers and some com?
mission men, Iii?- exchange had come'
to handle nearly two-thirds ut the
farm products of the peninsula, I
while the average price obtained had
exceeded that ol th, preceding three
year period by probably 50 -mi.- a
barrel.
(?rowtli Has lb-en Phenomenal.
Since that time Its growth has been
continuous and phenominal. Ii now
has a working capital of |120,000,
markets seven-tenths of the produce
of the peninsula, and for several Near
lias done an annual business for Its
members of from $2,250,600 to $2,
500,000. in the year just past, it
marketed 1,030,56!) barrels of Irish
potatoes and 824,767 barrels of sweet
potatoes, with gome 200 cars of straw?
berries and a BufTtcienl quantity of < th
er minor crops to make ;i total of ov r
2,000,000 packages. or 10,000 tats.
This is probably double the total pro?
duction of the peninsula for any Near
preceding the exchange's organization
an expansion made possible only by
persistent efforts to open up new mar?
kets and constant work of intelligent
and expansive distribution.
Throughout all this period, although
seasonal and national market condi?
tions beyond any local control have
occasionally (and notably in the two
years just past) conspired to rob th ?
eastern shore farmer of his profits,
prices have been constantly maintain?
ed at the highest level possible under
these general conditions, and under
what local oop< sitlon has remained,
and there has never been any return
or near approach to the chronic
Bieget of disastrously low prices for
choice produce, which had come regu
la ly to prevail before the ( Ki hange
was organized.
in short, taking the lean years with
the fat. as all the farmers, and espec?
ially all truck farmers must do, it
has unquestionably been the economic
salvation of its section. In its life,
local farm land has trebled in value;
and it has been said that any eastern
shore man who wants convincing
proof of the worth of the exchang *
need only look from his window arid
see it in any direction.
The positive working principles
through which this success has been
achieved are equally capable cf ap?
plication in other sections. Of this a
constant succession of requests from
all parts of the United States and even
occasionally from Europe for infarm
tlon concerning them, as Nvell as the
half dozen more recent co-operative
association! patterned more or less
closely after this, which are now suc?
ceeding in other States, are sufficient
proof. In next week's isue these
principles as developed and made per?
fect will bo presented.
Working Principles lor Success,
1. The elimination to the utmost
possible extent of middlemen and the
establishment of a homo market.
Ninety per cent of all produce
handled by the exchanges is sold f. o.
b, loading point direct to the distant
wholesale dealer; in some cases to the
retail grocer. The advantage of the
home market thus created is evident
from the fact that frequently for
many days in succession the associa?
tion Belle at its own home w harve.
and stations for prices equal to those
prevailing in New York city.
The remaining one-tenth, which is
handled on consignment by specially
authorized selling agents of the ex?
change in the eastern cities, is made
up largely of odd lota and inferior
grades of produce which the ex?
change is unwilling shall injure the
reputation of its standard goods by
selling.
2. Intelligent distribution iimong
all available markets. Both Western
Union ami postal telegraph operators
arc stationed in the association's of
llce and exclusive trunk wires from
thla room to Philadelphia give the
exchange quick access t ? all parts of
both systems. Constant telegraphic
communication is maintained with
every important market in the United
States cast of the Pacific slope
ami with the chief cities of Canada
and all sales are made by wire.
Bach morning the day's sales
campaign is planned bj the general
manager, who is thus constantly in
touch with the exact situation in iv?
ory section, ami nn hose constant aim
it is only to procure for hia members
each day t ic best prices obtainable
under the general market conditions
prevailing, but also to keep every
market supplied in proportion to its
varying needs ami to avoid glutting
any market. A persistent effort is
also made continually to open up hcns
markets.
Last Near the exchange sold to
71 different customers in 300 cities
and towns stuttered over SO states
and territories, and it paid th,- tnn o
telegraph companies slightly over
$20,000 for telegrams.
Vigilance the Price of Success.
:t. Constant watchfulness against
forces tending to break the market.
Though in in? sense a buying or spec?
ulative enterprise, the exchange, in
Its light with th,- local buyers, does
? not hesitate to buy from non-members
for ? ash at an advance over 'he pi ii . ?
offered by these buyers when neces
| sary to protect the general market
Makes Home Baking Easy
be
CC
1>I
POWDER
Absolutely Pure
The only baking powder
made from Royal Crape
Cream of Tartar
NO ALUM.N0 LIME PHOSPHATE
a*ainst their Itearish tendencies]. In
the season just past $23,000 was thus
expended and it Ii a n ?table fact and
?. n which f generally underatood
w< aid deprive the last local buyer of
his remaining following that the
goods so bought wore sold by the ex?
change at a profit of over $400 in ad?
option to the regular B per cent com
m'ssion. Had the* uon-meanbers
n members this would, of
rae, have gone into their pockets.
The establishnn nt. through
per culling and packing, insured
by rigid Inapectton of a Axed stand?
ard of excellence f >r the products of
the exchange and of a national mar?
ket reputation for its trademark. In?
stead of the grab-bag. prize-package
affair, typified by the usual barrel of
produce, the exchange aims to offer
its customers a standard article of
merchandise, of quality to be relied
upon and as nearly uniform as the
peculiar conditions of agricultural
production will allow.
For this purpose it employs at each
of its 41 shipping poims me or more
inspectors, whose duty is to examine
every lot of produce sub nitted for
shipment and apply or wb^hoid the
official brand. Two general inspec?
tor.--, and at times four, are also em?
ployed to go constantly from point to
point, examining and directing the
work of the local men. striving con?
stantly for uniformity and urging
backward points up to proper stand?
ards.
If a lot of potatoe? i? foond con
tain small sizes
culled out, or
duly bruised or
way defective, o
under size or slack-packed, the lot
must be sold as unbranded goods, or
else consigned to some nearby mar?
ket, to be sold on its merits under
personal examination by the buyer.?
Trogrosive Farmer.
TEDDY WANTS Till. .JOB?
Would Lead Army Against Mexico
if Intervention < omrs?
Washington. May 19,?A piece of
gossip heard here, but which cannot
be confirmed and is sent : r s iat
it is worth, is to the effect rhat CoL
Roosevelt has asked t" b?s am wed
to command our arms f interven?
tion in Mexico becomes ntcessaty,
and that President Taft v ii! grant
the request in that event.
District Confer c.i, e.
I llshopvllle Vindicator.
The Sumter District Conference
convened yesterday evening at 8:30 p.
m. Opening by Rev. R. B. sharpe.
There will bi one hundred d< legatee
who will lind pleasant homes am
our people*
Presiding Elder W. T. bunonn 1
preside and there will be serv
morning, afternoon and even
Public cordially Invited net only to
the devotional services, but to the
business session.
F.xcurslon to Jacksonville ami Tampa.
Florida, via. The Atlantic Coaat
Line.
On Tuesday. June 5th, the Atlantic
coast Line win sell round trip tickets
from Sumter to Jacksonville, Fla., at
$6.60 and to Tampa at .<V."<>. limited
returning to reach Sumter not later
than midnight on Tuesday, June 13.
1911.
Extra sleeping cars ami < caches
sufficient to ;n > ommodate all pass?
engers will be placed on trains and
? verythlng will be done by the man?
agement of the Atlantic Coast Line
to make this a first class excursion.
Proportionate rates will be made
from other points in Virginia, North
Carolina ami South Carolina.
For tickets, Pullman accommoda?
tions and schedules see the nearest
infill - or address, t. c. White, General
Passenger Agent, or W. J. Cralg,
Passenger Traffic Manager, Wilming?
ton, x. C.
See the s. m. Fiei von Company be
fore you purchase your bind? r twin<
' 12-41 \\