Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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Cotton Acreage Meeting! More Than Three Hundred; Farmers of Sumter County Pledge Themselves to Re duce Acreage. ?;- I The Cotton Acreage Reduction mass meeting which was held in the^ Court House Friday at noon, in re-^ sponse to the /proclamation of Gov.! Cooper, was altogether a most con- i vincing and heartening demonstra- j tion that-the farmers are aroused to the gravity of the situation and that they are in the fight for industrial in-. dependence heart, soul and pocket-j books. Every section of the county; was represented and every class of farmer?the big farmers who plant a ?housand or more acres, the land! owner who farms extensively on the; share-crop plan, the small farmers, rthe renters and the share-croppers; were all.there. And they were all of| <qne mind?rthey are determined _ toj c^peT?te in the South-wide cotton" acreage reduction plan formulated at t&K New- Orleans Cotton Conference. Wheir; thequestion of endorsing the New- Orreans plan and pledging them sevles to carry out its'" provisions as t& reduction ?f acreage and the use j of ^fertilizer wasv put to a vote prac- ? /tic?iiy every man. in the house, white j ami" ctriored, stood ? to be counted, j When the negative vote was called! for; hot a. man stood up. And furth-.j ernrore when Chairman Jennings ex- j plained-the need of money to pay the' .?e^sary expenses of the campaign! and stated that the State committee j !Sad asked that each man who signed) the pJedgerpay ten cents per acre of! coft?n"planted this year, the response! waVrmnx^ considerably more i lianr half of those who signed pledges Gratia- over; their acreage fee . on the j spot, wMle others promised to pay 'J laterr** Tlfce" farmers will support the! acreage: reduction campaign and wiir n%ancer ^ the limit necessary to make it ? success, "i 1^ Meeting; was called to order l>y- Chairman Jennings who stated' that he had been requested to act in tK?T^a^cfty by the State committee, lie \d^scus^ed the New . Orleans plan briefly vbut comprehensively, explain ing": tBe- situation and the necessity for action by the farmers of the * Sbntii:if they would save themselves' section of the country from ba^kj&ptcy. He gave palin facts that cannot be jiedged or explained away and told the crowd that it was now a simple question whether or not the farmers and business men of the fiottth had; the sense and the back bone to save themselves. If they, haven't, they will go back into a con- j ditien of slavery to the cotton specu- j Uit?|^. - Mr.-. J.;. Frank Williams, county fiirm demonstrator, was called on to y^fejplain the ptan of organization for "the county and the campaign that win be* made to secure the pledges of alt the-fanners in the county. This he did, saying that he would need She-active help and co-opeartion of ^??p?b*fc spirited- men to serve on. the 0<>mmittees that- would be named to' ?ecur* pledges from farmers in each school district, and he said that he felt sure that he would receive all the hel? -tha*: he needed. The commit tees" will be announced by Mr. Wil Htims early next wek. Mr. Williams j digressed from the campaign to j xLtge the farmers to plant corn, velvet | beans, and other food crops for m?n! -K^and beast, assuring the crowd that these crops were fully as profitable as cotton and that this had been proven by the experience of a number of farmers in this county within the past tw<> .yearis., Mr. J. F. Bland of Mayesville. one of the most extensive cotton planters of the county was called on to state his views. He said he would not make a speech, but would say that he was in hearty sympathy with the plan, had signed the pledge and would stick to it to the letter. Mr. EL W. Dabbs was the only farmer present who made any criti cism of the New Orleans plan. He expressed the objection that farmers, like himself, who had been follow ing a rational systm of crop diver sification for years and had not been in the habit of planting more, or very Tittle more than fifty per cent of their land in cotton, should not be expected* to reduce 33 1-3 per cent, while" tire* all-cotton "farmers reduced their cotton \ only the same percen tage. H$ said " that he had planted; llrae~'more than twelve acres'of cot ttfi'-to the plow and had produced large crops of grain and many hogs, a large part of which was still on haiid for lack of a market. In these circumstances he did not feel that 'it was a fair proposition to expect th'Sse situated as' he and others were to reduce their small cotton acreage' still more, and the all-cotton farmers, after reducing: 33 1-3 per cel?t would be planting more acres to the., plow. Mr. R, L Manning addressed the meeting on the cotton situation, re viewmg conditions here and abroad, and stressed the importance and ne ceSfeSity.of;the farmers controlling the eoiton drop and being in a position to, dictate when and how the crop 8fcaU. be sold. Hy reduction of acreage, by keeping the supply of cotton only equal to or less than the demarfd the farmer can demand and will receive; a fair price for his labor and the use'of his land. Not only the prosperity of the South but its industrial safety is at stake, he said. We are facing a crisis, and the way we of the South meet it wili deter mine our well-being or our poverty and dependence for years to come. He said that he had so arranged his firming interests that the acreage W?Uld be reduced and that the plan would be carried out on all the land he controlled. He appealed to the farmers of Sumter county to en dorse the movement and to stand fast to the end. Mr. Jennings stated that last year he planted only fifty per cent of his land in cotton, in fact a little l<-ss than'that proportion, but he had al ready arranged to reduce his cotton j acreage, share-crops and all, one-; third as required by the plan. He also'j asserted that he was sure that where j there was a will there was always a way, and that every on*^ could re-' duce his cotton acreage one-third and profit by so doing: personally, and at the same time help the move ment for the benefit of the whole South. Mr. Neill O'Donnell also endorsed cotton acreage reduction and a cur tailment in the use of fertilizer. He said it would never.do to reduce the cotton acreage and then have the word go out that while the cotton acreage had been reduced that the fertilizer per acre had been increased. Such a policy would defeat the move ment. He said he was confident that the intelligent farmers of the county would endorse the plan arid carry it out. He cited several instances, calling names, to show that a number of farmers had already enlisted in the cause and were reducing their acreage and curtailing their fertig er. Expressions of opinion from the audience were called for, either for or against the plan. A number of ques tions were asked and ? explanations given by Mr. Jennings, Gov. Man ning and others. Then a vote for the adoption of the plan was called for, and the result was as above stated. Pledges were then distributed and signed, by a majority of those pres ent. Chairman Jennings called for funds on" the basis of ten cents per acre and nearly four hundred dollars were paid in and a considerable amount in addition pledged. As soon as the pledges can be tabulated the amount of cotton plant ed last year and the acreage this year will,be ascertained and pub lished, and the amount of reduction will be known to all. Share Croppers to Reduce Wannamaker Says Tenants Arc to Cut Average. I Columbia, March 1.?What part will the share croppers have in the campaign for the reduction of cotton acreage? Governor Cooper, Com missioner Harris arid the State cot ton association have had this ques tion put to them 'by numbers of, farmers. The position of the cotton association is set forth in the follow ing extract from a letter to F. Bar ron Grier of Greenwood from J. Skottowe Wannamaker, State chair man. "The committee has construed the cotton reduction of 33 1-3 per cent j in acreage as follows: j "This is to be an absolute reduction of one-third of all cotton planted: ip 1919 as compared to 1918. This is; to include, the cotton you plant with share croppers, including their total acreage as-well as the total acreage as well as the total acreage on the main farm, 1919 cotton to be one third less than the total acreage planted in 1918. It is a rule that this will not require an absolute separate reduction of one-third on each share cropper, but the total reduction on the total area planted must sho\y one-third loss. ."Concerning "renters, it is urged that the landlord use every effort in his power to induce the renter to re duce one-third, as he will have more influence with him than anyone else. "Reports in from every section of the belt are highly gratifying', and we believe that this will be the most suc cessful campaign ever undertaken in *he South, it being backed by farm ers, merchants, bankers?in fact, every business interest in the entire South/' The landlord question is one that has been brought to the attention of the committee. Joseph L. Keitt of Xewberry has reported that fn one school district most of the land is owned by large land owners and they refuse to reduce rent upon the re duction of acreage and tenants will not sign pledges unless this is done. Mr. Wannamaker has replied that landlords should be patriotic enough to take part of their pay in grain, as was done by many landlords in 1915. Bishopville Xews Items. (Bishopville Vindicator.) Dr. Cj..C. .Craft, who has been ap pointed director of rural sanitation for Lee. County, has moved to Bishop jville and taken charge of the work. jDr. Craft is a native South Caro j linian and has lust returned from the 1 north where he has been engaged in war work and post-graduate work bearing, specially on bacteriology and serology. . For the present, much of his time -will be spent in country school districts, but it is his intention to open a laboratory here for the benefit of the farmers of the county, testing milk, water supplies, etc. The Stafford Dry Goods Co. and the D. J. Chandler Clothing Co., of Sum ter have leased the large Woodward building now ocupied by J. B. Kelley and will open business there Sep tember 1st. Mr. Kelley will remove I his stock to his own building across ! the street. The announcement of the 1 consolidation of these old reliable ! houses will be read with interest and j pleasure by their customers in Lee : county. The D. J. Chandler Co.. for more than a score years has been a j popular gents' furnishings establish* j meat for eastern Carolina and the : simple mention that they will open business in Bishopville means excel | u service for this section. The Stafford Dry Goods C<>.. under the j good management of Mr. W. E. Staf ford, has grown in business and in popularity until the name is a house hold word in every home. Clinnge in Motor Company. Messrs. [. J. McKenzie and D. S. Trapp have purchased an interest in the Kersh?w Motor Company on East DeKalb street from Mr. D. <Shaw and will have charge of this motor garage aric repair shop in the fu ture.?Camden Chronicle. Roys, don't forget to cov\<> out Tuesday night to Girl's Hi?h school to hear some fine whistling. "Mrs. ECincheloe whistles like a whole lot of small boys wish they could whistle. H<*r versatility is :is remarkable as her virtuosity. After her appearance in black face in 'he rollicking role of a kinky-headed coon the audience would have b*?^n willing to believe sh*1 ron Id walk a tight rope had one been handy."?Hoppinsville Era. PAY AND FILE INCOME TAX BEFORE MAR, 15 ?. S. Internal Revenue Bureau Gives Warning That Severe . Penalties Will Be Enforced. WOMEN WITHIN LAWS SCOPE; HOW THEY REPORT INCOME The Income Tax drive comes to a close on Saturday night, March 15. All payments and returns due on [ that date under the provisions of the new Revenue Law must be in the hands of local Internal Revenue Collec tors before their offices close that night. ? The Income Tax is being collected to meet the war expenses. Every person who shouted ?'and tooted his horn on Armistice Day is now called upon to contribute his share of the cost of win ning the war. The lagg?rds and the dodgers will face severe fines and jail sentences. The Internal Revenue Bureau an nounces that its officers will check us j*all up to see that every person who comes within the scope of the Income Tax law did his share. Where to Pay anU File. Residents of South Carolina are re quired to make their returns and pay their taxes to Duncan C. Hey ward, Collector of Internal Revenue, Colum bia, S. C' or to any of his deputy collectors who are now doing free ad visory work on Income Ta?. Payments sent by mail should be at tached to the returns and should be in th? lorm of check, money order or draft Gash payments by mail are sent at the taxpayer's risk of loss. If you are unable to make your re turn personally because of illness, ab sence or incapacity an agent or legal representative may make your return. If there are any doubtful points as to your items' of income or allowable deductions you should get in touch at once with a Revenue officer or a bank er for advice. '. Women Pay Tax? - - Women are subject to all the require ments of the Income Tax. . Whether single or married, a woman's income from all sources must be considered. If unmarried or if living apart from her husband she must make her return for 191S if her net income was 51,000 or over. If married and living with her hus band her income must be considered with the husband's in determining the liability for a return; ; Their joint in come, less the credits allowed by law. Is subject to normal tax. The wife's net income is considered separately in computing any surtax that may he due. Husband and wife file jointly, as a rule. K the husband does not include his wife's income in his return the wife must file a separate return. Severe Penalties. The new Revenue Law places severe penalties on a person who fails to make return on time, refuses to make return or renders a fraudulent return. For failure to make return and pay tax ;>n time a fine of not more than $1,000 is named and 25 per cent of the tax due is added to the assessment. For refusing wilfully to make return oi for making a false or fraudulent re turn there is a fine of not exceeding $10,000 and imprisonment of not ex ceeding one year, or both. Farmers' Income Taxable. Every farmer and ranchman who aad a fair or a good year in 10IS must hoed the Income Tax this year. He must consider all his income as tax able. He is entitled to deduct from' tis gross income all amounts expended in carrying on his farm. The cost of 'arm machinery, farm buildings and improvements cannot he deducted. The cost of live stock, either for re nale or for breeding purposes, is also regarded as investment Overtime and Bonuses Taxed. Salary and wage earners must con sider as taxable every item received from employers and from other sources. Bonuses and overtime pay pre to be reported as well as the regu lar payments. Allowances for Losses. Losses sustained in 101S and nor covered by insurance are deductible Items if incurred in the taxpayer's business or trade, in any transaction undertaken for profit or arising from fire, storm, shipwreck or other casu alty or from theft A * * SQUARE DEAL FOR EVERY ? k INCOME TAX PAYER. ? k - * * Washington, D. C. ? "The ? *? rights of all persons now ftiiiig * * Income Tax returns are amply * ir protected by provisions for * * abatements, refunds and :ij>- * * peals," says Commissioner Dan- * * iel C. Roper. ? A "Every person can be sure of * ?k a square deal. No person is : \- * -k pected to pay more than 1 is * * share of tax His share is ?> A termrned solely by the amount * * and nature of his net income !>>r * * 1913. as defined in the law. ? * "Abatement petitions are/dealt * * with open-mindedly. Refunds * * will he made in every c.-jse * * where too much tax is eivoue- * * ousjy collected. * * "Tht Income Tax Is *on the * * levi-r al! the way through." * j Lodge Wrong Again Harvard President Speaks in Defense of League of Nations. . J Atlanta, Feb.- 28.?Recommenda tions of the executive council of the League of Nations would not neces I sarily be binding on the nations members of the league, Dr. A. Law ence Lowell, president of Harvard University, said tonight addressing [the Southern Congress for the League ; of Nations. ; Dr. Lowell, the principal speaker I at ? the night session, referred to an j address today in the senate by Sena j tor Lodge in which the Massachu j setts senator warned the American j people to weigh carefully the consti-, 'tution of the league, said it should be made clear whether the recommen dations of the league's executive council would be binding on the member nations. "I have the greatest respect for Senator Lodge and have almost al ways agreed with his opinions," said Dr. Lowell", "but I 'find it impossible to follow his doubt in this case. The word 'recommend'* aS distinguished from 'decide,"' 'order' or 'require' would seem to have a perfectly defi nite meaning, in common usage and in law. Tt means making a sugges tion for the consideration of some one else who is at liberty to accept the recommendation or not as he thinks proper. "To me it seems perfectly clear that this is what the delegate's from the 14 nations who agreed to this re port intended, and if that was their : intention, and the language really is capable of a different construction no doubt they would be willing to make it clear." 1 "American Ideals and a League* of Nations" was the subject discussed by speakers tonight. Besides Dr. Lowell they included Dr. ? Anna Howard Shaw and Capt. Thomas G. Cham berlain, U. S. A. The congress which- opened today ?with delegates from over the South east will continue through tomorrow. Former President Taft, who spoke to day in favor of the league of nations, will be the chief speaker again to morrow pight. In his address at the ^opening, ses sion of the congress today Former President Taft, advocating the league of nations, asserted that unless the great nations of the world unite in a covenant to maintain peace> another great war is inevitable. "We shall go through the same sad course of events which the his tory Of this war recordS," he exclaim ed, "in which we shall attempt to be a neutral and then be inevitably drawn in by our close relations to European countries." The next war. he said, will be more horrible through the lessons of.de struction taught in this one. "It is a mistake to suppose the destructive character of one war will prevent an other," he added. "Therresiliency ? of peoples and their forgetfulness of horrors are instinctive in human nature." "The question now before the American people," said Mr. Taft, turning to the proposed league it self, "is not whether a formal treaty thii.il be ratified by the senate. The question is whether a draft report of the proposed covenant and league of the 14 nations represented at Paris shall meet their approval. They should give the president to know that he will have their backing in consenting to the incorporation oi such a covenant in the treaty. Mr, Taft said it was "quite possi ble" that the draft contains ambig uous words which should be cleared up and that certain reservations re garding the Monroe doctrine should be made "more specific," which, he said, could easily be done by the conference. The former president then discussed the league of nations in detail and asserted that critics of it "utterly fail to tender any con structive suggestions." Among such critics he cited Senators P?indexter, Reed and Borah, who, is added, "con fine their arguments to pointing out the dangers of this covenant." Mr. Taft made another address to night explaining the Monroe doctrine in detail and announcing that he could not understand how critics in congress of the league of nations could fear that the league would in terfere with the Monroe doctrine. He added, however, that he had been able to read only press reports of the. debates and not the speeches: in full. . " f "President Wilson in proposing the league of nations." said Mr. Taft, "used the expression that he expect ed the league to extend the Monroe doctrine to the world." If it were ex tended to the whole world it would j of course remain in the western hem j fsphere." ! Mr. Taft also discussed the pro j posed mandatories which the great, j nations would be given over countries' [unable to now care for themselves. i . i ; . Bolshevism in Germany London Newspapers Print Arti ; des on the Dangerous Sit I uation That is Develop ' ing. i _ London. March 1.?Newspapers feature articles on international de mobilization in Germany and the dangerous outgrowth of Bolshevism as the result of the lack of food a ad increase of unemployment and ex press editorially deep concern at the problem. Various reports concur in declaring the situation extremely urgent. Thousands of sick and wounded men lie in base hospitals. They cf fered th^ir lives that freedom might live. They must be given every care, healed and returned to their homes. Th government asks for a loan. It (iffers War Savings Stamps and soon the Victory Liberty Loan Bonds will be issued. Save?be thrifty?he p the government. The menace to civ ilization is dead. German autocracy has been destroyed. War bills must HOW be paid. Kills tKe Good Roads Measure State-Wide Appeals for Legisla tion Fall on Deaf Ear?? Vote Was Unexpected. ' Columbia, Feb. 28.?The house, by a vote of 54 to 44 tonight, continued . until next session, the good roads bi\l i which was passed by the senate lastj night. This ends all chance of any j good roads" legislation at this session, j The appeal of Gov. Cooper and of j people from every section of the j State for legislation looking toward j tb.e lifting of the Sta,te but of the mud ; fell on deaf ears in the lower house of the general assembly. The vote came very suddenly and I unexpectedly. Representative Owens, I of Marlboro, who was lighting the j bill before the house tonight, as hej has fought every good roads bill in-j troduced at this session, was inter- j rupted in the midst of a long argu-! ment which he was making against j the bill by Representative Hamilton, of Chester, who moved that the bill be continued until next session. Representative Berry made the] point of order that the motion was out of order. Represntative Mower,'] who was in the chair, sustained the j point. Representative Berry, of Or angeburg, then attempted to gain the ?floor but Represntative Mower ruled that Representativ Hamilton retain the floor. Mr. Hamilton then riioved that the debate on the bill be ad journed until the first day of the next session. Representative Mower ruled this motion in. order and an aye and nay vote was taken. ? It was contended by some Repre sentatives that if the bill which was under discussion was the house bill amended by the senate that the only disposition that could be made of it was either to accept or reject the senate amendment. Objection would have sent the bill to free conference committee. The following voted to continue the bill: Anderson, Atkinson,.R. O. Ash ley, BramUtt, Buckingham, Busbee, BUtler. Cade, Clinkscales, Cooper M. R. Dickson. Dreher, Dukes, Eaddy*. Ellerbe. A. C. Ellerbe. E. R., Ellis, E. W.. Folk. Fulmer. Gallma.n, Gaston, Graham. Grey, Gresham. Hall, Mob ley, Hamer. Hampton. Harmon. Hor ton. Hutson, Johnson, W.. W., Keenan, Kelly. Lancaster, Leophard, Mann, McAdams, McDonald, Miley, Mishoe. Moore, Orr. Owens. Puerifoy, Pursley, Russ. Smoak, Stringer, Turner, Welch. Williams. Debate on the bill was bugun this morning and continued throughout the afternoon session and for one hour and a half tonight. Representa tive Berry.; of Orangeburg, and Den nis, of Darlington, led the fight for the adoption of the senate amend ment. Representative Miley, of Bam berg, ledv the fight against the bill. Coming Home Soon Washington, March 1.?The war department announced today that the 30th division complete had been assigned for early convoy home from France. What our boys had to do they did. They asked for no guarantee against loss. They were prepared to give their lives, and many made the su preme sacrifice. We are not asked to give our lives. Xo one is asked to give money. The government of fers to borrow and it offers the safest security ever devised and an invest ment that is highly profitable as wall. All together for the next Liberty Loan! Meanwhile' do not overlook the War Savings Stamps. Save and succeed. Make money; then mase your money work for you. Govern ment securities are the safest in the world. Our boys offered to give their lives. Will you not offer to lend your money? Montevido, March 1.?With the in auguration of Baltasar Brum, presi dent, today Uruguay begins the com mission form of government, the com mission being the president and nine commissioners. A Good Roads Advocate Hon. Thomas P. Cothran Proves His Faith by His Works. Columbia, Feb. 28.?"My interest in good roads arises from a deep concern for the agricultural interests of the State," declared Hon. Thomas P. Cothran,. speaker of the house of . representatives, at a meeting of the joint assembly of the two houses heia recently to'hear addresses by R? Goodwyn Rhett o'f Charleston- and others on the good roads question; "I do not believe that there is any principle more firmly imbedded irr my nature than that' intelligent discon tent is the greatest incentive to' im- - provement. Intelligent discontent with the roads of the State has caused me to advocate improved highways for our commonwealth* "There is not a State in the Union more blessed than is South Carolina, We have the finest ^climate, the finest - water and the finest people. Nowhere, in no State, have the people done less ' to improve what providence has I showered upon them than the peo i pie of' South Carolina. We have [done little" more than trampled upon ; I the- flowers. Speaker Cothran-is one man in the I public life of the State who can say [that he has done more than mere ! say "I am in favor of good? roads." I He favors them. Greemfrre^ connty ! today has many miles of harct'Surface I roads, due in a very , great degree to f Mr. Cothran's efforts. That county was the first in the State to'have- a bond issue for good roads. One mil lion dollars were spent on the roadsv of the country. The people kicked for ja time. Mr. Cothran had a close call , j from defeat the first time he ran af ter the bond issue had been impos ed upon the people. It was necessary ^ for him to go through three prtmar-v ! ies. That was in 1916, before the roads had all been built. Last year he was elected-in the first primary. The people have the roads now and , jthey appreciate them. Incidentally, the counties ?ur i rounding Greenville caught the good roads fever from the Greenvillians. People from Laurens county riding on the hard surface roads of Green ville county decided that they wanted permanent roads in their county. An election was held and a big bond is sue authorized. The Spartanbuijg del egation in the general assembly heed ing requests of their constituents put over a million-dollar bond issue :for iSpartanburg county. Bonds were I voted in Cherokee and Pickens couu, I ties. Xow Anderson county is plan I ning a two-million-dollar bond issue. Kaiser Hard Up William Calls on Germans tot/ Money. Weimar, Thursday, Feb. 27 (By the Associated Press).?The former Ger man emperor, it is learned from com petent sources, recently appealed to !the German revolutionary govern ment for money. It was said in his behalf it was impossible for him to {continue living upon the bounty and j good will of the Dutch nobleman in I whose castle he now resides. / Herr Hohehzollern, it is said, de j clares he already had been forced to borrow 40,000 guilders from his host and could not continue as a debtor. He asked that he be allowed at least a portion of his private fortune. The government, after considering the matter, agreed to his request and instituted a detailed investigation to determine what portion of the for mer emperor's supposed fortune really was his and what portion belonged to jthe government. Investigation show | ed the former ruler might legally 1 claim 75,000,000 marks as his own but the government decided to allow him temporarily only 600,000 marks to meet present indebtedness and future expenses. The correspondent's information, in calling attention to this develop ment, declared it put an end to ru mors that the former emperor had been able to take large sums of mon ey with him when he fled into Hol land. " ' " BANK STH and!you can BANK S The First National Bank SUMTER, S. C. The National Bai et South Carolina of Sumter CAPITAL .$ 200,000.00 SURPLUS .173.000.00 RESOURCES .2,0OO.90G.0? A bank big enough, strong enough, and liberal enough to take care of the legitimate needs of all its custo mers. ROWLAND, President F E. HINHAMT. Cull for.