Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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Train Smashes Into Automobile ._ Car Thrown Forty Feet From / Track Thursday night Mr. Lawrence Brunson had the misfortune; of losing his car by being run over by the Augusta train. Mr. Bran son states that his car stalled on the track, at which time no train was in sight. A few moments la ter the train came in sight around the curve. Mr. Brunsn, unable to get his car oft of the track, put his spot-light on the train and ran up the track signalling the engineer to stop, but to no avail. The train ran over the "car, smashing it up, and knocking it about forty feet from the track. Mr. Brunson said there was nothing left, but a pair of tires. Nobody was hurt Two More 4 Booster Trips i Invitations Received from Pinewood and Summerton ! . ] Mr. and Mrs. D. R. Lide, of - Pinewood, Sumter county, caUed at Sumter Chamber ' of Commerce rooms last Friday and invited the business and professional men and Women of Sumter to put on a boost er trip and get together meeting to ^Pinewood taking dinner in that progressive and hospitable new Sumter county town, J|rs. Lfde rep resenting, the ladies, and Mr. Lide representing. the male element, both t>f them typically representa tive of _?be intelligent and public spirited citizenship of that town and.vicinity guarantee*!, thatf e vejy t thing will be done to make Snm $er'S- citizens feel that Pinewood wants tc get into the closest pos sible touch with* Sumter, the coun ty seat, and .with all of Sumter county. ; > " ? '5 A prominent'.citizen of Summer ton, ; in Clarendon county^ a few days ago said that Summerton's hospitable men and women would heartily welcome a visit from Sumter's citizenship in a booster trip andx get together meeting in Summerton. Inasmuch as the Young Men's Business League con template putting on. a -number of booster trips soon, .Secretary. Rear Xtpn in order not to conflict with, <^%u* rather to co-operate with this League referred the Pinetfood and Suinmerton - invitations to the Young Men's Business League for their consideration and guaran teed the -hearty co-cperatipn of Sumter's business and professional men if the young. men desire to take the lead in this matter. President P. M. Parrott of the Young Men's Business League said he- favored accepting both invita tions and would take the matter up early .this week with his mem bers and see what can be done. However it is not considered ad visable to undertake another boost er trip before the,,first week in September as many business and professional men, and many em ; ployees of business concerns are noW taking' their annual vacations which will interfere with a gener al business representation on the irip. Sumter appreciates the hos pitable and frienly interest of her sister towns and many good friends t>f the rural districts of Sumter and Clarendon counties. The greatest trouble with this country right now is not the scar City-of ^mpney, but the lack of thrift and a reasonable degree of common sense economy. If there had been as "much money in circu l&iton hereabouts, in the real hard years between 1S90 and 1898 as there is now. people would have thought flush, times were at hand. The average person cannot restrict ?fils wants to real necessities and in consequence it takes a lot of money to provide the necessary lucxuries S--'-: . ?" ? ? ' _: ' A Graceful Solution of ia Difficulty in Sight ? When the years bring that try Jng^situation of not being able to see things close at hand without squinting, drawing the head back, j extending the arms. . or making other awkward effort, you should secure KRYPTOK glasses. KRYP TOKS give you clear vision for 2ar or liear objects and the scien tific fusing of the lenses shows no seam or hump. A pair of .Cooper's KRYPTOKS will be a source of a great deal of pleasure and satis faction. Come in and let's talk it over. G. C. COOPER Registered Optometrist 6 South Main St. Sumter, S. C, 8 :OUNTY NEWS ! The August Missionary Meeting at Paxville. On last Wednesday afternoon, August 2nd, the Woman's Mis sionary Society of the Paxville Methodist church met with Mrs. T. W. Gunter. Mrs. Gunter's pretty home was tastefully arranged with'lovely cut i I flowers and potted plants. As the 1 president and .vice president wer6 absent the meeting was conducted j by Mrs. Luke Rigill, who had a very interesting program. The subject of the program for August was "The Coal Mines." The devotional was held by Mrs. Elma Tisdale of Sumter. The sub ject of the Bible lesson was "Fa vor and Disfavor." (Mark VI-l-6a). The business for August was dis cussed. Mrs. Gunter gave the mis sionary news. An instrumental solo, "Love's Song," was rendered by Miss Lucile Geddings while the treasurer collected the dues. "Who, Why and What in the Coal Felds of Oklahoma and West Virginia was told by Miss Iva Geddings, Mrs. J. W. Mims, Jr., and Mrs. G. H. Curtis. i i After the society the remain ing part of the afternoon was given to.f. social hour. To the strains of Mendelssohn's Wedding March, played on the violin by Miss Vivian Curtis and accompanied by Miss Lucile Ged dings, the little Misses Annie Ruth Mims, Cecile Weinberg and Eliza beth Keels came in. dressed in pret ty white and yellow organdies, pulling a wagon which was very beautifully decorated in gold and white. They stopped in front of Mrs. Luke Rigill, who was recent ly married and who has been a most faithful worker in the mis sionary society. Mrs. Rigill was very much surprised to find that the members of the society had remembered her with a miscellan eous shower : Mrs. Gunter next invited us into the dining room, where the color scheme of gold and white was- ar tistically carried out. Gold and white ribbons hung from the chan delier over the table and cut flow ers also adorned the room. While beautiful music played by Misses Lucile Geddings and Vivian Curtis floated into the dining room, Misses Amelia Curtis and Grace Weinberg served delicious golden cream and cake. ' Miss Iva Geddings, Publicity Superintendent. Paxville Items. Paxville, Aug. 10.?Mrs. Elma Tisdale and son, William Edward, of Sumter, who have been visit ing at the home of her father, Mr. F. S. Geddings, returned home Thursday. She was accompanied by Miss Iva Geddings, who will spend a few days. Mr. J. J. Martin and family left j Wednesday for Adams' Run where | they will make their future home.! Miss Emma McLeod of Marion, j is visiting- her friend, Miss Lucile Geddings Misses Ingram, of Mayesville, are visiting at the home of Mr. L. A. Broadway. j Little Miss Grace Tisdale cele ? brated .her seventh birthday on j Monday afternoon. Several of her J little friends enjoyed the occasion j with her. { Misses Daisy Rhame and Jessie j Curtis have returned from a three {.weeks' stay at Lake Jimaluska, X. !c. j Next Thursday, the 17th, is cara ! paign day here. The ladies of the' Methodist church are planning a big barbecue dinner; friend chick* en, etc. Come and enjoy a feast of good things. Miss* Florence Felder left on 1 Friday to accept a school near Kershaw. Miss Lucile Felder, of Sumter is spending her vacation at the home j of her parents, Mr. and Mrs. A. M. Felder. Mrs. J. L- Pritchard of Spar tanburg is expected Saturday to spend awhile at her home near town. Mr. and Mrs. W. R. Keels an- j nounce the birth of a baby boy on last Friday. ! Sunflowers may be added to; I the money crops that can be grown j ! successfully in Sumter county. Mr. { j Wendell Levi, who uses a consid- i : erable quantity of sunflower seed I i in making a balanced ration for! j his prize winning -chickens, in- { :' duced several farmers to experi- j I ment in growing sunflowers this} [year- The crop is maturing new: J and the result is quite satisvic-1 I tory. both as to' yield and cost of i i production. Sunflowers are not as j J much trouble to grow as corn, and the yield per acre is quite large, i ! At the present market ? price of \ j sunflower seed, the indications are \ \ that sunflowers are one oJ the I I most profitable crops that c:tn be \ ; grown in this section. A careful! ?investigation will be made respect-\ |ing demand, markets, etc.. and if; ; the fact* developed are ?aCs'.u -?; j tory a considerable acreage may | ? be planted next year. I -~~ During the remainder of August | j the First Presbyterian church I (will be open for Sunday school,; i Sunday morning and evening ser-j ? vice. Christian Endeavor Societies! land the Woman's Auxiliary. Visit ing ministers will supply the pul pit the next three Sundays. The I j pastor of the church experts to re iturn from his vacation in time to preach on the first Sunday in Sep- j j tember. ? ? ? The younger generation thinks j I that the old timers are back num [bers ^nd chronic grouches; while iold folks are sure that the smart iset is an aggregation of silly de-! i generates, headed straight for mor jal and spiritual ruin. I Permanent Road Commission Minutes of Meeting Held Wed nesday, August 10 th i j A regular meeting of the Sumter j County Permanent Road Commis j sion was held August 10th at 10 j o'clock in Chamber of Commerce ; Present: J. F. Bland, J. B. Brit ton. S. A Harvin, G. A. Lemmon, J. P> Booth. Absent: E. E. Rembert and I. M. Truluck. The meeting was called to order and the opening of bids was taken up with the following bidders: Willis & Sons & McCarthy and Adams & Co., Manning road. Sheet asphalt, $174.336.62; Type A. bithulithic concrete, $165,157-52; Type B. bitulithic concrete, $161, 077.92. Slattery & Henry, Manning road: Sheet asphalt, $178,468.52; Type A. bitulithic concrete, $173, 369.32; Type B. bitulithic concrete. $167,249.92. Slattery & Henry, Camdemxoad: Sheet asphalt, $114,645.19; Type A bitulithic concrete, $110,438.83; Type B. bitulithic concrete, $107, 985.12. Powell Paving & Contracting Co. Camden road: Sheet asphalt,. $112, 524.78; type A. bitulithic concrete, I $109,370.01; type b. .bitulithic con I crete, $106,215.24. j i Powell Paving & Contracting Co., Shiloh road: Sheet asphalt, $224,440.00: Type A. bitulithic con crete, $218,690-00; Type B. bitu jlithic concrete, $212,939.60; plain concrete, $225,546.68. Pritchard, Raines & Hazelhurst. Shiloh road: Sheet asphalt. $223. 821.00; Type A. bitulithic concrete, ! $215,514.00; type-B. bitulithic con\ I crete. $220,626.43; plain concrete, $227,731.51. I Pritchard, Raines & Hazelhurst being lowest bidders on type A- j [ bitulithic concrete on Shiloh road, j : they were called in and advised j j that their bid seemed too high, [even though they were the lowest [bidders, however if they would I make their price $210,000.00 this iroad would be awarded to them, I which they agreed to do, and it was j then unanimously decided to award them this road; Bids on Camden and Manning roads were all rejected. A committee from the Oswego i section appeared before the board and wanted information as to when the Oswego road would be paved, and after discussion it was decided that Oswego road would be paved the same as other, roads leading from Sumter as soon as they could get to same. Mr. S. F. Moore of Dalzell ap peared before the board asking i for change in survey across his t lands. Mr., Harvin made motion I that Mr. Burrows and Mr. Murray j j handle this matter with Mr. Moore! ; and report back to the board, and i it was so ordered. The minutes of the regular! j meeting July 7th and call meeting j [of July 15th were read and ap-j j proved after a few slight changes J I were made therein. The matter of the right of way i across Mr. Hudson's land near Mayesville was brought up by Mr.; j Murray and after discussion the! following was decided upon: The State Highway commission! j having refused any right of way \ [ except across Mr. Hudson's land j I there is nothing left to do but j condemn, as Mr- Hudson refuses to j ! give this right of way. The mat- j ter was left with standing commit- j tee of Commissioners Booth. Lern- j mon and Jennings to turn over to I lawyer to handle condemnation j proceedings. The following bills were present I ed and ordered paid: J j Aams-Evans & Co., Bishopville I ! road, $14,781.90. , I Adams-Evans & Co., Manning j J road, $14,667.97. [ James Brunson, moving fence, i j on Manning rpad, $1.60. Kate McCoy, moving fence Man- j ning road. $5.01. I Powell Paving & Contracting Co., j Pinewood road. $5,281.44. B. I*. James, moving seabrook's fence on Pinewood road, $39.57. Mallard Lumber Co., Camden ! road. $1.324.80. Bill of Henry Williams for crops ! destroyed was left with Mr. J. P. j Booth to adjust with Mr. O'Donnell. j Mallard Lumber Co., Bishopville j road $1,232.2$. Mallard Lumber Co., Mayesville j road, $4,046.94. Mallard Lumber Co., bridges, Camden. Manning and Stateburg road's,. $1,497.60. Slattery & Henry. Stateburg road. $1,098-00. Slattery & Henry, Mayesville road, $17,542.73. Lee, Pennell & Murray, bill for July, $2.432.42. Wm. H. Danna, bill advertising j bond sale, $22.50. L. L. Hunter, Secretary, salary July, $25.00. Stampsjand Stationen', $1.86. Application of J. J. Brennen for j position as secretary to succeed L. J L. Hunter, he having resigned, was ; read and discussed and vote taken j as follows: Ayes: S- A. Harvin. J. P. Booth, j G. A. Lemmon and S. Burrows: j Noes: J. B. Britten. He stating he was in favor of giving same to j lady in Mr. Jennings' ottiee. : The boll weevils are getting in j their most destructive work at] present and many farmers who aro how counting apparently matured and partially matured bolls as a | safe crop will find, us they did lnst year, that the weevils are true to ! name?they are "boll" weevils, ;md ; work to best advantage on bolls. \ They make out with forms in the j early months but their real meat i3 tlie boll. Miss Carolyn A. Hosford of Springfield. Mas:s.. who is to direct I the music for the Browning meeting will arrive August 115, and,.wishes] to have a chorus rehearsal on Fri-j day night at Trinity church. Every j singer in Sumter who will take parti in this meeting is urged to <jo so. | "Ladies Night" For Kiwanis Qub j Pleasant ?ff air Planned by Kiwanians for Friday Even ing The Sumter 'Kiwanis Club will have their first "Ladies' Night" in connection with their regular meet ing, which is also "Stunt Xight" at the Claremont Hotel, next Friday evening, August 18th, at 8:15 o'clock. Each and every member of the Kiwanis Club will have the pleasure of bringing his wife, his mother or his sweetheart. The committee in charge is ar ranging a very attractive affair and naturally feels that every member of the organization should attend. Kiwanian J. J. Brennan is chair man for the night. -? ??? t? - Cp in the Blue Ridge. Up among these great mountains of God, the birthplace ' of clouds that carry all mantled the rains that water the earth, refreshing vegetation, giving drink to man and beast, where is the genesis of many a river unknown to the rank and file of the race is scenery ever changing, ever new, upon a scale equaled only by its grandeur and sublimity, rich beyond all compare in varied color shade and light the lover of nature may roam un wearied, satisfied, because of the splendor of the rich new visions constantly arising on a scale and sweep in sublimity commensurate only with its inexhaustible treas ures. How entrancing so ever the view one may turn from it. without hes itation. Tor scenes quite as pleasing open to view, calling as they open into other visions rare, one cease lessly on. Xo one attempt to throw it on canvas, however skilled the artist, to paint it in language, how ever able the * descriptive powers, because in all things in all ways at all times 'tis nature in holiday. Sometimes the great master's at tempt visions in small scale beg gared by the reality for the rich color, the low sweet music of bird or purling streamlet, the roar and thunder of cataract, the deep still ness of dark solitudes and the numberless other niceties defy the artist's power to touch transfer. Here the lover of flora may revel the livelong day in the blow of flowers varied and rich in color from the deep blue of the vault ed skies to the glowing crimson of its glorious sunset skies, dis covering rare beauties in the un frequented recesses. And such music as fills the air from the day dawn, ushered in by the shrill cheerful whistle of "old Bob White", fit harbinger of a merry day, or the mournful notes of the cooing dove, timely monition that life consists of light and shadow. Soon the air is teeming with busy life of bird, bee, butterfly, etc., happy, content as though in the very garden of God. The homes are capacious refuges of rest, com fort, ease, repose, whose leaders, full to bursting with all manner of delicacies found grown and gath recd here. If in any place, here one may dream his life away, for each season has its pursuit of la bor, pastime and pleasure, never too warm or cold that sweet com fort cannot be found. Some years ago the writer met a man mature in years, well trav eled from Pennsylvania for he had the means you know,- who declar ed that never had he found any spot more surpassingly luxurious in its outlay of the grand and beautiful Alabama as this land of the sky. Do you know. I did not. and I suspect investigation would put you in my company imagine that each day's wanderings here unfolds scenic unceivod. uncon ceivable, and drop from the lips of the mountaineer of other so majestic as never to grow common, vulgar, but with every recalling awakens emotions akin to rever ence worship? And this country*, almost inac cessible till the building of the C. C. & C. Ry.. then difficult by reason of miserable roads, is now being opened up to the world who will revel in it as in nothing else to be found elsewhere. Oh, yes, they can tell you of Ashevilie, Hender sonville, etc., with their attractions but all these will pale, grow tame to him whose high delight is com munion with nature in her best, when he has come to this land teeming with visions rare, re plenishment, unheard of. new. At present the difficulty of ac commodation stands boldly out, but in a short time that will be re moved. "Hagood." Bethea. Altapass and Spruce Pine, X. C. Aug. 11, 1U21'. Fish Fry at Cain's Mill Mr. J. A. Kdlb. of Privateer, en tertained a few of his friends with a delightful fish fry at Cain's Mill Friday night. Those enjoying his hospitality were: Misses Eleanor Kolb. Cassie Nicholas, May Hayns worth. Eva Kingman, Gladys Jack son, Mary Nettles, Lucille Nettles, and Messrs. Beecher Jackson, S. M- Mellette, David McKnight, La mar Kolb, and Horace Curtis. Mr. and Mrs. George Nettles acted as chaperones. Star Route to Manning. A star route to Man nine: will be inaugurated on August 21st. mak ing the trip seven days n<?r week, carrying only first class mail and newspapers. The auto will leave Sumter dur ing week days at 8 a. n^., arriving at Manning at 9 a. m. Returning will leave Manning at 4:15 p. m.. arriving Sumter at 5:15 p. m. On Sundays will leave Sumter at 8 a m. ami return at 9:30 a. m., spend ing only 30 minute:- in Manning. Mr. Chaa H. Curtis will be the carrier on this route. The uld horse trader didn't have as many things to lie about as the modern auto swapper. YOUNG MAN i SHOT HIMSELF ! THIS MORNING I _ ? j Raymond Burgess, the 19-year old son of Mr. G. H. Burgess of Chestnut street. -shot himself j through the head Monday morning j about S:30 o'clock, with a revolv I e, dying almost" instantly. He j spent Sunday in Columbia, return ing on the 7:20 train Monday morning, and after having break fast with the family went to his room and shortly afterwards a shot was heard, and when members of the family rushed into his room he was found lying on the floor, with a revolver lying by his side. Dr. H- L. Shaw was called in, but when he arrived, within a few minutes, the young man had breath ed his last. The members of the ! family are inclined to believe that his death was due to an accident, and was not a deliberate suicide, as he was known to be searching for a letter that had been misplaced and all the drawers of the chif fonier were open and had the ap pearance of having been subjected to a hurried search. The revolver ? with which the chooting was done ; was an old one and was kept in one of the drawers of the chiffonier. The young man, it is said, how ever, was depressed over a love af fair and emotional despondency is the motive assigned for the suicide > if it was suicide. j Raymond Burgess had been in j the employ of the National Bank ? of Sumter for two years or more j in the capacity of collector, and , Mr. W. J. Crowson, Jr., cashier of ! the bank stated Monday that he was one of the most faithful, ef j ficient and altogether satisfactory ! employes in the service of the i bank and that he was popular j with all his associates. There was J nothing wrong or irregular in his j accounts or relations with the bank, I and there was nothing in his busi j ness affairs to cause him worry or j despondency. His untimely death ! is greatly deplored by his business : associates and it is felt as a per : sonal loss by each one of them. j American Legion Convention The fourth annual convention of ; the American Legion, department I of South Carolina will be held in I Florence on August 23rd and 24th. j The convention is called for the ! purpose of electing officers for the j ensuing year, amending the De j partment^Constitution and for the transaction of such other business las may be brought before it. j At the same time and place and j for the same purpose the Ameri ? can Legion Auxiliary will hold its ! annual convention. 1 Registration and Housing: Con | vention headquarters will be estab lished by the Fred H. Sexton Post j No. i, Florence. South Carolina. All ! delegates and alternates will reg ister at convention headquarters, at which time they will be assigned to quarters. Guests, all ex-service men, all Legionnaires, and friends of the Legion are invited to attend the convention and all such are re quested to register at convention headquarters. Rates: Reduced rates to the convention from all points in the state of South Carolina have teen j secured at one and one-half the j regular one way fare provided that < a minimum of 250 purchase tickets j to the convention. This require j ment makes it necessary for each j delegate to purchase a straight one j way ticket to Florence, retain the i certificate for validation by the rail j road ticket office at Florence and ! for cetification by the department j adjutant ? ^ Sumter Post No. 15 has elected j the following delegates and alter j nates to attend the department ! convention: i Delegates: George D. Levy, I chairman; Joseph S. Chandler, Dr. Harry L. Shaw, Paul C. Aughtry, W. H. Bowman, Zack H. Darr, H. G. Brown. Alternates: J. C. Brown, H. C. Edens, E. Turner White, M. B. Cox, Lewis DesCham ps, H. W- Harby, Frank Jeppi. All other members of the Legion, whether delegates or not, will find a cordial welcome in Florence, [and will be accorded all of the I privileges of the convention, except [that they will have no vote on the I floor of the convention. All en ! tertainments and other features of j the program will tfe fully partici j patcd in by them. The local Post i officers want as many Buddies to I attend as possible. -? ?. ? lOnly One Contract Was Awarded ! The Sumter County Permanent j Highway Commission, which was j in session Thursday, let the Shiloh j road, 7.6 miles, to Pritchard ; Raines-Hazelhurst of Savannah for $210,000.00. No other roads were j let, owing to the fact that the! I commission considered the bids too high. j These two roads, Sumter-Man-! ; ning road. 6.1 miles, and Camden j ! road "6" 4.2 miles, which were not i I let. will be re-advertised and bidsj j will be received on same at regu . Li r meeting of the commission to be held in September. Bids will j also be received on the Pinewood and Bishopville roads :<t that time.: The passenger train from Flor jence. due at 9:10 Sunday night was! I several hours lat*-. having been de-) laved bv a freight wreck near I Tiramonsville. The track was I blocked for several hours, a box j car having been derailed in the afternoon, and both the north-! j bound and southbound trains ; were held up until Tue track ooulu I bo cleared. Tobacco Growers Organize Industry Farmers of Kentucky, Vir ginia and the Carolinas Join in Movement Dallas, Texas, Aug. 10.?If ever an industry was so organized as to prevent and foil efforts of the farmer to become permanently prosperous, that industry is that of growing and selling tobacco as it is practiced in Kentucky, Virginia and the Carolinas. - With the possible exception of the cotton growers, it is doubtful if the standard of living of pro ducers of any staple commodity is as low as that .of tobacco growers. In Virginia, and the Carolinas, where bright tobacco is grown, most of the cultivators are negroes and "poor whites" of the lowest clas3. In most instances, they exist in the [most miserable condition, eating unnourishing food, housed in ill ventilated and unsanitary shanties, living in ignorance of what is go ing on outside their own neigh borhood, usually in debt to harsh creditors and facing eviction at the caprice of mortgage-holder or landlord, preyed upon by those petty harpies, the "pinhookers." Tet year after year they are pro ducing product for which there is a steady and increasing demand wide as the world and practically inex haustible. The golden flood of money that crosses the counter for the golden fragrant, weed is divert ed, somewhere between consumer and producer, into someone's pock ets. Fortunes have been made in tobacco, but not by the man who sweltered in the tobacco fields through long summer days. In Kentucky, conditions were al most as bad. There were fewer ne jgroes, but more of the "poor J whites," who roam as tenants from Jfarm to farm, ever hoping*to get a jgood price for their labor. There [were more "piri-hookers" and more [of the pet^r graft they foster and live on. Such conditions have prevailed since Bright and Burley tobaccos, the. kind you smoke in cigarettes }and chew in plug or twist, were dis covered in 1852 and 1864 in North Carolina and Ohio respectively. Once in three of four years the mo guls who sit in- New York or St. Louis or Winston-Salem and fix prices of tobacco to-both consumer and producer, would allow a living price to the tobacco grower, just enough often to keep him contin ually in hope, just Ihfreqeuently enough to keep him always poor. The buyers of tobacco are perhaps more closely and powerfully organ ized than the manufacturing con sumers of any other agricultural product. And always there is the "pin-hooker," the speculator who i fishes with a bent pin, ready to ex jact his tribute by a real or trump | ed-up "stand-in" with the Company I buyer. in the 90's J. B. Duke manipula ted the American Tobacco' Com pany through its various transfor mations until it absorbed the whole manufacturing tobacco industry, land held the American, the Eng lish, the,German, the Japanese and the Mexican and other markets in a monopolistic grip. It was a mag nificent spectacle, this creation of a world monopoly in fifteen years, but it meant twice fifteen years of poverty for the men on whose backs the magnificent : spectacle was borne. The dissolution ordered by the U. S. Supreme Court in 1911 did not help much. WTiat chance I have 300,000 ignorant* isolated I farmers against four or five buy ers," intimately though . informally organized, controlling vast amounts of money and the best brain3 mon ey can buy? To those who watched the tobac co growers on the auction floors, leaving with a hopelessly bewilder ed misery on their countenances j when their crop did not "bring i enough money to pay their debts, much less enough to support a fam ily decently, dr seen them break into tears in bad years, when they thought of the suffering their wives and children must face?to those who have seen these things, the i whole system seemed rotten and j unworthy of a civilized country, j It was a condition to provoke ev j en the most placid to desperate ac tion. And so it did, especially in ! Kentucky, with which this story j specifically deals. In 1873, in 1997, in 1901, the tobacco growers of Kentucky made impotent efforts to get on their feet commercially. In j each case, the effort failed, for one i reason and another. Finally, in 1906, the year in which j the final consolidation of the Am I erican Tobacco Company was ef ! fecfeu, the tobacco growers of Ken I tucky rose in revolt. The American Society of Equity in Western Ken tucky and the Burley Tobacco So i ciety of the Bluegrass began cam I paigns to "pool" the tobacco crop. I It was a hurriedly concocted plan ! Its leaders were without previous j experience in cooperative enter i prise. They lacked many of the j facilities for a genuinely success i ful popular movement. In such cumstances, it is not surprising J that they made many mistakes and j that the structure they created was j not strong enough or big enough to withstand the attack of the forces on the other side. The agreement which the growers were I induced to .sign was not legally j binding, it ran only for one year, I it did not provide for the internal pool, and it was agreed to by only about 30 per cent of the growers. Naturally, the society could not en force deliveries, and the members of the pool sold their- tobacco else win re at will. The one-year clause made necessary the enormous work of conducting a sign-up campaign every year. The banks would not lend money to an organization of the existence of which they could not be 'certain. The society was ?not the. dominating factor in the market. Vet. even with these handicaps, the price of tobacco was raised ma terially and much good resulted. But the name of Kentucky was dis graced by the violence of the "night j riders," who in many cases sought; to enforce by fear of arson or the) horsewhip a contract which the! courts would not uphold. Despite | the gradual withdrawal of public sentiment because of these tactics, 1 the societies managed to engineer a cut out in 1908. The price of to bacco was profitable, and this ef fort made, tAe pool ceased. The leaders were tired of intense effort needed to maintain such an un stable organization, the public fear ed a renewal of the outrages of the j "night* riders". The success had been too hard won. From 1909 on, the growers of Burley tobacco sold over the auc tion floor. Several other attempts j were made to sell the crop eo-j operatively, but they were still-1 born. Then came the war, and to- { bacco prices boomed to unheard of! levels. Beginning in 1918, the price rose to forty cents a pound { at the close of the season. . At the j jend of the 1920 market, a level of j sixty cents had been reached-j Everybody had more money than ever before, and everybody was! jubilant and hopeful. An enormous crop was set, just in time to feel Ithe full effect of the deflation of agricultural prices. In 1921, r.he< price was less than thirteen cents for a cro* that cost thirty-four cents to produce. ? Immediately died the rosy hopes of the tobacco growers. A price like that meant that there wouldn't be enough money in the country to pay the interest on debts contract - i ed during high prices. Land ? values wilted overnight. Trade ! stagnated. The second day of sales j the growres.were more than angry,! and were desperately furious, j They knew that such a price j meant suffering for their families. | At almost every point they closed the warehouses by force, in the hope that thi3 maneuver would scare the Big Four into raising! prices. Only by the vigilance of some of the leaders- was a recur rence of violence avoided. At this juncture, a man of sufB-! cient knowledge, influence, capacity! and integrity was found who] could successfully lead an effort at j re-organizing the industry on such ja basis that an. outbreak of vio lence end its causes would be im I possible. This man was Judge j [Robert W. Binghain, publisher ofj .' the Louisville Courier-Journal, who.| ?was not a tobacco grower, but who , saw the faults of the auction sys-i ;tem clearly and had a mind to (put them right. He had been inj j California the year before and had] [seen the prosperity, of .the farm-, (ers there a? a, result! of co-opera- j jtive marketing of their products, j iHe determined to introduce such a I system into Kentucky. . With a .few of the leaders hej made a flying trip to New York; to consult Bernard M, Baruch, a schoolmate,* who directed them to! Aaron Sapiro, San Francisco at j torney, as the man for their work.! j Mr. Sapiro had already begun work j j with the tobacco growers of Vir- j i ginia and the Carolinas,' but he was ' J unknown in Kentucky. Now there j Iis scarcely a man who does not re Igard him as the genius that he is- j Sand with Judge Bingham, the de-| j liverer of the tobacco growers. I Mr. Sapiro was induced to comej j to Kentucky to confer with a gath- j ering of leading Kentuckians and! ! explain the system of selling fa rm I ! products on the California co-op j erative plan. He .convinced them jof its soundness as applied to to^ j bacco. j Almost immediately Judge Bing j ham appointed an executive cam-i paign committee and the eda ca- j ttion of the people of Kentucky for] 'this new idea was begun. It was] (then too late to affect the 1920 j crop prices, but it was determined j jthat a change would be brougntj i^about before another crop was] j ready for the market^ By the un- j ; wearied effort of five or six unsel- j I fish men, by constant educational j j publicity in Judge Bingham's pa-; [ pers, by the co-ordination of all j I economic forces in the state, the j movement was started under aus- j 1 picious circumstances, j At first there was much suspic [ion, fear and uncertanity to over I come. Farmers, merchants and j bankers were afraid of another pe j riod of "night-riding." But one j by one the bugaboos were destroy ! ed, and as interest after interest I was enlisted in the movement it j gained momentum. The first con j tract was signed June 4. 1921. The I committee had, under the terms of ! the contract, until November 14 to j obtain the signatures of three ! fourths of the tobacco growers, j And there were 70,000 of these. It! ! looked like an impossible task, but | : it had to be done, and so it was. ] On three occasions, all towns.] j including a city the size of Lex- j j ington, were closed, in an area of! j fifty counties. Merchants, clerks,. ! bankers, lawyers, doctors, school I ?.teachers, preachers, university pro- j ; lessors, school children and house- ; j wives quit their occupations and I : went out to help sign contracts, j ! During the height of the c?.m- ! j paign there were 5.000 volunteer I J solicitors in the field. . It is doubt jful if ever before in the history of ? j American agriculture such an or- j Iganization campaign was staged, j j A count on November 15 shows j [that in 163 days, 55.716 contracts j ; had been signed, covering more I than 80 per cent of the Burley to-; ! bacco produced in the world. I The* leaders then were faced by i Ithe problems of creating machin-i ! ery to handle the business ofj i such an association- Grading.! ?warehousing and accounting syc-i I terns had to be created. Officers i iand directors had to be elected,! i end employees chosen. Arrange- i \ ments were made with the W ar I Finance Corporation for a loan of p$l").000,000. Kentucky's stringent ianti-combination. laws had to be] ! repealed a nd co-operative laws en ? acted. These tasks were divided I between committees and were .u | complished in les* than six week.j. I The Association's grading system i has been adopted by the United States bureau of markets. Ttie organization owns 126 out of 135 4 warehouses, valued at more *-haa $5,000,000. The co-operative la-\v was enacted in the shortest legal time, without amendment .and , without a dissenting vote. Just at the moment of complete success, the association struck snag. - The Louisville hanks had 0 agreed to lend to the association enough money to finance advance payments to the growers on de?v- * ery of tobacco./ But the attorney for the clearing house, who was personally unfriendly to the move ment, gave, the opinion that the _ contract was not binding, the asso ciation illegal and the marketing . act unconstitutional. Because p? the eminence of the source, the bankers hesitated. Delay at this" time meant disaster. . Tobacco had been ready to deliver for a month, ; and the growers were getting im patient. The /money from the War Finance Corporation would *? not be available until the tobacco was processed, and this took time. If there was no money forthcom ing- on delivery, the growers * would stampede the open markets, and this co-operative movement, like others, would faiL ? James C. Stone, president of the " association, at this point called all the country bankers together,' ep*~ plained the situation and asked for a loan of $3,600,000. Judge Bingham at this moment rose, and in simple words express ed his faith in the soundness and worth of the plan, closing, "I will ? ask no man to do what I am un willing to do myself. I will lend the association one million dol I Then there was ten minutes ( pandemonium, while every one re ! joiced. Here was a man, not 3. farmer, who was willing to his belief in the farmer to the tent of pledging one million* lars of his personal means- Wi such a leader could not the farm ers of Kentucky dp anything? In less than an: hour, the sa.'$-~ scriptions to,the Tobacco Grower^ Libert^ Loan, as it was called, *to-^ . tailed $M0f,000-^nearly $2,00u--* 000 more than^had been asked With ,the impetus of this vict'c 'the Buriey Tobacco Growers' Cb^ operative Association has been " enormously ^uccessfuL The Lib erty loans ^fere rnpaid from sales ' j in less than thirtyf'days. The mon i ey from the. War; Finance Corpor ation was n*ft used for months., [Payments to date have totalled j about eighteen cents a pound. I recent report of W- C. Hanna. Kea j tucky Commissioner of A^lc^il-^ ture, shows that the average !*ie<; j price for the association h?x heen f twenty-nine cents, while the au<? I tion" markets have averaged ohtp I about twenty-one cents. The mem- . j bership of the association has been i increased to 65,000. The expenses of 'operation have been reduced tiro-* ! thirds. - j The industry has- been com? pletely reorganized. Whereas be ! fore the .association was formed? j there were more than 3,000 pin? I hookers, it is doubtful if there wiB I be 100 left this year. For the ftrffc time in the tobacco industry, the Big Four?the American Tcfe*C?& Compaiiy,'P. I^rillard. R. J. R?3f-" nolds Company and Liggett St Myers?have found their own. or ganization met by one just as com plete. Their olficers sit attrpss "a ?? ?ible from the officers of the asso I ciation, (and in Mr. Stone, the 'president, and Ralph M. Barker,.the j director of warehouses, the farm-. ers have two officers of extra ordinary capacity) and have the new experience of bargaining with j those to whom they formerly die- ; ! tated. I And for e wonder, both sides ; seem to like this experience- The ! Association has been able to gi^de^ I an4 handle the tobacco much" ; more efficiently than the agents j the manufacturers were able to do. ! There is no duplication or tvaste. ! So the 'manufacturers have been 1 able to pay the growers a proS ! table price, and yet spend JeSfc money than they formerly did. L So great is the mutual satisfied S tion that it is doubtful if there will f be a single auction market open i continuously this winter. So maar?. of* the growers have joined thsst not enough tobacco is left outside to support a market at a "profit, while the manufacturers seem disposed to deal entirely and di rectly with the farmers* organiza tion, v. ? ?99 The county campaign meeting* was held at Mayesville Friday, de spite the threatening weather an* the bad condition of the roads, re sulting from the downpour of the* previous night. All of the candi dates were present, except Sena tor Moise and "Representative Jack son. The crowd in attendance was small, there fc eing about twen ty-five voters in addition to the* candidates- ? Mr. Robert Muldrow presided and introduced the speak ers. The candidates for the legis lature, county offices and solicited made about the usual speeches. Messrs. Andrew J. Bethea and John J. McMahan, candidates ipr congress, also attended the meet ing and spoke after the regular program arranged for the other candidates had been concluded. If Mayesville or Pinewood should offer to subscribe ten or fifteen thousand dollars to the Sumter'? County Fair for the purpose of completing the amount needed to carry out the plans of the direcV tors, on condition that the fair be* moved to the town making the subscription, there would probably be a regular Columbia revival in the town and neighborhood of* Su inter. ' ? i ? The Wateree river bridge at Garner's Ferry is still somewhat iip. in the air. The bridge is i.rae tieally completed] but it lacks ter minal facilities. ? Work-en the city abattoir is pro gressing, but it will probably not he completed within sixty to ninety*