Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1879-02-13
THE FERTILIZER TROUBLES.


The farmers in the various sections Of the
State continue to hold meetings for the pur-
pose of giving expression to their views IN
regard to the action of the fertilizer compa-
MES at the Augusta Convention, and in some
instances denounce the companies in harsh
terms. The general disposition seems to be
not to accede to the requirements Of the
convention but to refuse to purchase fer
tilizers unless they are furnished upon terms
which are regarded by the farmers as reason
able. In some sections there appears to be
a strong disposition to entirely discontinue
the use of commercial fertilizers and rely
upon home made manures. Wherever this
course. is pursued, it is probable that the far
mers will have cause to thank the convention
for its action, as the chances are that in
majority of instances the benefits to the fer
tilizer men are out of proportion to the ben
efts derived by the farmer. .,s
On sales-day, public meeting was held at
Anderson, G. H., at which the following reso-
lutions were adopted: .-..L-
Resolved, By the citizens of Anderson coun-
ty, in mass meeting assembled, that the recent
action of the companies manufacturing COM
mercial fertilizers, at a meeting held IN Angus
ia. on the 18th of December, 1878, banding
themselves together, and in the midst of gen
eral suffering, and at time when all kinds
of agricultural products are deprecated in
price, and when the great mass OF the ,tlllers
of the soil find it hard to exist, they regard 1t
as public wrong and blow aimed at the
best interest of this Commonwealth .
Resolred, That the monopolists who con-
spired to commit this wrong are enemies OF
the farming community, and, as such, should
be deprived, Immediately, of any and all privi-
leges to dig, mine or manufacture commercial
fertilizers.
Resolved, That we appeal to the farmers and
all others interested in the success Of agricul-
ture, wherever scattered over the State, TO
unite in the opposition to the phosphate mo-
nopolists and all the influence they can bring
to bear, and to continue their opposition, un-
til every vestige of a monopoly, which seeks
self ACKNOWLEDGMENT at the expense OF the rights
of others, is rooted out of existence.
RESOLVED, That unless the manufacturers OF
commercial fertilizers reduce their price to
at least what it was last year, the consumers
be advised not to purchase single pound, and
in the future unanimously and earnestly resist
any attempt on the part Of the guano manu-
facturers, or others to eXtOrt from the farmers
ruinouS prices for their productions.
Resolred, That the president of this meeting
be and he is hereby instructed to furnish a
copy of these proceedings to the president OF
the Senate and the Speaker Of the House as
soon as the Assembly shall meet at its next
session, and that he, in the name of the people
of Anderson County, petition the General AS
sembly to repeal all charters granted to COM
panies to dig and mine phosphate in the navl-
gable rivers and streams of this State, and
enact such legislation as will place the whole
phosphate interest in the hands of the State,
where it properly belongs.
On the same day, a meeting was held at
Greenville. The Court House, in which the
meeting was held, is said to have been crowd
ed to such an extent that many persons pres
ent were forced to stand up for want of seats.
The meeting was presided over by Senator
Crittenden, who made speech Of considera-
BILE length, in the course of which he said:
We have met to-day, as farmers, for the pur-
pose of protecting our own interests and OF
uniting with each other in resisting what we
believe to be an attempt on the part OF COM
tionate tribute upon the whole agricultural in
terest of the country. venture to say here
that if there is any one conviction in the
minds of the farmers of this country that is
stronger than another, it is that we have, for
several years past, been paying exOrbitantly
high prices for commercial fertilizers, and that
during these years we have in great measure
been working for somebody else, and mainly
for the manufacturers of the fertilizers we
have bought. Notwithstanding this convic-
tion, land we have had it for several years. we
have been plodding on, toiling and straining
every nerve to raise more cotton, to buy more
fertilizers to make more cotton WITH nearly
the whole profit of which has gone to enrich
the manufacturers, and those who handle our
cotton after we have seen the last Of it. 1t
was on the heels of an experience like this,
and while we were preparing to plant another
crop, still hopeful that with good seasons and
hard work we might be able to have a small
margin of profit at the end of the year, that
there appeared, few weeks ago, paragraph
which went the rounds OF the press. 1t was
to this effect That a meeting had been held
at Augusta, Ca, of representatives of leading
manufacturers of commercial fertilizers, and
a combination formed to increase the prices OF
their fertilizers as heretofore exchanged for
cotton. This was the feather, and not very
light one either, which broke the caD.2l's back.
We have been raising cotton heretofore, in
this section of country, almost for the benefit
of the manufacturers of commercial fertlll-
zers. Are you willing to do it entirely in the
future? If not, then we must meet combina-
ton by combination. They have set us the
example. We can live as well without their
fertilizers as they can without our cotton.
The following resolutions were adopted,
preceded by preamble urging the farmers
of Greenville county to resist the combina-
ton of the fertilizer manufacturers:
1. That we hereby endorse and confirm the
pledge already adopted at several township
meetings in this county, to wit That we bind
ourselves individually, by atfixing our names to
these resolutions, that we will not, during the
present year, pay any additional rate, either by
exchange of cotton or otherwise, for the same
grade of commercial fertilizer, above that paid
by us during the past year.
2. That we call upon farmers all over the
state to meet and adopt the same resolution
and obtain signatures to it.
3. That as we believe the true interests OF
farmers in this section lies in the increased
use and manufacture of homemade manures,
the chairman of this meeting is instructed to
appointed a committee Of five practical and
experienced farmers, whose duty it shall be to
investigate this subject and report at the
earliest practicable time, through the public
press, the best mode of composing and util..
izing the materials of the farm for purposes OF
fertilization.
4. That committee of five be appointed to
report as information, to an adjourned meeting
to be held in two weeks from to-day, the best
terms to be obtained from any manufacturers
of approved fertilizers on q basis of exchange
for cotton.
5. That a committee of three from each