The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1886-11-18
SEED COTTON THIEVES.
AN EVIL WHICH THE LAW SEEMS
-, UNABLE TO CURE.

\ Question for the Lcgislature-Thc Seed
Cotton Thief no Worse than the Man
who Buys the stolen Cotton-Prompt
and Vigorous Measures Needed.
A correspondent writing to the News
and Courier, from st. Matthews, ;. G.,
under date of November 9th, 1856,
writes as follows concerning the traffic
in seed cotton:
Ever since Farmer Tillman" declar-
ed himself to be the "Agrlcultural
Moses" and assumed the task Of lead
ing the over-burdened tillers of the soil
out of the land of Pharaoh and his bur
lensome task-masters, the agricultural
question has been especially prominent
before the public. Reduction in taxa
ton, the establishment of an agricul-
tural college, the prices of fertilizers,
the oppressive system of the cotton
factorage business, &C., have been, from
time to time, very forcibly brought to
the attention of the public all going to
prove that the farmers OF our state are
beginning to awake to their interests
and are willing to embark in any enter
prise which promises to better their
impoverished condition.
Inview Of the fact, | beg to bring to
the attention. not only Of the farmer.
but CT every citizen interested III the
material welfare and prosperity OF this
State, Il matter beside which all others.
previously discussed, pale into lnSlg-
liificancr. | refer to the growing evil
ofsthe seed cotton traffic: 1t is essential
ly curse To the cotton planter think
it safe to assert that ut least per cent.
of the cotton made by the honest far
mer is stolen and goes to fill the col
ferS of these seed cotton buyers. who
open their shops ut every road crossing
in the country about the 1St OF Sep
tember and offer inducements to the
negroes on the surrounding plantations
to@ steal all the cotton that they can.
This, plainly, is an enormous drain on
theindustry OF the country. Five per
cent. of the gross cotton production Of
any planter will pay his taxes for at
least two years, or buy Il ton ol acid
phosphate for every plough he runs.
But this is not the only loss incurred.
This seed cotton traffic increases the
price, and heightrnS the independence
Of The laborer When the cotton field
begins to array itself in its robe of
snowy whitcncSs. the darlcy draws the
robe of idle dignity about his shoulders
and SAYS. give me fifty cents per hllnrcd
or YOUR cotton will remain unhaTvvot-
ed. The farmer is forced to conccdc to
this unreasonable demand, and then
the probability is that he will lose il
large perccntag gc from waste. for Wll;lt
negro will hurry himself to gather cot
ton: at fifty cents per hundred! i'll the
day when he can gather it ut night Just
as easy, and by carrying it a half mile
to the nearest shop realize 500 per
bnG,red? ....-.... =.
.ils is not only agrcat evil, bat i
growing evil. During the days Of
Radical rule in the State there was i
great deal Of cotton stolen, but even then
it was confined to sections very near to
town or village. Dating from 1876,
however, it had steadily increased, until
now it begins to ASSUME alarming pro-
portions. Even the negroes are begin
hing to open shops. \ negro will com
mcnce with Il capital Of SO, with which
he will purchase Il mragrc supply Of
SGOEClIcS, NllCll IlC ItNCo w tIiC pl"iiIu
ton OH which he lives, and while the
planter sleeps and swectly dreams OF
brighter days that he will never see,
unless he stirS himself from the lcthar-
gy into which he has fallen, these gro
cerics are exchanged for 500 or 600
pounds Of his cotton.
Now, what the people Of this COM
munitv wish to know is why is this
condition of affairs allowed to exist !:
Is the lawmaking power Of the land
! important to protect us from this SyS-
! TEN OF plul0er? Is the midnight cot
ton thief and his accessory, the mid
night cotton buyer, entitled to more
consideration 1T the hands Of the law
than the honest. Woodworking farmer?
The people OF this community say en-
platically no And unless some StrlE-
! gent law is enacted ut the next session
of the Legislature to put down this
! iniuuitOus traffic. our representatives
vii! not carry into effect the wishes OF
! their constituents.
On The Sth oi last September the clti-
HcnS OF this plac" and tn" surrounding
! country held Il meeting for the purpose
of considering some plan t" ;:bat" this
evil. They formed IN organization
and went earnestly to work. The as
Sociation now numbers nearly two hun
! drcd men. Every merchant in the
! place stands pledged not to hly il
bound of seed cotton. and there are 1T
least two hundred square miles of ter
riLory surrounding, ~ which thrr" Is
not Il Srcl-cnttun shop.
We feel highly gratiIirtt at the irau!.
, attained. but are not fully satisfied. we
do not think it just that we should hr
called upon to spend unr tl!nr H'!d
money to protect ourselves from rob-
I berry when we pay taxes to support Il
! Gnvc~nm"rt Fnr hat purpose.
Preferred Turning t" Hanging.
: 81. LOVl>, November -. y SlmrlaI
from Scialia, Mo-. SayS: Charles Hut
son. colorrd. who plead guilty of incest
at the Criminal Court on Nr''llrSd;;
attempted tn commit Su!rId" yesterday
morning. He saturated his clothing
, ,uI tho L.I unou which ne WAS lNlilu