The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1894-11-14
ANTI OPTION CONVEN rION
Delegates From South Carolina

appointed the following delegates
represent South Carolina in the ant
option convention to be held IN Vlcks
burg on the 10th
First district. Adger Smyth
Charleston, aud j. H. Averill, Beau
fort
Second district-Msj Harry Ham
o,ond, Beech Island. and Gen. John
son Hagood. Bernwell
Third distric,-W L. burst. Green
wood and W A. Courteoay, Newry
Fourth district-W. j Murray
aud L P. Walker, Spartanburg.
Fifth district-W. j Roddey. RocE
Hill. aud Leroy Springs. Lancaster.
Sixth district s. .McCall. Ben'
ne,tsvilIe. aud J. E. EIlerbe, Marion.
Seventh district. II. Ayoock
! Wedge6eld. and J. W. Summers
Oraugeburg.
State at laree-Altamont Moses,
Sumter. T. r. McGahan. Charleston
j. P. O'Neill, Charleston j. 4
Crawford, Columbia and Geo. Cornell.
son. OraDgeburg
In their address the committee says
The present condition Of the Hatch
bill is such. that with the proper efforts
by its friends 10 the agricultural Sta ses.
there can be little doubt of its being
passed and receiving she signature Of
the president.
lin this appeal to the people to aid
in suppressing this great evil which has
fastened itself on our commerce end
agriculture. we can oufy refer to few
of its worst features Future gamb
ling as it is universally termed, has a,
present the protection of some Of our
largest trade bodies. 1t is backed BY
an uukown and vast amount of mooey
1t has invaded banking, commerce aud
agriculture to such an extent that it is
DO exaggeration to state that more
money is employed in gambling in
some Of the exchanges in the cities
than is employed 10 legitimate com
merce
.'Its pernicious effects are so serious
ly felt that it is matter Of grave doub'
whether the law Of supply aud demand
regulates the price Of leading agricultu-
raj products. To illustrate this we
would only refer to one exchange. For
many years the New York cotton ex-
change has done little except to bet on
the price Of cotton. At this exchange
iu single month the sales (bets) of
fictitious cotton have reached the total
of thee average crop Of the United
States. 100000 bales, and in one
year over SO, 600, 600 bales, while the
sales Of actual cotton during the same
year at New York were only 10000
bales and the net receipts of actual cot
ton at that port lO7,000 bales. Such
bets cannot possibly aid 10 the rapid
handling and delivering of cotton and
in securing it's manufacture and sale to
consumers. On the contrary the effect
can be nothing but evil, and the louger
it is permitted the greater the extent to
which the evil will be carried.
"There is but single illustration.
If there was any way Of presenting the
actual statistics of future gambling 10
cotton, wheat, corn, oats and other ag-
ricoltural products in New York.
Chicago. St. Louis, New Orleans aud
other cities, the showing would be such
one as to arouse the people all over
the republic.
The people are masters of the sltua-
ton but they must unite and act.
When there is no longer reasen to
doubt the sentiment of the people their
wishes will be enacted intopaw, and that
law will be executed
''In view of the foregoing We hereby
invite all persons in sympathy with the
purposes of this convention to attend.
and it is desired that all communities be
represented.
Senators and representatives from
this and other States who are favorable
to the movement are invited and ex-
pected
arrangements have been made
with transportation lines for reduced
rates. ("
Constitutional Conventions cost great