The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1897-11-18

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. the farmers for some time seemed as Il they
realized that outsiders were gradually grind
inS them TO the dust, and that they would no
longer suffer such an imposition, but as the
slick professionals began to realize this. the
market gradually advanced $50 per bale,
and has remained at comparatively lalr
price, until within the last few months ana
the professionals have peen SettlnS III 'leii
work.
Had the price remained at figure where
there was aay chance for you to make a
thing l should not have mentioned the plan
of a trust against them. but believe II you
do not organize and form combination Us
is formed against You; that you Will forever
remain in the depths Of poverty. Their In
terest is dianctricl opposedto high prices or
full value for your cotton. they are organized
aud work upon business principles, they
combine and focce the price OF your cotton
to point where you can barely I'VE III oLueI
to allow them to make their prohts ana 10
keep you in a dependent condition, they
want to keep you from organizing. TO make
you i.dstrust and have no confidence In each
other. and tc ridicule in every way the loea
that you have the ability to organize.
If you realized they were opposed TO you
Won would expect Nc assistance from Them.
Has Neill, the EnSlishman. ever iaiied 10
make an estimate that he did not endeaVor
to drive prices lower, and is not naturai tnas
other sections and countries that nave you 10
their power should try to keep you there, set
YOUR Gotten for as little as possible and under
the present system they will keep you there
unless you wake up and decide that you will
not tamely submit TO an imposition. l want
every farmer to speak to his nelshbor and
urge the necessity Of formation. Many may
say that this is a scheme OF mine TO nrece
tse farmers, bu. am a Southern man with
Southern instincts and southern inclinations,
and il is the dearest wish OF my heart to
promote the welfare OF the South.
The cotton market has declined Sl.O0 per
bale during the past two days and every
farmer that owns a bale OF cotton is out 81
ON account o. two days trading IN the future
market II ia YOUR duty to your children
and YOUR wives, that hey do not have to
carry such burden all their lievs. which you
have not attempted to put down. You might
fight the devil with fire II anyone has not
seen the plan it will be forwarded to him on
application. -
In the prst twenty years the cotton pro-
ducers have created over one-haif the wealth
Of the whole country and yet the assessed
valuation OF all the property OF the cotton
States is not as great AS that OF the State OF
New York alone.
Is there any reason for this, is there any
sense il this, is tt..rc any justice in this?
say 10 you in ali earnestness that II you do
organize or perfect some arrangements, you
will. although you are blesseh by Providence
as being the finest section in the world, be-
come absolutely slaves, as YOU are partly now.
Will YOU allow the price Of your labor to be
fixed by a people in other sections and in
other countries who have no interest what
ever in your welfare, but rather the contrary,
or will you wake up and show to the world
that God has blessed you and that you will
benefit by II?
/ should likeevery newspaper in the South
that has the South's welfare at heart to pub
lish this letter and TO cooperate with me in
erdeavoriag to bring about an organization,
that will work and strive for the future pros
nerity OF the South, and resist all the snares
laid by shrewd tricSsters. Il can be done, II
viii be done, all that is necessary Is for the
intelligent and thinking people TO act to.
gether, No other class or section OF country
on the face of the earth that has practical
monopoly OF the most valuable product that
is produced would sit idly by and allow other
sections ana other countries that must abso-
lutely have your product fix the price and
keep YOU in position where you can never
hope TO improve.
Let Us Join together aud fight the schem.
ers who make ten times as much as you do In
trading on your labor aud yet save our
country and our homes.
II something is not done you must in
evitably 60 from bad TO worse, it Is undoubt-
edly IN your han ls.
After the address was read, Mr.. Will
horn said there was no disposition to
fight. but fire had to be fought with
fire. He was willing and anxious to
act and set in motion sentiment that
would result in something; organiza-
tion was wanted. This was not an ALI
ance organization, but everyone was
invited to cooperate in securing right
and justice.
J. C. Wilborn was nominated for
permanent chairman; r. b. Watson,
vice president: darcy Duncan. Sec
retary.
DIR. Stepp, of Spartanburg, proposed
that the association be named the
South Carolina Cotton Growers Asso
citation, and so it was named.
At this juncture Mr.. Roddey made
the following short address:
Mr.. Roddey said he studied the
question for sever n years and felt salts
fed the farmers were manipulated cut
of living. Large spinners do not
wQrry aOOuV luelr SuppiloS oo enCy SoAA
combine as to prices. The profession
al operator generally took the bear OF
the market. The lower the price OF
cotton the stronger the pressure on the
creditor. When an operator with SlO,-
600 can sell the entire country's prod
uct it is putting small value ON the
farm labor. Cotton not yet planted
sold yesterday for S cents here, next
October cotton sold for 5.ss yesterday.
That is fine outlook The Southern
farmers, strange to say, let other class
es regulate the price OF their products.
He proposed to organize trust If he
went alone. He could not see his COM
penions work for Sl2. A trust will
cost money and he would organize
like the Standard Oil company; they
are organized against us and why not
organize. He was going to organize q
million dollar company aud would
make su ccess of it. Cotton was S12 O
bale less today than the same day last
year. Yet the visible supply was 700, :
900 bales less.
Mr.. Stepp proposed this:
Resolved, That the farmers o. South
Carolina reduce in cotton acreage to ten
bales per mule.
L IL At<A@ ~ W. a