The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1899-08-23
a Novel Will.
How the Southern States Can Make
Two Billion Dollars.

"Being of sound mind and dispos
ing memory q know my mind is
sound for have lately bad it exam
ined) 1, T. j. Eady, will and bequeath
to the ten cotton States over one hun
dred million dollars each year for the
next twenty years out of the good
reserve Of the Eoglish Government.
and I appoint the ten Governors OF
said States as executors and admins
traitors to execute and carry out as
hereinafter set forth for the benefit
of the said States and the people
thereof for school purposes, etc.
First, let each OF the ten Gov
ernors CT these States appoint three
commissioners to represent them, and
these thirty com mmissioners meet and
formulate this plan which will make
all the people happy. Let each
State pay the farmer seven cents per
pound for all the middling cotton
raised. Let each State sell this cot
ton at nine cents per pound and by
this arrangement they make ten dol
lars per bale profit. Now, suppose
they make ten million bales and they
cannot sell over nine million bales,
then there is 10 per cent. to be de-
stroyed. Suppose Georgia raises one
million bales and she is call upon to
destroy 10 per cent; she would burn
up one hundred d thousand bales which
would cost her three and half mil
lion dollars. While on her million
bales she would have made ten dol
lars per bale or ten million dollars.
30 she would still have left over six
million dollars to run her schools and
State government. By this arrange
ment the whole business is in the
hands of thirty commissioners, and
the other twenty-seven commission
ers will see that Georgia destroys her
part. So every body would be bene-
fited, for the farmer knows that he
will get seven cents and is happy.
The merchant, banker and manufac-
turer will be pleased for it takes the
speculation out of their business.
The factory knows years ahead what
his cotton is going to cost and can
make contracts ahead for his goods,
farmers credit Will be better for the
merchant, and the banker will know
what he is going to get for his cotton.
This is the only way the matter can
be handled, for thirty men can regu-
late price while millions Of farmers
cannot do so.
"Second, T will give my executors
and administrators a few pointers
and suggestions that they can furn-
ish the rest. Some one might ask
how do we know We could get nine
cents? England has cried for our
cotton at Sl.00 per pound. Why not
want it now for ten cents? England
can 60 out of the cotton market two
weeks in November, and by doing so
can take Of FIVE dollar per bale or
S5O,OOO,O0o eff the cotton crop as it
is now. Now England names the
price and takes the cotton; the other
way the States names the price and
England takes the cotton. But some
one might say trust! We do lot
trust them, but Epgland's gold would
come after this cotton, and she would
have to send more than one hundred
million dollars of it to this country
than she did last year for the same
amount Of cotton.
You ask how can We pay for this
cottol? All cotton delivered to the
States or their agents before January
1st, pay them seven cents per pound
between January and May seven ard
one quarter and after May seven and
one-half cents. The States would
sell the same way, and all this cot
ton would not be put on the malket
at once, and factories would suit their
wants in buying. E.ch State would
issue cotton certificates and the
banks, merchants and farmers would
help carry it. Certer6cates would
pass and be as good as gold, for the
State would have cotton behind each
one of them and that calls for Eng
lands gold at our own price. By
this arrangement they say farmers
would make too much cotton. Put a
special tax on all corn bought by the
farmer of-say twenty-five cents re-
bushel, like on his mules so that if
he bought three hundred bushels 'f
corn he paid $500 taxes to the State
which would pay for the burning up
of two bales Of his cotton. I,u say
it would cost money to handle this
business. Georgia would get di:-
foronoe hotvaep five cents and lii G