The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1900-09-19
WHEAT AND COTTON GROWERS
AN INTERESTING MEETING HELD Al

ION TAKEN BY THE FARMERS.
The South Carolina Wheat Growers
Association held its second annual con-
ton in Greenwood on the 18th inst. |
President A. G.. Latimcr called the |
meeting to order, and stated that the |
minutes Of last years meeting had
been misplaced, but that the proceed
ings were quite well remembered. lie |
said he haI no set speech or special |
message to deliver to the members, but |
said that he had tried to get Secretary |
of Agriculture Wilson to attend the |
convention, and failing in that he had |
secured the next best man in the de-
partment, Mr.. VIM. S. Hill, tho chief
of the publication division.
While Mr.. Laiimer was speaking a
porter brought in two large sacks of
seed wheat, which had been sent TO the
convention by the agricultural depart
ment. This wheat was afterwards dis
tributcd among the farmers for cXpcr-
imenting.
On being introduced TO the cOnvcn-
ton Mr.. Hill modestly disclaimcd being
"the next best man." as Mr.. Latimcr
had stated, br, said he was the only
available man. He began his address
with reference to the wheat growing
industry in South Carolina, and gave
out the astonishing Information that
this State IS far behind all other sec
tons of the United States, and even of
the Southern States. The average
weld in this State, according to the
statistics of the agricultural depart
ment, is only eight bushels per acre.
Al, a 1,
Carolina make ls buying so many things
out of the State that could be raised at
home. Take wheat for instance.
South Carolina only produces about
one million bushels per annum, yet she
consumes about slX million bushels.
The money to pay for the other five
million bushels, between five and six
million dollars, goes out of the State.
If this money could be kept at home 1t
would be great help to the farming
interests. Some South Carolina farm
ers even irlport baled hay, and much
of the Outer used in the cities and
towns comes from outside the State
This convention, he believed, was the
beginning of the dawn of better day,
and he expressed qualification at the
interest that is being manifested. He
then called attention to the bulletins
issued by the department, which arc
sent free TO those farmers who apply
for them. An increased interest is
being taken in these bulletins every
year, and Mr. Hill urged the farmers
to apply for them, and thus secure the
benefits of the experiments being made
by the department. The department,
he said, was anxious to be of help to
the farmers, and said that letters of
inquiry would always be promptly an.
swered. He further stated that he
would be glad while here to copfcr
with farmers and to put them in the
way to get any information they might
wish to obtain from the department..
Hon. G. H. Jordan, president of the
Georgia Cotton Growers Association
was then called on for talk. He was
well remembered, having attended the
convention last summer, and delivered
the address ON that occasion. He gave
the result of the revival in wheat grow.
ing N his State. Georgia has harvest
ed this year the largest wheat crop
grown i'll thirty years, and from what
he had been able to learn he thought
the same could be said of South Caro-
lima. What the farmers need is organ
iZation, as in organization they get
encouragement.
AT the conclusion of Mr.. Jordan's
remarks the convention ad ourned fOl
dinner
The Convention was called to order
at 3 O'Clock. BY unanimous consent in
response to great demand from the
farmers of the surrounding county
who wished to hear the speech of presi
dent Jordan to the cotton growers be.
fore going home, it was decided tC
have his speech in the afternoon in.
stead of at night, as originally intended
Mr.. Jordan said in part:
'We have assembled here to day to
deYise the best ways and means for the
future handling of our cotton and cot
ton seed products on the markets. A
change in the methods heretofore en-
ploycd by our people in marketing this
great money crop, is absolutely essenti-
al. The present system of selling the
crop gives every advantage to the buy
er, and leaves the producer helplessly
in the hands Of the spectators For
several years this question of better
marketing the cotton crop of the South
A'Ao 'SSii oSitoISu, Dul up W lnc ! .iIn
OF last May no general movement mad
been inauYurated by which the proper
machinery could be set in motion for
obtaining the desired results. Many
of you have doubtless been advised Of
the big Convention Of cotton growers,
bankers, merchants and business men
generally of Georgia, which met at the
city of Macon on May -, and perfect
ed the organization of the Georgia
Cotton Growers Protective Associ
alton. l was honored with the HIGH
Office of president of that Association
position which Is to me more hiohlv
priced and appreciated than any other
gift which could come to me from the
hands of my people. If | can be at
the head OF movement which will an
nually save 20 the farmers of my coun-
try millions Of dollars to which thew
are entitled, but which they have here.
tofore lost, there could be no aspiration
higher, no cause nobler and no work
In which my heart would be more dcep
ly interested.
"The constitution of our Association
provided that the president should i'm
mediately push the movement into the
other cotton growing States, that by