Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1900-02-08
down WII!!' THE TRUSTS -!
THE FARMERS OF OCONEE HOLD AN EN-.
THUSIASTlC MEETING.
INTERESTING and HELPFUL TALKS
We're Made by Representative Farmers and
Business manifestations Adopted.

1iHiLhLoiiuO IlllD Hill VI IlILnU
We're Made by Representative Farmers and
| Business Manifestations Adopted.
Pursuant to u call tho farmers mot in
the Court House at Walhalla on the 5th
instant, and wore called to ordor by Mr.. G.
IL. ID. Burns. who stated that tho meeting
was held at tho instance of tho Prcsidcn:
OF tho State Alliance, to consider the
fertilizer trust and devise somo MEANS
for it's overthrow.
On motion tho mooting was organized
by tho election of tho Hon. J. l.. Smith,
chairman, and Hon G. II. ID. Burns, Soc
rotary.
Mr.. j. B. Pickett first addressed tho
mcoting, urging tho Importance of union
among the farmers in ortlcr to secure
recognition Of their rights. That tho
condition in South Carolina was that wo
owhcd tho phosphate beds, and also tho
convict labor, and that wo were leasing
them out and not receiving moro than
onc-iifth their value; and he urged that
we mcmOrializo tho Legislature now in
session to enact somo measure into law
that will put tho convict labor in tho
State to mining and manufacturing acid
phosphate, and sell tho samc at cost to
the farmers of tho State.
Mr.. &. X. ID. Burns stated that Senator
Connor, of Orangcburg, had introduced
such a bill in the Senate, and after somo
discussion had been indefinitely post
poncd on the grounds that it would IN
volvc considerable expenditure of money,
and that there was no demand coming
from the farmers of tho State asking for
such legislation.
D. Is. Sanders, Esq, wanted q central
meeting held in Tho State, where the far
mcrs could have tho united voice and
action of every county in consideration
OF this fertilizer question.
Capt. j. G. Neville made one of tho best
speeches in the meeting. 1lo was heart
lly i'll favor Of the Connor fertilizer bill.
lie stated that the greatest opposition to
the bill was the cost involved in cstab-
fishing fertilizer plant. lie also stated
that he had seriously contemplated, in
company with others, to form a Joint
stock company, lease tho State Pcnitcn-
tiary and convicts for a number of wears
and mine and manufacture fcrtiliZcr:
that the probable cost of plant would
be Sl30,0O0. The amount of fertilizers
| consumed in tho State was about
%,3o0,00O that the taxes were nearly
S2,00o,0O0 and that if this bill to mine
the phosphate rock and manufacture
fertilizer was passed it would pay all
our State taxes and enrich the soil so rs
to make it twice as productive. lie said
II would be well to pass n resolution,
urging the Legislature to take some &C
ton; that it was too late to accomplish
much this year, but would help to get the
farmers out of the clutches of the
guano trust next year. lie did not have
much faith in tho Legislature doing
much more than kill time at the rate of
81 per day. IL took two weeks last year
wrangling and debating to :et the Pal
mctto tree of of the dispensary bottles,
and then Dragged about what n change
they had made in the dispcnsary law.
(Applansc.)
Mr.. J. }. Keith stated that no motion
or resolution had been presented, and
that he wanted tho farmers to takc ac
ton to-day.
Mr.. &. Il. ID. Burns moved that COM
mittcc of five be appointed by the CHAIR
man I" draft resolutions cmbodying the
cnSc Of the meeting as expressed, and
that a copy of the same be presented to
onr members in the General Assembly,
urging them to cooperate in securing
the passage of the Connor bill for the
relief q: the fa' mcrs.
The chair api,utniuI McSsrs c. Il. ID.
Burns, }. Il. Pickett, j. & .1evllc, j. II.
Earle and $. =. Stribing. The commit
tee retired, and, in short while, sub
mittcd the following report:
| We, your committee appointed To
draft resolutions to he presented to the
| Legislature by our members Of the Cen
rral Assembly, beg leave to submit the
! following:
| Resolved, That we heartily endorse
| the plan for the manufacture and sale of
commercial fertilizers aS embodied i'm
the bill Introduced by Senator Common,
Of prangrhurG. In our Judgment it is
now Imperative upon the State to with
draw all hire of convict labor at the ry.
piatinn of present contracts, and that
| the same ho utilized fol the mining Of
phosphate rock and manufacture of
commercial fertilizers, to be furnished
| to the farmers of the State at the lowest
| possible cost, and that at the cXpiration
ct present contracts all of the phosphate
beds be reclaimed and mined only by the
State.
Rcsolvcd, further, That the Icnisla-
turc be urged tn take immediate action
to thwart the impending danger If the
| fertilizer trust.
G. i. ID. BURNS,
Chairman of Committee.
Mr.. VIM. NJ. Fcnncll moved to amend
! NE resolution by adding that "All farm-
rrs who left The Alliance without being
identified be required To l.ay the trust
prices for all the Guann they used, and
t" work in the phosphate mines twelve
months free of CHARGE" N.aughtcr.)
Hon. J. Il. Earle addressed the meet
ing in reference to the resolutions, OK
planning The provisions of the Connor
fertilizer bill.
ON motion, the resolutions were unani-
m"uSly adopted rs presented.
On motion Of Mr.. j. j. Keith il was
ordered that the full proceedings of the
meeting be handed the county papers
with the request that they publish the
same