The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1901-12-25
ANNUAL MEETING Of
The STATE GRANGE
Farmers are Told OF. the Need of
Observation-Disclosures of MIR.
IN. K. Thompson.

Bisbopville. Dec. 1.-THE South
Carolina State Grange met here IN its
twenty-ninth annual session Wedres-
dsy. MI. ". K. Thompson, worthy
master, presided. He appointed the
committees to whom were referred the
different subjects that were to come
before the grange.
Under the head Of officers reports
the worthy master read his annua! re.
port, giving an account Of the work OF
the grange for the past and suggesting
ways and means for increasing the
grange and it's usefulness, and urging
efforts towards elevating and better
ing the condition of agriculturallsts.
The master argued that cooperation
among farmers is necessity, saying
that cooperation is the bottom, the
center and the top OF all grange Work,
and that farmers are beglnnlng 10
realize that the moment they step
outside of their regular farm life and
become active in the daily affairs OF
life by which they are surrounded,
they are at once met by organization
of every kind, ready to dispute the
advances of the farmer when single
handed and alone. Hence the absolute
necessity of combination and organiza-
ton.
.sThe needs of the farmer in social
and intellectual lines must be fully
met to give them equal standing with
other classes, and by cooperating IN
thought and action, they protect agrl-
culture and give the grandest OF all
industries that prominence and I'M
portance that it so much deserves. -
In speaking of-trusts the master said ::
.sThe tendency of the age is to COM
bine capital and form trusts and com
binations, and the growing aggressive
ness Of these trusts to arbitrarily con-
troll prices and destroy competition is
alarming the whole people, and 1t
looks now as if the aggressive attitude
of business consolidation will continue
until the entire business interests are
under the absolute domination of
trusts, and will stop only when it
ceases to be profitable or when con-
trolled by law.
Our State and national legislative
bodies must pass remedial legislation
to protect the citizen. In speaking OF
the improvement of our public roads,
Mr.. Thompson said:
There is no queetion that is be-
coming as important and that is at
tracing more attention among the
people than the improvement Of our
public highways. This is question
in which the farmers are most vitally
interested, and we as representatives
of the entire class of farmers should
give it most careful and thorough
consideration. As to to the necessity
and advisabilfty of better roads none
will deny, but as to the best plan to
accomplish this is a problem not so
easy Of solution. Undoubtedly any
system that will give improved roads
in country will equally accrue to
the advantage of both town and
country. And by devising plans for
establishing and maintaining better
roads through the rural districts, and
thus causing the value of lands to
be greatly enhanced, the towns reap
the benefits as well as the country,
for as the country is developed and
prospers the towns are developed and
prosper, and the State at large is de-
veIoped and prospers. Our system OF
voluntary road building and working
that has been in practice for so long
a time has proven an utter failure.
and the law making power Of this
State must take hold of this matter and
inaugurate some system by which our
roads can be improved with hired
labor. Some advocate the building OF
short sections of model roads, in
different parts of each county with
the State convicts. This will do as
far as it goes, but it does seem that
the Importance Of this question, the
most important now confronting the
people Of this State, demands some
legislation that Will bring relief tc
ali sections of the counties and al
sections of the State, some general
legislation bv which fund can be
collected to pay for competent enei-
neers, wno can supervise and direct
such labor that may be furnished him
by the bounty supervisors.
At a public meeting held in the
city of Camden in January last the
legislature was peJluoned TO impose
a communication tax Of one dollar and
make the payment of the same com
pulsory. And in addition to this,
cause the supervisor Of each county tc
set aside from the levy for ordinary
county purposes" an amount sufficient
to enable him to put in better condi-
ton our public roads, thus doine
away with the system of voluntary
road working and adopting in lier
thereof the system of hiring labor
It was not thought that one dollar
from each person liable to road duty
and portion Of levy for ordinary
county purposes would create fune
sufficient to put all of the roads II
first class order at first, but 1T woule
be beginning, and by thoroughly re
pairing the sections OF roads gone owe.
4Lo c1c%opo IN fhC