The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1902-06-25


receive attention.
M communication OF personal character
will be published except as an advertisement
Entered at the PoStoffice at Manning as Sec
Ond Class matter.
AGITATION HELPS RATHER THAN HURTS.
This is an agricultural com
munity with the principal mon
ey product cotton. Our farmers
have for years, been looking for
ward to the day when the county
seat would reach the epoint where
it would become Of commercial
Importance sufficient to make 1t
a strong competitive point. That
day has arrived. Manning from
a commercial standpoint is the
equal of much larger towns; this
is attested by the commercial
men who are constantly travel
ing, and who have opportunities
for keen observation. The cred
it of our merchants is first class:
and the character Of their mer-
chandise is equal to any town in
the State. Goods can be bought
in Manning at advantageous
prices, and there is a general
catering to the trade. This has
not always been so. but since
new blood has been infused into
the business methods, live, ac-
tive, competition upon intelli-
gent business principles has re-
suited, and the people have been
benefited. But our draw back
may be attributed to the i'm
proper attention to the peoples
principal product-cotton. Our
business men have not heretofore
looked close enough to their
own interests, and have per-
mitted other markets to reap
benefits which should be ours.
The competition has not been
sharp enough, and whether
there was just ground for the
complaint or not, the fact is,
Manning lost lots of business be-
cause the farmers believed they
We're not getting full market
price for the product which cost
them so much toll in a scorching
>sun-they believed that Man
ning's cotton market was con-
trolled by a monopoly, simply
because there were so few buy
ers, and they, governed by a
foreign buyer. We say, whether
the farmers were right in their
surmises or not, makes no differ
ence, the effect was that they
carried to other markets what
should have come here, and this
town lost that much business,
and every line was effected. The
question is, shall this condition
continue? Under the old busi-
ness methods, the disposition
was to keep away stores, but by
practical demonstration it has
been proven, the more stores the
more trade, and just so will it be
with cotton buying; let Manning
have one buyer, only a small
proportion of Clarendon's cotton
will come, but have a number Of
active buyers and our streets
will be white with the feecy
staple.
The crop bids fair to be good,
and it is to the interest of every
merchant here to begin at once
corresponding with the cotton
factories and importers to send
buyers here, or appoint agencies
to- induce the cotton to this mar
ket, our merchants should make
contracts with mills as they do
IN other places; nothing should
be left undone that will tend to
increase the number of bales
brought here. All this stuff
about freight rates is bosh, if
there exists a difference in the
freight rate get together and
confer with the railroads for a
remedy. Take advantage Of the
line of steamers soon to be put
on Santee river, and let the rail
roads understand that if they
want to haul Clarendon's cotton,
they must give this point a rate
the equal of Sumter. If there
are any obstacles in the way Of
Manning, the business men must
blame themselves for not going
to work early and intelligently
to overcome them. Now is the
time, the iron is hot, and if our
business men will strike now,
and all strike together, Manning
will pay as much for cotton as
Sumter, and save the people
money on their purchases.
Some people say that our ex-
posure of the methods here will
- -: ne town" We will yield
IL @oaa i greater interest and love
Fa. ~ ming than we have. and 1t
:. g.~ Sc of this love and inter-
-. - are constantly hammer
Ing are y at our people to wake
up anu join in the competitive
race. If our business people
choose to be Indifferent, and ex-