The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1902-07-30
CARD FROM HON. c. NJ. DAVIS.
Hot a Trust. bat an Association"
Davis Station, s. c., July 26, 100:

Hot Trust. bat an "Assoeiation."
Davis Station, S. c., July 26, 1902.
TO the People of Clarendon County:
understand from friends there are
a number of false rumors being circu-
lated in reference to me and l take this
method of reaching the people in order
to set Alright these false reports.
From what can learn these reports
run something like this: That l had
either rented or bought all the cotton
gins in this section of country and
would force the farmers to gin with and
sell their cotton seed to the Farmers
Cotton Oil Company. I denounce this
as being false in toto, except that l did
rent on last January from Hon. T. B.
Owen his ginnery outfit at Silver, S. c.,
and expect to operate it as has been the
custom at that place heretofore.
Another report is to the effect that L
belong to cotton seed oil trust. de-
nounce this as being untrue, and will
now make a statement so that the pub
| lie will understand the situation. There
are seven independent cotton seed oil
mills in the eastern section OF South
Carolina and so far as | know each one
of these independent mills are operated
independently of the other and under
the management of the local directors,
president and manager. These seven
mills have formed an association among
themselves-not trust, but for the;
purpose of buying our mill supplies IN
bulk and selling our products in the
foreign markets as competition OF the
American and Southern Gotten OIL
Companies. Heretofore we have had
to sell our oil to our competitor and
hence you see the necessity OF this as
sociation for our own protection. With
out something of this kind all the inde-
pendent mills would be absorbed by the
big mills and then the seed would be
bought here without competition and
at a much cheaper price than under the
present conditions.
You certainly know the merchants
have their associations. the newspaper
men have their associations, the labor
ers. the doctors, and in fact nearly
every calling has its association except
the farmer, and God knows,he should
have it, as this is the only way IN which
he can fight the great trusts success
fully.
Now, 1 dislike very much to parade
private affairs to the public, but IN or
DER that the people may understand the
situation will have to do so. You will
no doubt remember that some time
back there were certain corporations
that were buying up the independent
cotton seed oil mills and did succeed in
buying a good number of them. The
Farmers Cotton Oil Company of this
place had offers for it's mill and as its
president refused to entertain any Of
fers. You can readily see that if the
independent mills had have all fallen
into the hands of one corporation there
would have been no competition for the
seed and its products.
Iwant to say further that most OF the
stockholders in the oil mill at this place
are farmers, and when subscriptions
were solicited to stock in this company
I as the promoter did my very best to
get all the farmers in this section to
take stock and did succeed fairly well
in this, as l was anxious to make 1t
what it is-strictly home industry -
and I feel proud of it, and believe If
this home enterprise had more encour-
agement over the lower country 1t
would not be long before we could shut
out trusts to considerable extent.
Now, in conclusion l wish to say that
I was born and raised on the farm. My
ancestors were farmers and when l was
9 wears of age hoed my half acre in
the field and at II years OF age l was a
plowman for my father and continued
this until I was q years Of age, with
lust little ';old field" schooling mixed
along with it. Since that time l have
been doing business for myself, and by
hard work, perseverance and economy,
and with the blessings of the Almighty
upon me, I have been somewhat sue
cessful in business enterprises, and am
now nearly 81 years of age and at this
late day in life if I should lose self
respect and patriotism for my native
land and fellowman whose ancestors
fought with my people to make this a
free country-that I should 60 into mo-
nopolies and trusts as rumors would
have me do, I would be deserving OF
repudiation in every sense OF the WORD.
not only by the masses OF the people,
but by my own blood and kin. l would
not appear in print were it not that
some OF the people in the county do not
know me personally. and to all such l
ask YOU to make a thorough investi@a-
tion before you believe these reports.
There are good number of gentlemen
living in this section of the county
where live who have known me all
nv life and T. ask you to inquire Of
them as to my character and veracity.
now ask to beg your pardon for hay
ing to appear N the public prints.
Yours respectfully,
c.. N. DAVIS.