The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1904-04-07
SENATOR MAYFlELD'S SPEECH
Takes Care Of the Farmer. Shows Wage
Farmers Ought to Have More Pay,
Manufacturers More Profit.
STRONG SPEECH BY A STRONG MAN..

worked so we'll that at the next ses'
sion, I prepared amendments adjust,
! ing the chain gang to it and it be-
came the law for the State. In con-
Icrmity with this legislation the roads
Of the State are kept up. If the letter
of the law is followed, we can have
the best of dirt or macadam roads.
There are millions of dollars going
! to the West, North and East from the
national treasury for pensions, re-
claiming arid lands, etc. Why not
get money fer the South, put it to the
building OF roads and draining the
/ swamp lands and thus build up this
entire country.
We believe in party alignment, but
the party cry is not so essential
as that aid should be given to the
farmer so as to enable him by intel
/ iigent effort to prevent rust in his
cotton, stamp out cholora among his
hogs and free his orchards of pests.
! The time wasted by the average Con-
gresham in abusing "the other fel-
low" if devoted to practical legisla-
tion would give results which would
be helpful alike to the farr:c". the
wage Garner. the manufar r. and
the business man.
! Are we not all brethren? All max
ing a living along business lines?
That which helps the farmer to grow
! two bales of cotton where but one
now grows, which helps the mill Ia
horer to earn double what he now
sets, which increases the profits OF
the manufacturer of our staple, is 4
general good.
Think, my fellow citizens, of the
grand future before us. No country
ON the green earth can grow cotton
successfully except the South The
use Of cotton goods is daily increas-
ing, it has practically destroyed the
linen trade, and almost put the silk
men out Of business. A few years
ago we were startled when the statis'
ticians said we had made S,OOO,OOO
bales of cotton, later we were amazed
when the crop reached 100000. Now
we pick up our ears for high prices,
when the Agricultural Bureau says
the crop is only 100000. There Is
not a single spindle, loom or factory
too many. The stock of manufactured
goods is nearly exhausted. The ques-
t;ea-~Aieb cop5rapts us is "ConsumD,
ton has OveT1aken prOductlOn. Cdu
we furnish the supply? The answer is
'syes." We are not getting too much !
for cotton. Mr.. Borden, the great mill
man Of Fall River, Mass, recently said
that the South could make cotton for
AZ cents per pound. Fellow citizens,
YOU know that that statement is un'
true. Every farmer iI this State ought
to clear at least dollar per day Tor !
MS time. When We get 10 cents Tor
cotton, you only make one dollar
dav for your hands, while 15c cotton
means 5000 day and Az cotton
means 3Oc per day and feed your
selves. Your labor is worth as much
as that of any other class of men. YOU
are Just as much "business rnan' as
the merchant or manufacturer. Your
interests and his are identical. You
produce. he sells, both are interested
in higher prices. Cotton ought TO be
higher. Listen to the facts: Fae
world has a population Of 1.7oO,3oO.-
900 people; of these 5Oo,Ooo'eoo arc
clothed; 75O,OO0,OO0 are only partially
clothed: and 25O,OO0,0O0 wear no
clothes at all. s
# will take 100000 bales OF
American cotton to clothe these peo-
ple. and as we plant only about 2o'-
100000 acres in cotton eacn .'ear'
we farmers would have to make
q bale per acre on almost every
acre of our land planted III cot'oh
to meet this enormous world supply
Therefore, we ought to get Is cents
for our cotton. It ought to be manulac-
tured at home, spun into the hnest Oh
threads. woven into the cheapest ana
the costilest of fabrics. Therefore,
we need national aid for agricultural
COLLEGES, to aid the farmer; natlonal
aid for the mechanic to oulld tne
most perfect machines, national ala
for the textile worker so as to tram
the mill hands to be the most Skill
ful operators on the globe, ana
thereby enable them to get the
biggest pay of any people. IN TINS
wav would help all. The farmer
first for he is the life blood or tne
body politic--he produces that "nlcn
the others manufacture-to him as
basis we must turn, then for skllleo
mill help whose trained hands gulde
the machines which manufacture INTO
finished goods the products grown oy
tho farmers. In the next few years
I expect to see the yield OF every acre
doubled, every wage earners pay
doubled. every manufacturers pronts
increased by the natural law OF sup
plv and demand, business and pronts.
Rut what of the population who
neither plant nor spin-tne mer-
chant. the doctor, the lawyer. Ihese
will share also along with the otners
in the general prosperity. But to 40
this we must not only seek to help
the present force Of farmers, by care
ing for his farm and help increasing
the consumption Of cotton goods; the
manufacturer by helping him to IND
markets for his goods and MAINTAIN
ing those treaties which allow him
access to the markets; the mill opera
tive by giving him better machines
and increased pay for his labor; out
we must have a care for the educa'
ton of our children. Believing tnat
oil ~ n r..