Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1905-09-20
The Cotton Association Meeting.

Several hundred representative farmers
and business men of Oconee county met
at Richland last Monday, September Is,
for an annual jubilee and listened for
about three hours and half to loquent
speeches and many hard and sad facts
j. Paul Stribling set forth in few
well chosen and forcible remarks the ac-
complishments of the association during
the first few months of its existence.
The organization began its work with
many disadvantages and gloomy out
look about six months az }, and it had
been the most potent factor in raising
the price of cotton from 6t cents to over
10 cents. In other words, every farmer
who had held bale of cotton since last
January had made about $40, and the
credit is principally due to this cotton
association. This is truly result to feel
proud over and well worthy of day
spent in listening to speeches and con-
gratulations.
The first speaker introduced was +. H.
Hyatt, of Columbia. He presented in
plain business way the claims of this
organization to the undivided support of
every good citizen, and impressed his
points upon the audience with witty
illustrations. His remarks were sound
in every particular and well calculated
to inspire confidence in the officers of
the movement.
The second speaker was f. ID. Smith,
of Sumter, who entertained the crowd
with Snnprh nf ahnnt fDn h,;.
tull of eloquent facts and pathos. He
rehearsed the fight that the organization
had been making for the past few mouths
and told of the hundreds of thousands
OF dollars that the farmers of the cotton
belt had reaped as the reward Of their
labors. He is not a believer in the re-
ductiCn of acreage theory, but in the
business proposition of holding the cot
ton until you get your price. The whole
world must come to the South for its
supply of cotton. This was proven be-
yond question just after the war, when
the European nations undertook to raise
cotton, while the price it was then selling
at in this country was Sl.S9 a pound,
broke up i'll a farCical failure after six
years of trial. AT the conclusion of the
meeting he asked how many would stand
To the work of the assosiation and hold
cotton for | cents pound On rising
vote every man, woman and child voted
favorably. Mr.. Smith is confident that
within sixty days cotton will be bringing
III cents.
Maj. VIM. j. StribiiDg, of Walhalla,
was the rcxt speaker. He said that he
had come down to assist in pulling the
cotton wagon up in case Messrs. HYATT
and Smith failed. but after hearing them
on a subject which they had so well pre-
sented, he could see nothing left for him
TO say unless it be To urge every farmer
to at once join the army and show their
faith by their works. He could not con
ceive OF an excuse for any one standing
out unless IL be the little fellow who is so
selfish and hide. bound that he would
even skin IA flea for its hideand talluw.
All of the speeches were well received
and greeted with general applause.
By no means the least attraction of the
occasion was two well Iilled tables of
sufficient lcugth To accommodate the
crowd at one time. This bespoke the
bountiful hospitality which is synony-
nous with the name of Richland
In the afternoon the warehouse uues-
ton was discussed and the committees
heretofore appointed were continued.
Reporter.