The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1905-04-05
Circulation, 1871.
Wednesday, April 5, 1905.
Cotton Growers Convention.

Cotton Growers Convention.
A small number of the farmers of
the county met in the court house to
discuss the cotton situation and the
proposition to reduce the cotton scre-
age at least twenty five per cent.
Though the meeting was small in
point of numbers, yet it was repre-.
sentative one and each section Of the
county was represented by it's best
and most progressive farmers.
It had been advertised that the
President of the Cotton Growers
Association, Mr.. E. D. Smith, OF
Magnolia, and Mr.. F. Fl. Hyatt, Of
Columbis, would be present to ad-
dress the meeting, but unfortunately
they had made 8 previous appoint
ment which copficted with the Lex
ington meeting and consequently
could not be present. Senator Rich
ard I. Manning, of Sumter, came
over, however, and made plain,
practical and business talk which re-
cei7ed the undivided attention and
thoughtful consideration Of his hear
ers. He urged the necessity of q
reduction of cotton acreage and the
curtailment in the use of commercial
fertilizers. Much of his time was
given to an appeal to the farmers to
make the farms selfsustainiog by in
creasing the food crop acreage and
decreasing that of cotton, not know
ing that the farmers of Lexington,
more so, perhaps, than those of any |
county in the State, have for years |
practiced the plan Of diversified
crops, or in other words, they raise
their OVID corn, oats, wheat, potatoes,
etc, and make their own bacon and
lard, leaving the cotton as surplus
crop, the consequence being that
they are today better eff financially
than their less unfortunate brothers
of other counties who have planted
all cotton and are compelled to look
to the West for their food supplies.
The farmers of Lexington not only
feed themselves, but they also, to a
very large extent, feed the people of
Columbia, with field and garden
truck, beef, pork, mutton, butter,
eggs and poultry. We say this in
no boastful spirit, although it is a
condition that our people should, and
Justly 80, too, feel proud Of, but as
an encouragement to the farmers of
the other sections ct the State and
q. an example worthy to be
initiated. What the Lexington peo-
pie have done for themselves come
out from under the ruinous rule Of
King Cotton, and the policy Of pow
erty which characterize his subjects,
by first planting enough food crops
for home consumption and making
cotton the surplus or money crop.
We are not advising the farmers how
to farm, because We know nothing
about farming but we are telling
them what Lexington people have
done, and are still doing to make
themselves independent, and if they
are prospering under the system OF
diversifcat;cn of crops it naturally |
follows that others can do the same
by adopting the same system.
Senator Manning's talk was good
one because it was practical, his
reasons were logical because they
were sound, and his advice whole.
some because it was based upon
business principles.
The meeting was presided over by
Representative E. j. Etheredge CT
Lsesville, President of the County
Cotton Growers Association, and at
the conclusion of Senator Manning's
talk, Capt. J. Il. Counts of Irmo,
gave his experience as life long
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