Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1905-06-06
FOR KING COTTON.
Association Leaders Make Speeches at
6reenville.

Greenvilie.
Some six or seven hundred people,
farmers and business men, assembled
In the opera house at Greenvtlie yes
terday, to hear speeches from Presi-
dent Harvie Jordan Of the Southern
Cotton association, Mr.. e. D. Smith,
president Of the South Carolina. dlvis-
ion of the organization. and Hon,
John L. McLaurin, former uniteo
States senator from this state.
The meeting lasted about three
hours and was characterized by lots
of enthusiasm, each Of the speakers
being literally applauded.
President Jordan's speech was based
on the proposition that cotton Is
worth 10 cents pound. and with facts
figures and arguments he proved the
proposition to the satisfaction OF the
audience. He called especial attention
to the tremendous results that had al
ready been accomplished by the South
ern Cotton association, and. reminded
his audience of the necessity of COM
pleting the associations plans by the
erection Of the warehouses contem-
plated by the holding company.
Referring to the variance oetWeen
the estimate Of the association on
the reduction Of acreage and that Is
caid that he had asked Stagistician
HYDE for full report. 80 that the dlr-
Ference could be traced out. II Is now
,rp to the government to prove that the
associatio, Is in error or that lts rep
resentatives have made a mistake.
"You must not let politics creep In
m your association" said Mr.. Jordan.
business men will have nothing to DO
with such a society, and besides II Is
forbidden by the constitution: oniy
Yesterday I discovered that high OF
f,cer In a state association hello pup,
Tic office. and Immediately requested
his resignation"
Mr.. Smith defended the right Of the
farmer to organize for his own protec-
ton and referred to bankers, manufac-
turers and others as profiting out or
all dust proportion from the proceeds
of hfs labor.
Cotton was. In reality, Mr.. Smith
said. the basis of wealth In the south.
n was the predominant industry OF
the world. The south had monop-
oly. All the talk about raising the
staple elsewhere was a lie. 1t had
been tried just after the war, when
cotton was 81 a pound, and II they
had failed then, what could they 90
now with less than 10 cents cotton or
said Mr.. Smith, "who believes In Sit
ting down and not helping the farmers
from losing S100,000,000, as has been
done In one crop year, Is q fool and
false to his own interests and those
OF his country. The merchant feels
the loss, the banker feels 1t. the whole
country feels II, and the farmer feels
II worse than they ALL" Everybody
knew, he said. what 5 cents cotton
meant to trade and business. Nothing
could make the south nearer helpless
than that.
"You have heard It said," said Mr..
Smith. that high priced cotton would
ruin the mills. You remember doubt
less the Sully bull campaign Of 1908
when cotton went up to around II
cents. What did the manufacturers
do then? Why. they simply fell over
each other IN their efforts to buy the
staple, and have you heard OF any
failures In the mills? Not one. In
suuabble between a mill president and
a commission house, the statement
was made that nearly a million dollars
too much was being paid out annually
in this state to commission merchants.
II that Is the case, have been Won
dering how much the mills have been
paying their stock holders: You see
did villages, their churches and their
schools and look at those Of the far
mer who can't pay interest on flop
cared mule"
Mr.. McLaurin discussed the tariff
question n its relation to southern In
terests. agricultural and manufactur-
ing. and explained at some length the
embarrassing cloud that is now aris-
ing out Of the Chinese exclusion ques-
tion because Of a threatened boycott.
He insisted that the real solution OF
the problems confronting the farmers
Law in the development Of cotton con-
sumption to the worlds fullest re-
auirements. and that he said, would
call for a crop of 42,500,000 bales a
He assured President Jordan that
South Carolina had always been
leader in whatever looked to the prog
rass ard prosperity of these United
states and he could depend upon her
to do her full duty to the Southern
Cotton association. In conclusion he
said:
"Mr. President, you can rest easy
about South Carolina She will play
her part in this movement as she did
IN building up the great structure OF
our national government. South Car
olina Is all right, she does get cranky
sometimes, and must have her little
political revolution every ten years.
She Is all right II she does under ma
lien influences try cranky expert
merits in the liquor business.
The Palmetto that swept proudly to
victory with Jackson at Bull Fun, that
lived through the blood and fire OF
Gettysburg, and beneath whose tat.
tered, shot-torn folds, brave men wept
with Lee at Appomatox, was not al
ways the sign Of the rum seller, and
the insignia of proud states copart-
nership with the devil In a traffic that
Is sending the souls Of men to hell,
and with its corrupting influences
tainting the very fountains Of good
government It will not be for long,
for II those up-country couL ties are
the test Of enlightened sentiment and
an awakened public conscience, soon
there will be erected a great tomb
stone with this beautiful and touching
sentiment: Here lie the mortal re-
mains Of the great moral institution:
Killed by a landslide. Born corrupted,
lived lamented. died detected. Requi-