Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1905-06-28
Work ., Southern Cotton Association.

lItbiueul Il. ~. Smitu, VI 'He Coutu
Carolina division. of the Southern
Cotton Association, said
"ID spite of all that has been said
and written, the prediction of the
Southern Cotton Association and the
predictions that | have made
throughout the State have come
true. l am not disposed to enter
into any argument with any one as
to the causes that have brought
about the much desired condition as
to the prices of cotton. l simply
congratulate the people and all
friends of the South that the condi-
tions worked 80 persistently for by
the Southern Cotton Association are
now actually existing.
"Some claim it is due to the
weather, some say to the unprece-
dented demand for cotton, and some
are broad. minded enough to take in
every element and to render unto
Caesar the things that are Cnsar's,
and unto God the things which are
Gods
mo matter what may come here.
after, no matter what disasters may
befall the Southern Cotton Associa-
tioD, think that all fair-minded peo.
pie will concede that we have accom-
plished more in the FIVE months of
our existence than has ever been &C.
complished in the South for the
financial betterment of the people at
large.
"From a great many sources we
hear the cry that this is another
political move.
ave claim this distinction: In
this State we have practically asked
the farmers for no money at all.
We have gotten from the producing
and lahoring classes for the prosecu-
tion of our work less than 5000. We
have asked and will ask for no politi-
Gal Office as reward for what we are
doing. We have not asked nor will
we ask for the aid of any politician
or set of politicians. We have
opened the doors for any and every
man who chooses to come in and
help in the fight.
GAS result of our work thus far
we claim that we have been a factor,
if not the only one that has been in
strumental in forcing the price of
cotton up to Q cents per pound to-
day, thereby giving to each and
every man who has bale of cotton
SO more than he could possibly
have had otherwise; and conceding
that there are 100000 bales of cot.
ton unsold in South Corolina, this
means net profit to the cotton pro-
ducer and the cotton holder of
81, 100000 in South Carolina.
"And as | say we have been in
in bringing into the State
for the betterment of those who most
need it, this enormous amount of
money, and as a reward of all this
effort on our part we simply ask
honest, conscientious cooperation on
the part of all right thinking people
who believe that by organized effort,
the proper diversification of farming,
the use of common business sense,
the proper care of the cotton after
being made, and the proper market
ing of it, that the South can control
this great money crop for the better
ment of all classes in the South.
This is our reward.
"We have taken issue with the
government, and this is the first or
ganization that has forced recogni-
tion by the government. 1t is prob
able that in the contention now ex-
isting between this organization and
the government that there may be
shown some of the causes why the
South's staple products have been
such a profitable field for speculation.
81 wish to emphasizc the fact that
this cannot be political move, in
that all those who see in it, or imag-
sne they see in it, another attempt,