The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1905-10-18
suLLY AND SAITH SPEAK.
THE DOCTRINE OF FAIR PRICES
FOR COTTON ABLY PRE-
SENTED.
Hundreds of Farmers, Merchants and
Bankers Fill the Opera House to
Hear Daniel j. Sully and E.
d. Smith-A Lasting I'M
preston Made and Cot
ton Will Be Held.

From The Daily Item October IS.
From all sections Of this county and
from adjoining counties, the farmers,
white and black alike, were assem-
bled in the Opera House this morn
ing and filed it to it's utmost capacity,
while Messrs. Daniel ]. Sully, Of New
York, E. D. Smith and H. F. Hyatt
poured into their attentive ears words
of life and hope for the south's pros
perity, for it's freedom from the
shackles of speculation Of the means
Of taking advantage of the God-given
monopoly Of the feecy staple that
furnishes eighty per cent. Of the
clothes of the world, and depicted in
glowing terms the dawn Of that event
full day when the sduth shall again be
queen of the world, and when cotton
shall rule as its industrial king.
The day of awakening is at hand;
no more shall the farher of the south
bow down in humble supplication TO
the speculators and manufacturers Of
the north and Europe, but with the
principles Of Southern Cotton Grow
ers association animating our people
and being deep rooted in their hearts,
and with such men as these leading
them on in wisdom's path and setting
the light before them, there is no
doubt but that the down-trodden
farmer of the South will rise up IN
one mighty and united action, over
throw the power that has ensiaved
them for more than sixty years, and
in the full strength of new-found
manhood, regulate the value of the
currency of our country, the envy Of
the entire world-the South's cotton.
Mr.. Splly Speaks.
The meeting opened with the rendi-
ton of a beautiful selection by the
SECOND Regiment band. At its con-
clusion, Daniel J. Suliy, one Of the
South's greatest benefactors, the man
who advanced cotton from cents
to II cents in few months, was
pleasingly introduced by President a.
B. Stuckey, of the Sumter County
County Cotton Growers Association.
Mr.. Suliy spoke impressively and with
full knowledge of the cotton situa-
ton. and his remarks were given the
closest attention.
He expressed his delight at being
present to address such representa-
tive body Of South Carolinians. He
thought that he was in a position to
understand the value Of the cotton
product, and he desired to impress
upon the farmers there assembled
certain facts relative to the real value
of their staple product. In consider
| ing the value he took up first the coz
sumption of cotton.
The South, he said, provides 80 per
cent. of the cotton of the world. Eng
land and Europe have spent miiiipns
in an endeavor to foster cotton gr Nv
| ing in their dependencies in order to
become independent Of America; but,
| in all of their efforts, they have fail
ed. In 1903 when they discovered
that they had lost their grip upon the
cotton situation they diverted the use
of their millions from fostering the
growth of cotton in their colonies, and
used the same money to beat down
the price of cotton here. In 1905 the
farmers organized in New Orleans to
hold their product and it was not un-
til July that England and Europe
realized that the farmers were sin
cere. They marshaled all of their
energy and money in order to beat
down the price; they failed in Sep.
tember, but when the government re-
port of 71.02 on the cotton crop was
flashed around the globe, the price
fell. He did not propose to enter into
a criticism Of the government, but
would say that he would like to have
an explanation of what the figures
meant. He showed how the mills
were combined against the farmers
to get the price of cotton below 9
cents, and if they win, cotton viii
never again bring more than cents.
He urged the necessity of combining
with earnestness and determination,
and he said that it was essential that
it be done this year, and if we do not,
we never will.