The Pickens sentinel-journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1903-1906, 1905-06-14
PICKENS, s. 9. /:
Wednesday. June IA, 19O5s
letth Light Shine on Both Sides.

Let the Light Shine on Both SIDES. .s
NE find the following clipping.
Tho editorial column OF the
Easlev Progress Of May Oath: Il d
8= HAVE WE; BEEN DUpED3
A few months since the State of
South Carolina was flooded with
agents Of the Farmel,s Educational
and Cooperative Union Of Amer:
lea, q secret organization having
its origin and headquarters in the
State Of Texas. The farmers were
told by these agents that this or.
ganization was fourishing in
Texas, that it had over one hun
dred thousand members in that
State Of the best and most trust
worthy citizens,o and that it was
going to revolutionlze the farming
business by making the farmer the
supreme dictator of his own busl.
ness when it came to disposing of
his crop. purchasing supplies, etc.
a groat many people we've thus in.
duced to pay over one dollar as An
initiating fee. The agent then
gave them in exchange a few grips,
signs, and pass words, quietly fold
ed up from fifteen to fifty dollars
and left on the first train for the
next village where similar per-
formance would be gone through
with"
In behalf of the Farmers Union
in South Carolina we feel called
upon to defend its character and
principles against all such lnsinua~
tions as to it's members in this state
beng composed of dupes, ETC., Mr..
B. Harris, representative farmer
and stock raiser Of Anderson coun-
ty, and Mr.. b. +. Earle, q native
Of the same county, but recently
of Texas, are the agents referred to
in the foregoing clipping as "pick-
ing up from SIS. 90 to $4,000 and
moving on to the next village etc."
Now, Mr.. Earle is tho State
Organizer, and Mr.. Harris was the
organizer for Plckens, and as both
these gentlemen have the manhood
to defend themselves from any
such charges we leave these person
alities with them and the Progress.
We. want to know why it is the
Progross left out the rs cent crowd
of the Southern Cotton Growers
Association.
The Farmers Union has never
claimed all the honor Of having
kept cotton from going down to
five cents.
The Progress should have divid-
ed this honor between the Growers
and the Union.
Now it is generally conceded
that if~it had not been for the
organized effort of the cotton
farmers for the purpose of holding
cotton off the market that the prico
would have gone to five cents, or
below this. Now, here is margin
of at least 3 1>2 to 3 cents on cot-
ton that has been saved to the far.
mer by this socalled dupo process,
or for tho sake of q business view
we will Call it $500 bales sold at
Easlry at an advance Of only two
cents gain would give the cotton
growers at Easley $4,000 in exchange
for the paltry $50 that few far
.mers paid out in kind of mission.
ary way. Now, mind you, the
Farmers Union does not claim ali
this glory, but the editor virtually
gives them credit, for it in his
cnarge.
@ The editor of the Progress winds
up this article with tho happy
thought that Providence takes care
of allschildren and fools, and we
are forced to believe the lattor CON.
.clusion, or perhaps the editor of
Progress might have been left out
byy55this time.
G. stribling.
/ TO Teachers.