Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1905-07-12
this section, Senator Tillman said he


peculiar kind of work. We have
had celebrations and celebrations,
but cannot recall one that in all it's
phases will compare with this. This
event characterizes the freedom
which the farmers won for them
selves; it is freedom from oppres-
sion, just such as our forefathers
achieved l29 years ago."
Senator Tillman referred to the
true significance of Independence
Day. "There are a good many
things in our government" he said,
switch l do not like, yet the United
States is the freest, happiest and best
governed country in the world. 1
have been watching national affairs
ever since l went to the Senate,
eleven years ago, and now and then
have taken occasion to discuss
them, but am not here to-day as q
citizen of the United States; l am
here as farmer to help you cele-
brate the victory the farmers won
over the capitalists and the greedy
spectators, who handle our product
and have reaped the reward out of
our business.
"Now, there may be doubt as to
whether the rise in the price of cot
ton can be attributed to the South
ern Cotton Association, although it
cannot be denied that happy results
have followed the agitation OF the
movement to circumvent those slick
fellows in Wall street, who manage
our affairs and who keep tab on our
work more closely than we can keep
it, and who are more interested in
what we have. Still they have had
some mighty unpleasant half hours,
but the smile comes to the man who
held bis crop and who is entitled to
join in the celebration"
Senator Tillman then explained in
detail the causes which had led to
tluctuation in the prices. He said
that nobody had expected cotton to
sell at II cents, and there was no
common sense reason why it should
reach that point. 1t was simply sent
there by speculation. He explained
the causes which led to the downfall
of Sully, and declared that there
was no common sense reason why
the market had been forced down to
7 cents. Speculation did it, he said.
"rhe law of supply and demand" he
said, (which ought to be stable, was
repealed by the Wall street mana
gers. They sold millions of futures,
and that dragged the spot market
down with it. They wanted to send
it lower, but the association stemmed
the tide, reduced the acreage and
consumption of fertilizers and then
rolled the cotton under a shed and
waited for something better than
starvation prices. We have got t.
assert our independence. Now the
people are able to combine and whip
the conspirators and we have won
onr f;oht 40 farmarao
Calling attention to the figures is-
sued by Clemson College, which
showed the big demand for fertilizer
tags, Senator Tillman said he was
afraid some of his friends had not
reduced the acreage according to
agreement. He explained the old
story about this man and the other
plantinglmore cotton because he be-
lieved that the association had re-
duced the acreage. ga lot of those
fellows" he said, "thought it smart
to plant, saying to themselves, now
is the time to make my jack
"But re egardless of the betrayal of
some and thei!failure of others to
stand pat, the acreage was reduced,
because old King Grass nabbed it by
the neck and choked it to death.
cit was reduced, whether it was
planted or not. The future is now
bright and promising. held mil Q,
except twelve bales which my wife
sold while | was out in Illinois
stumDiDo for parker Hera 10 a