The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1907-05-22
NcIAuRIN PLEADS FOR THE SOUTH.

McLAUNN PLEADS FOR THE SOUTH.
Although ont Of politics: and
we may say driven out by a gang
of political pirates, Hon. John
L. McLaurln, in the estimation
of those who are the makers and
builders Of the country, stands
head and shoulders above any OF
the political leaders OF South
Carolina When McLaurin was
in public life he made an earnest
effort to secure legislation when
would result in betterlng the
conditions in the South. HIS
ability was recognized by the
ablest men of the country, and
Notwithstanding his retirement
from politics his counsel in i'm
portant matters affecting the
material welfare of the South IS
sought after. He has been re-
tanned by the Southern Cotton
Growers Association to assist IN
the prosecution of the New YORK
cotton exchange, and the result
of this litigation is looked tor
to with much hope by both the
cotton growers and cotton man
ufacturers of the South, both
class have for wears been the
prey of the sharks of the ex-
change. Last Thursday even
inc in Philadelphia McLaurln
was one of the speakers at the
banquet of the American Cotton
Manufacturers Association and
the associated press gives the
following synopsis OF his re-
marks.
At the banquet OF the American Cot
ton Manufacturers Association, IN
Philadelphia last night, Ex-senator
John L. McLaurin, OF South Carolina,
responded to the toast, ''The South,
It's Present and Fature''-speaklng IN
part as follows.
Between the blue grass of Kentucky
and the orange groves of Florida. the
vast plains of Texas, and the pine
forest OF the Carolinas, is found an eN-
panse of Territory, which for fertility
of soil. variety of productions and kind
IL climate cannot be duplicated in any
other portion OF the globe. Without
speaking of the vast coal and iron, tim
Der resources OF the South, she has
almost monopoly in the production OF
cotton. The cotton crop OF the South
is the largest export crop OF this or any
other country, and tean assemblage OF
cotton manufacturers do not suppose
any subject is so Interesting.
I speak to you tonight from the
standpoint of the man who grows the
cotton. The man who turns my raw
product into cloth, and then goes out
into the channels of trade and finds a
market for it, is my best friend, ana:
on the other hand, the man who fur
nishes you the heecy staple to keep
YOUR looms busy is your best friend.
The producer and the manufacturer OF
cotton cannot long play the policy OF
s:6oe eat dog I maintain that the
cotton trade is only IN a healthfol con-
dition, when the profits come to both
the manufacturer and the producer
from the pockets of the consumer, and
gentlemen, there must be an equitable
division of these profits. You all know
that when the planter was starving on
fve-csnt cotton the cotton manufac-
turing trade was as improbable as 1t
could we'll be and survive. 1t was q
sudden shock and a rude change from
slave 70 free labor, but I doubt exceed
ingly if the change is greater than
what has occurred during the past
twenty years.
In the first place, the South 20
longer depends entirely upon its cotton
crop as It's only source Of revenue. Her
timber has increased enormously IN
value within the past FIVE years, ana
from this source alone many a planter
has been rendered independent. To-
bacco and truck farms in sections for
merly devoted entirely to cotton have
given revenue which has enabled the
planters to tide over the summer
months. Labor. fertilizer and other
expenses have increased immensely,
and the old time slave labor has passed
away. leaving the planter to deal with
new generation, whose sole idea
seems to be to get all the wages they
can and give as little return as possible
The old time plan of big plantations,
with overseers and wage hands. has
practically passed away, and instead
we have the tenant system, with its
greater freedom had looser control OF
labor.
Taking into consideration the general
advance in prices in all lines Of pro-
ductive industry, I do not think l eX-
aggerate when l say that today cotton
is the cheapest standard product in
America, and that the prsce under
legitimate economic principles should
range from ten TO twelve cents per
pound. At that price cotton is the
cheapest clothing material in the
world. I imagine that every spinner
wants a reasonably stable price. and
know the farmer does, with the elimi-
nation of extreme and violent tluctua-
tions.
AS nation we have developed con-
tinenr, created vast national wealth,
and today the United States stands as
the most potent factor of the worlds
progress.
We now produce in agricultural and
manufactured products SIX times What
we consume. The question OF pro-
duction is settled: it's now a question,
gentlemen, of markets. Not only
Question with US, but with all the great
nations of the earth. During the past
two centuries contests for markets
have induced all the great wars which
have scared the face Of the globe.
Who can doubt but that if Russia
had succeeded in her late contest with
Japan, with her denomination OF Man
churia complete, that she would have
excluded the products of our cotton
mills from all North China?
The dnding of markets and the COM
mercial supremacy OF the United States
depends upon such men asI see tonight.
What we need in this country is to