The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1907-08-09
I6@C Communications intended for this
department should be addressed to J. C
S:ribGng, Pendleton, S. G.

At the second annual meeting Of
the South Carolina division of the
Farmers Union held at Greenwood
25-27 of July, about $50 members were
present in executive session.
These men Of the farms wore up
on their countenances a determined
look that means much. They feel
confident Of their ability to maintain
the positition they have taken in man.
aging their own affairs in their own
way and their success verifes this
opinion.
National President C. S. Barrett of
Atwater, Ga, addressed the meeting
at 8 o'clock for period Of two hours.
Among other things, he said the un-
ion was now more harmonious than
any others farmers organization had
ever been in the south before. The
average growth Of the union is now
over 5000 members a day, some days
it reaches 5000 and 5000 new men,
bers. The enrolled membership now
is over one and half million.
None Of the state organizations
have any debts and there is more or
less money in the treasury Of every
state or rganization. The national
treasurer has considerable money to
his credit.
One of the most important things
In connection with the Farmers un-
ion is the tale now current that the
organization is affiliated with the
American Federation of Labor. Much
has been said about this matter Of
affhation with the general fedora
ton and the attitude of many good
and conservative men on the outside
has been undecided towards the or
ganization pending statement Of
- its position. President Barret was
asked this question: els the Farmers
Educational and Cooperative Union
affiliated with the American Fedora
ton of Labor?' The answer was
''No," and in his address, to the
meeting here he cautioned the mem
bers to ego slow about affliating
with any organization. He further
said: "Why shold we affiliate when
the Farmers union is now strong
enough and powerful enough to ac-
complish any thing that it wants to
that is just and right?''
The second session Of the Farmers
union opened at 9 o'clock last night.
Pres. O. P. Goodwin called the meet
ing to order and introduced Hon. G..
M. Davis of Atlanta, Ga, state Or
ganizer of the Georgia disvision. Mr..
Davis was the sole speaker Of the
evening and spoke for about two
hours. He made a good, sound, prac-
tical talk, and one that the delegates
have talked about more than that Of
any other. He spoke Of the harmon
ious working Of the Georgia union
and told Of the magnificent appro-
priation by the state Of Georgia for
agricultural district schools and urg-
ed that South Carolina take steps
along this. same line. He said: "You
know everybody says the farmer won't
stick, but the farmers Of Georgia who
won't stick to the union get stuck. "
In regard to the high price of cotton,
he said that 25-cent cotton would ruin
the farming interests Of the South.
It would cause the mill p>ople to Gnl'
81 ,unin" ard al 60 to producing :'';-
ten.
Speaking # politics and i2e mNrh
mooted tucs::cn Of polite: raining
the oryani;: ion Of any organization
hat allowS>r, litics, Mr.. pavl: >nl':
"That as the national govern.o=a has
instituted strict quarantine against
cattle ticks. so the Farmers union
had instituted a strict quarantine
against politics. At the close OF his
speech the evening meeting closed.
The first meeting today was called
to order at 9 o'clock. The court house
was we'll filled.
Hon. T. T. Wakefield of Anderson.
president Of the Anderson county un-
ion and vice president Of the state
division, introduced the following res
olution as the work of the committee
on the operation in cotton bahng,
handling and marketing. The resolu-
ton is as follows:
"We favor a system Of uniform
baline Of cotton into packages OF a
inches wide by sc inches long; that
the cotton be covered neatly and Sc