The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1907-10-01
APPEALS TO FARMERS.
Mr.. +. D. Smith Urges Farme.s to
Hold Their Cotton for Fifteen
Gents.

light for 10 cents cotton finds it's most
ardent and most active exponent in
Mr.. f.. ID. Smith, the field agent Of
the Southern Cotton Association. Mr..
Smith spent today in the city, after a
day or two at his home in Sumter
county, and was seen at the office of
the association in the National Loan
and Exchange Bank building.
"After trip through the West"
said Mr.. Smith, "I find on my re-
turn numerous requests from differ
ent parts of the state asking me to
urge the people to hold their cotton
from the market until the price set by
the Southern Cotton Association and
the Farmers Union is reached.
"If ever there was time when
the conditions were clear and unmis-
takable-without there being any
complications, it is now. It is clear
case of pure speculation against real
conditions. TO put the case rs it is
SO that any one ma ysce what tribute
we are paying to gamblers because we
are not organized to withstand them,
the facts are these: The mills have
sold their output for months ahead on
a basis of Is cents per pound; the de-
mand Tor goods at these prices in
creasin@; the price Of the manufac-
tured article actually advancing; the
supply Of cotton in sight The present
crop unquestionably short, probably
two million bales less than last year;
the demand for cotton for the cur
rent year far in excess of the sup
ply; the condition of the crop stead
ily deteriorating; the mills running
full time, eager for cotton; no
alarming conditions in the money
market; no complications at home or
abroad particularly, with the spin
ncrs thirty days ago buying cotton
chcerfully and profitably at IT and
IL cents per pound. Yet in the face
of all these favorable conditions the
price has dropped from 1-2 to 3
cents per pound. Why? Because a
Few spectators, who neither grow nor
SPIN cotton, please to have it So The
question is squarely up to the south,
the whole south, the merchant, bank
er, farmer, lawyer, doctor, preacher
and laborer in any and every voca-
ton, avocatioD or profession, wheth-
er they will tamely submit TO this
these gentry to exact toll from us,
outrage, whether they will allow
at their pleasure, of from $40 to $25
per bale, or whether they will put
their price on their propertr and
refuse to accept any other. nv only
answer to give this absurd decline is
to refuse to take the prices offered.
SIN the west they are making a
brave stand. They are complaining
bitterly that the Atlantic States arc
not standing for the price agreed up
on. How true this is, I am not able
to say. Let every man in South Car
olina, who has cotton to sell drop me
postal card saying how many bales
he has and how many he will hold. I
will compile the number and give it
to the public, so that we may know
what to depend upon. IF we would
absolutel ~ refuse to sell bale Of cot
ton now, stop receipts, then the reac-
tion would be immediate.
"The only possible way to remedy
this outrageous condition is to refuse
to submit TO it.
"With present conditions warrant
ing ID cents cotton, acknowledged by
all parties to be worth Is cents, if
the people put it on the market at
present prices, then we acknowledge
that neither the law Of supply and
demand, the condition of trade and
finance, or the cost of production
have anything to do with the price or
value Of cotton, but simply the ca
price of few millionaire gamblers.
Surely we are paying dearly for tho
privilege Of being disorganizcd, for
being without warehouses, without
organized capital to hold our cotton.
"Can not each community meet at
once and devise means, where there
are none, to help each other to mold
cotton? tt will take organized CO.
operation to accomplish our purpose.
"Evcry bale sold al present prices
means a gift Of $15 or 500 per bale to