The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1907-02-08
STRONG ADDRESSES.
President Smith and ME- Hyatt Of
Southern Cotton Association, Talk
To Newberry Farmers IN

President. L. D. Smith, of the
South Carolina division of the South
ern Cotton association, and Mr.. r. H.
Hyatt, of the association, We're in
Newberry yesterday, and addressed
about one hundred farmers and bust
ness men in the court house. There
would no doubt have been a much
larger attendance but for the very
severe weather. 49,. -
The speakers were introduced by
President r. 4. C. Hunter, of the
county association. -
Mr.. Hyatt spoke first. Concert Of
action was what was needed by far
mers, he said. He talked Of good
roads, saying that the farmers were
paying mud tax which amounted to
five times their state and county tax-
es. Richland county had built some
400 or 500 miles of good roads in the
last twelve years, of sand and clay. A
county that had sand and clay, he
said, had no excuse for bad roads.
Mr.. Hyatt strongly urged diversified
farming. He understood, he said,
that Ncwberry county was All excep-
| tion along this line-that MANY New
berry farmers raised their supplies
at home. No man, he said, could sue
ceed raising only cotton. AS to over
production, too much cotton could not
be made in the south, because the
south could not make enough to meet
what ought to be the world s demand.
He touched on the subject of immi-
grafton, saying that immigrants were
all right if they were Of the right
kind, but that the south ought to be
careful. He wanted to see the country
homes beautified, the lands improved,
and the boys induced to stay on the
farm. He wanted the farmers to
: provide conveniences for their wives
and daughters. In word, he urged
the farmers to think more. Education
and concert of action was the theme
of his very excellent address.
President Smith is an eloquent
speaker. What he says goes home be-
+ cause it is true. He said he had
spoken from New York to Florida,
, and from the Rio Grande to the At
hn'tic and he had never ceased TO
, wonder Il, the indifference of the
Southern people on this question. and
, the one question that should more
| than all others. engage their atten-
ton. For between the bagging and
tics on a bale of cotton was every i'll
terest of the southland--home, clothes
for wife and children, church, state
! and busineSS-and yet we, 100000
people. with every interest wrapped
up in that bale of. cotton, stand back
supinely V and allow a half dozen gamb-
lers on Wall street to say whether
We shall be prosperous or paupers.
Success, he said. must be according to
the laws of business, which we're as
| ineXorable as the laws of health, or
the laws in the spiritual world. Com
bination was Gods law of progress
| and power, and one could not succeed
outside of it. The curse Of the South
! land had been the damnable doctrine
Of individualism. The southern peo-
pie had preached the doctrine of ev-
cry man for himself and the devil for
! she hmtmrst, until the devil had
about got the whole push. Kerosene
oil, he said, cost about three cents
gallon to be placed ON the market
People paid three cents gallon for
the intrinsic value of the oil, and
| from - to l3 cents gallon for
Rockefeller's brain. The thing that
was the matter with the southern peo4
pie was that they didn't put enough
brain into their BUSINESS. AS intelli-
gence ruled any commodity, its value
went up. The education Of the south
in its own interest was the great
need. Mr.. Smith spoke for some
time along this line, urging concert
of action by the farmers, and that
they stick to the Southern Cotton as
sociation. He held the close atten-
tion of his audience, because he made
n good, strong address, and because
his words carried truth.