The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1907-07-24
WESTON AND SMITH.
speak for Better Price for Cotton.

speak for Better Price for Cotton.
To q very large audience and to the largest
that the old Court House will ever accommo'
date again Messrs. F. b. Weston and E. D.
Smith made most interesting speeches and
earnest appeals to the farmers of Abbeville
County, urging them to help In formulating
and executing q plan to secure q better price
for cotton.
Mr.. I. A. Kellar, President OF lhe County AS.
ISOLATION. introduced the speakers. Mr.. F.
b. Weston was first introduced. He began
by throwing q big bunch of bouquets at the
people Of Abbeville, which we did not take az
fattery because we knew 1t TO be deserved.
Mr.. Weston said that the interest Of all the
people In the South was centered In cotton,
that men of all vocations were interested be-
cause their prosperity depended upon q good
price for the staple.
He spoke Of how cotton q year or " ago.
in May, was worth IN cents, and how in Q
short time 1t fell to 81 cents. he spoke OF the
cause and OF what q crisis It brought upon us,
of how the convention in New Orleans was
called and 10 cents demanded for cotton, and
how hat price was reached.
| In behalf Of the Association he also spoke
Of how the cotton leak at Washington was
Investigated, Of how Secretary Wilson be-
came enraged at the idea, OF how Roosevelt
was appealed to and the charges found only
too true.
He spoke also of how the Association had
caused the bucket shops to be put ont Of busi-
ness.
Mr.. Weston argued that II warehouses are
put up where all cotton which had 10 be sold
could be bought and stored and not turned
over to the manufacturer at their own price
We can get q better price for our cotton. The
laws OF business are fixed, fixed by nature,
and when we get ourselves in accord with
these laws we will succeed II we are not thus
in accord We will fell. The cotton association
and farmers union, etc., have brought about
the present raise in price Of cotton.
It Is much easier 10 lower the price OF COT
ton than to put the price OF cloth up. snd 30
the manufacture s standing between these two
things 60 by way of least resistance and lower
the price OF cotton.
30 long as the price Of cotton cloth IL cheap
or than wool, linen and silk, cotton will be
used and cotton can 60 much higher and
still be the cheapest clothing.
Mr.. Weston said further that the price to be
fixed In August would be realized II backed
by the farmers, the realization ofa good price
depends on the people. Here Mr.. Weston
spoke Of how the people Of Abbeville had al
ways been in the fore front In all times OF
political or social trials. both In peace and In
war, n appealed to them to again help In
this financial restitution which Is OF much
Importance TO the country
II we do this we will be like Nelson who
when he wal dying said, "Thank God, I have
done my duty" and our sun will set gold tip.
ped with the efiulgence Of q we'll spent life.
Mr.. Keller then introduced Mr.. E.. u. Smith
who began in his characteristic humor by
saying that he feared Precipitation rather
than inspiration in himself and audience.
He quoted President Roosevelt a. ssying that
the Southern Cotton Association had been In
strumentsl In bringing more money TO the
South thar any other thing.
He told q story OF Uncle Jim, an old pa
triarch Of Georgia, who when told that there
was q railroad to be- built through his section
of country denied the possibility Of such q
thing. But 1t is possible, said his neighbors.
Can't be done" said Uncle Jim. But II has
already been DONE" said the neighborl.
"Don't believe q word" said Uncle Jim. Now
Uncle Jim had never seen q locomotive, 30
the %neighbors took him TO the nearest station
TO see the things that had been done. They
arrived at the station while q large looomo-
tive was splitting and sizzling By the depot
AS they approached 1t Uncle Jim said, as
that her p "That's her. p said the neighbors
"Well. by CAD, you'll never move herr said
Uncle Jim, you'll never move her." The
neighbors then took Uncle Jim around the
corner and wet his mex with some good old
home made Germ and LEFT instructions with
the engineer TO 60 up the track and come
back at full speed. After Uncle Jim had been
sufficiently thanked" they returned to the
station when a terrible noise came from
somewhere mp the road, and the tremendous
locomotive rounded the curve like nothing
Uncle Jim had ever seen. Down she came
came q blowing and roaring like q cyclone,
lettering In q si1ty-mile gait. passed the
bunch In q jIny and was out OF sight In q sec
ond. us that her :" said Uncle Jim. That's
her," said the neighbors. "Well, by CAD,
you'll never stop her." said Uncle Jim.
you'll never stop her"
At arst The evil prophets said that the asso.
citation could not be organized. Then they
%prophesied that It could not be started, and
now you can't stop II!
Mr.. Smith said that man does not break
the law but the law breaks the man. II We
are In accord with the laws OF nature We will
succeed, II we are not We will fail.
He spoke OF the organized brain and capital
OF the country on the one hand and poverty
and the farmer ON the other, and between the
I've and behind the two the destiny of the
South. He said. and truly. that the farmer
builds warehouses and insures cotton aud
pays all expenses connected Herewith, for
the cotton %speculstors must and dc have
these things, and OF course they do not pay
for it out OF their own pockets, but out OF the
gain they make on the cotton. Why, then.
cannot the farmer build his own warehouses
snd insure his own oottoni 1t can be done
and will be done.
The banker knows what he Is doing. He
borrows money at four per cent. n lends II
at eight and makes four cents, less the ex.
pense which he knows TO a cent. The mer-
chant knows what he is doing for he buys his
goods, adds the expense and sells for o profit.
But the farmer, poor man. he plants his crop,
makes It, gathers It, and does not know what
he will get for 1t.
Mr.. Smith said that in view OF the farmers
organizations the European mills had organ
lied and assessed each mill a certain amount
n that the mills had ell responded to the
call. Now they have 5000. 600 marks TO fight
the farmers!