The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1908-08-05
EERALD's LAME EXCUSE.

sERLD's LAME EXCUSE.
The Sumter Herald says it
s:carelessly dropped a facetlous
remark" referring to it's question,
stWhat has cotton to do with the
Senate and we attempted to
show the Herald and others the
relevancy of cotton's connection
with the Senate. In doing this
we discussed the proposition in
a parliamentary manner and we
also believe in a most convinc
ing manner that Cotton has
something to do with the Sen
ate,'' but we regret that so far
as our argument is concerned, it
was lost upon the Herald, be-
cause it admits it did not read it,
but recommends "a whole lot OF
Ignorant folks to read it.
Perhaps a sense of justice
shonld have prompted the Her
aid to have read the editorial be-
fore it says s'It was an excellent
editorial, and we would like a
whole lot of ignorant folks to
read it. - and if it was what the
Herald says it is, and we agree
with it, it might have had an
enlightning effect upon the
Herald's readers had that news
paper reproduced it.
But there is a class OF news
papers that do not wish their
patrons to be educated on mat
ters not in accord with the per-
sonal views of their editors,
hence, they do not want their
readers to know the other side
of a public question.
The Sumter Herald is oppos-
ed to Mr.. Smith for the Senate
and gives the following as its
reasons:
eve do not consider Mr.. Smith 'sbril-
liant,'' nor do we consider him a good
business man. We believe that he has
used the cotton Organization for his
own personal ends, that he has accom-
plished no good for the growers of cot
ton, and that he has hurt the organlza-
ton by going into politics, pohtlcs
having been the ruin already Of several
farmers organizations. We know him
to be man of fine address, but we do
not find him fruitful of results"
E. D. Smith was born and
reared in Sumter county, now
Lee county, whether Mr.. Smith
was one of the active forces
which dismembered Sumter and
formed Lee we know not, nor
does it make any difference. He
is a farmer by profession, has
always been, and when engaged
in the buying of cotton had the
reputation of forcing prices from
his competitors.
Mr.. Smith was preaching the
organization of the farmers long
before the cotton association
was born, and was one Of the
most influential forces to bring
the association into existence.
It was organized through the
personal efforts Of men like
Smith; men who had to fight all
manner of obstacles, men who
sat back in their Offices and said
sob, pshaw, the cotton assocla-
ton cannot do anything" The
association was not dismayed by
the chilling efforts Of its oppo-
nents, but went right on, and it
is the blindest sort Of ignorance
or prejudice to.say Smith FUSED
the cotton organization for his
own personal ends, and that he
has accomplished no good for
the growers OF cotton, and that
he has hurt the organization by
going into politics. y
Well, how has he hurt it:
When the cotton association was
organized Smith gave his whole
time and talent to the purpose,
travelled over the entire cotton
belt, conferred with bankers,
manufacturers, appeared at the
exchanges, brought the spinners
from Europe over to ask for
terms, and through all Of this
work, ,incessant work at that, for
a period Of years, not a breath
of scandal, and cotton has gone
from six cents to twelve, and
fuctuated from ten to twelve. A
panic came on, the association
held it's grip, and in spite Of the
shutting down OF manufacturing
industries, when everything else
came tumbling down, cotton
would not allow itself to be
pushed down. Smith and Jordan.
of the association, and Harris of
the farmers union: had much to
do with preventing our people
from becoming demoralized by
the panic, and letting the specu.
lators get their cotton for SIX
cents. We sincerely believe
had it not been for the
constant agitation of the cotton
situation, and the determined