The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1908-06-24

want 10 do Is to put the farmer in
position to hold his cotton as IL
lleases him and not as IL g-atifcs
some one else and this can never lie
done until the farmer is taught sue.
cessful agriculture. and successful
agriculture means diversified and in
tensified agriculture. I think that the
records of the committee will show
That the Increases Of appropriations
for these purposes have from time to
time been made upon my motion and
upon my insistance. 1t is a new work,
the results Of which cannot be seen
In a day. but will go on and on and
on gathering strength with each day.
In my experience as practical
farmer and my observations 1 have
been struck with the fact Of a lack
Of uniformity in the grading Of cot
ton In the different cotton markets
Of the country and I have had the
idea In mind for long time that the
lack Of uniformity has caused the cot
ton producer to suffer largely.
In bulletin On cotton Just issued
at the South Carolina experiment sta
ton. the statement Is made, that on
account Of the lack Of such uniform.
ity the variations and differences
sometimes amount to $40, per bale.
This Is loss to the farmer, who docs
not know whether he has middling OF
strict middling. He must depend up
on the judgment. to say the least, Of
the cotton merchant. and to that ex-
tent he is at the absolute mercy Of
the buyer. Having this fact in mind,
I put upon the agricultural appropri-
alton bill at this session, an amend
ment which provides for the estab-
lishment Of a national standard for
cotton grading. The department will
call In number OF expert cotton
men and these experts will make up
the grades. nine of them. and these
samples. representing each gade, will
be put up in convenient boxes for
use Of the farmers, farmers organi-
zations and any one upon paying the
small cost Of putting up the samples.
can obtain them. It is my idea that
the cotton buyers will voluntarily
adopt the standards thus made by
the department and when the farm
er brings In bale Of cotton he will
walk into the office Of the cotton buy
er, and with sample in hand. COM
pare II with samples prepared by the
department. to be used as standards.
This will In a measure put the farmer
upon q footing Of equality with the
buyer and protect him against any
undue advantage. II. however, II is
found that the merchants do not take
to this standard. then itl might not he
bad for the State government TO
make the standard Of the federal gov
ernment the standard Of the State,
and by legislation. force the cotton
buyers to use this standard. There
should be the most cordial coopera-
ton upon the part OF the State and
the federal governments in seeing to
It that an absolutely square deal Is
given to the citizens OF the country. to
the cotton growers in this case. I
believe that this grading means a
great deal to the cotton growers Of
the South.
My efforts to preserve the forests
Of the White mountains and the
Southern Appalachian mountains
were to protect the navisability Of
our streams and to save our timber
supply as we'll as our water powers.
IL too we'll known for me to COM
ment upon 1t. presume that every
one recognizes my leadership in this
night. There Is a strong sentiment all
over the country for some legislation
OF this kind, but SO long as the pres
ent majority controls the house, l do
not hope for any serious efforts in
this direction. The best that we can
do Is to keep up the agitation and be
prepared to take advantage of the
first weakness we may find in the ranks
OF those opposed to legislation of
this character. We Of this State are
perhaps more interested in the pres
ervation OF the forests Of the Appa-
lachian mountains than any othr peo-
pie Of any other State. There is not
a single navigable stream in South
Carolina which does not have it's
stream souces In the mountains Of
North Carolina and these very forests
are protected In the so-called Lever
Currier bill. There is hardly a first
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