Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-03-28

Many shrewd politicians are of the opin-
ion that Mr.. E. D. Smith. head of the
Cotton Growers Association of this state.
will run both Evans and Hayward off the
track and win the race lin a canter." as
sporting men say. He is farmer him.
self. capital speaker, u good story teller
and great mixer He has the conf
dence of the planters and they believe he
has been largely instrumental in pushing
the price of that staple up to the present
quotations. which are unusually high Mr.
Smith has been engaged for several years
IN organising the planters of the south to
limit their acreage so as to shorten the
crop and Increase the price. He has been
fighting for ''f1fteen-cent cotton al
though "ten-cent cotton"-that is, cotton
at ten cents a pound-has been consid-
cred In past years the zenith of prosper
1ty. He has gone about South Carolina
and other states trying to convince the
cotton growers that If they will all unite
to cut down the acreage % per cent they
that they will save money in fertilizers,
IN the hire of farm hands, In the purchase
or implements and in various other ways
by raising less cotton and will make more
money. But In order to be sure of sue
cess 1t is necessary for every farmer to
pledge himself to stand with the rest and
MI Smith has been getting such pledges.
This winter and spring Mr. Smith has
been urging the farmers not to sell their
cotton. but to hold 1t back until the de-
pound. Many of them have followed his
advice, but financial depression has re-
duced the ordinary demand for cotton
goods. and many of the mills are running
on half time and consuming only about
half their usual supply. It is very doubt
full whether the present prices. which are
unusually high, can be maintained. and
those who have held back their crops may
regret 1t. But Mr.. Smith can assure
them he did the best he could to secure
that slump will injure his senatorial
chances.
Statue of William Pitt.
Speaking of politics reminds me that
William Pitts head has been knocked OF
Il mean the head of a marble statue
which stands In the center of the court
house yard at Charleston. His left arm
was amputated by a British cannon ball
in the siege of Charleston during the
revolution. and was never restored. and
three weeks ago an electric light pole
fell and struck him in the back of the
neck in such q way that his head was
severed from his body as quickly and
completely as guillotine could have
done 1t. 1t. has been so carefully put
back that nobody can detect the wound.
When this statue of Mr.. Pitt which had
been ordered by the colonial legislature
of South Carolina arrived in Charleston,
in May. ITO. a general holiday was de-
clared q local battery of artillery fired a
salute In honor of the defender of Ameri-
can liberty. the church bells rang all
day. and the population en- masse formed
a procession and hauled the wagon upon
which the statue had been placed from
the dock to the town hall. Two months
later, in July. ITO. when it was un-
yelled. upon It's original site at the cor
ner of Broad and Meeting streets. there
was another demonstration, and in the
evening banquet was held at which
Chatham. His health was drunk with
cheers. and resolutions were passed ex-
pressing the gratitude of the American
people to him for the noble stand he