The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1909-08-18

influence the sale OF the aeed that may 1Qr
any reason remain npon the farn ana IL aots
like q charm, q drag net.
So clean boes itsweep that the farmers very
often has to buy his planting seed from the
mills, and pay from 81 % to $50 for the seeds
he sold only q few weeks before from 9Octs to
500 per hundred. Let us see what the mills
realize even when they pay Sl.OO.
Figuring upon the some bases, he receives
AZ per cent upon his Investment, and even
AT 81, 25 per hundred for seed. the profit Ia 1912
per cent. Now my irief bnsa ! am am n daI,a 10 q
effort to find out Just what net profit these
mills do realize, but with these figures before
us common sense teaches that 1t is %
dends than Others, owing to capacity and
management, as many others business, l
have been told by q gentleman In q position
to know, that the oil mill business is the best
payipg investment In the state, and 1 am
sure that these figures indicate that 1t Ia true.
/ am willing. fellow iarmesi, for the oil mills
TO make O qroft, q remunerative profit.
/ would not attempt TO throttle any enter
But this profit that the mills are making,
reminds me of the old fellows prayer; (Retold
'ne T P1ppi is a fisht that the farmers union
should whip. and whip this year. It 10 local
10 its nature and can be controlled by our
local and county unions. Every county IN
OF them have several. These mills are almost
entirely dependent upon the seed produced
in their own counties, therefore the county
a apsons Control the price of their seed.
Now who should control the price?
The man who labors 10 produce the seed or
the milIt9 The question needs no answer;
The only question TO determine, q fair price
for the seed, and then demand 1t and refuse
TO sell until we receive IT,. We chairman,
let me sey by way OF parenthesei, that lam
opposed TO the sale OF cotton seed at any price
,het xvo 70 Iih pIp IN rpppiCa- fnr thew 6hOnl6
he returned 10 the ground and are more pro-
ftabIe as fertilizer than any where else.
But II is the prevailing custom to sell them
and therefore we m nus COZ Eontr0L , me Price Iie az ~
the price at one dollar per hundred for the
whole season, and reture to sell g. seed until
that price Is paid. 1t is fair and will mean
a saving to our farmers OF several buDdred
thousand dollars a season In this state. aud
millions throughout the cotton belt. This
will allow the mills a margin Of AZ per cent,
and n they cnano, I'VE ,e b sn U1o. grow rich
The question ia, will we stand like men
in this matter, and demand our rights, or
shall we through the lack OF cooperation COD
tinue to allow this trust to:sap our yerP HES
| We can miss, and 1 believe we are determined
and will miss this night. .
Mr. chairman, q few more observations and
1 will bring my remarksto close.
Gentlemen OF the union, we can, we should,
and we must meet cooperation with CO.
operation, organization with organatlon.
The power OF the great enemies OF
given equal rights and equal privileges, this is
our great mission and We can with honor 10
our selves, demand no more and accept moth
ing less.
10 perform, is constructive in Its scope and
must begin In the individual home and upon
the individual farm.
Then as 1t gathers strength and momentum
q. -, n eu,oo pnf nuar the Cnnnfv- SfQfa and
Nation. farm life Is 10 be made desirable,
attractive and happy, we must beautify our
homes. Con struct good highways, build good
schools and make our farms self surtaipirg
how great its members, or how through its
organization can do effective offensive or
defensive fighting Without the necessary
equipment. In this great battle that the
farmers are waging, for financial freedom.
financial liberty, the only equipment neoer-
sary Ia bread and meat. II we would win, then
we must first tear down the corn cribs and
smoke houses that We haye o patracted In the
pr eat North West, and rebuild them upon our
Individual farmers here In South Carolina.
Prosperity, independence and strength are
usually found upon the farm with we'll filled
corn cribs, and probaly stored smoke houses.
But to have them, our present methods OF
farming must be changed and the one crop
sestem abolished. The greatest mistake that
the Southern farmer has made. Mr.. Chair
man, is in placing bis entire interest In COT
ton. This has enabled his enemies to Con-
c~entrate against him. and easily crush him.
It has forced him TO become borrowertn-
stead a lender. apd TO e1pend the value OF bis
cotton crop before It ia made even. for corn
and bacon.
II hss made him a dependent upon the
merchant and Banker and enabled them to
deliver him body and soul, 10 the manufac-
turers and apeculstor tied band and foot In
ehackles made of leips and mortgages. It ia
Madness BROTH r farmers. to think much leas
speak OF enjoying entire freedom and iDdep-
Evidence go long az we continue to forge the
abackles With which we are TO be bound and
deliberately apply the %fasteninRa.
Our enemies laugh, sneer and jeer at ua
when we speak OF appreRsion, and dreams Of
independence and liberty. How long. oh!
how long my brother farmers will we content
ourselves with being hewers Of wood and
brewers Of water?
How long will the rns'le Of the pages OF the
books of record in office Of the clerks Of court
in South Carolina cause the chains with
which We are bound TO clatter and remind Of
our condition OF bondage, servitude and
dependence.
lido not advocate the producing OF leas Cot
ton Mr.. chairman, The exigPpciea OF the case
Cotton IL growing greater end greater each
veal In this country In Europe end In the
AsiatIc Countries. and the demand will con.
tipue TO grow. WhstI do advocate with all
duce our acreage. and mske these fewer acres
produce ss much and even more Cotton than
we do today. WITT Normal coDdeliOuR there
ia no other production OF Cotton. has never
heen nor will there ever be. The salvation
OF b farmers OF this State In to be worked
ont mainly through the Intensive and diver
sifed systems Of farming
! And l am glad that President Harris and
| bis co-Iabors and organizers are using their
~eneeieH mainly with that great purpose in
view. We must not make lesa Cotton, but we
must mske Whist we are max ing with the
expenditure of less money. lesa time, leRs
labor and upon fewer acres. The money time
labor and acres thus save must be devoted TO
the growing OF corn. peas, potatoes. bay and
stock. To the making Of the farm selfaua.
taipipg, and cotton will be the matter iDstesd
Of the slave of the financial would. MIR.
chairm 10, when q majority OF the ferns OF
the South through Intelligence and thrift
are once made aelfsupportiDg and thus W.
dependent, all Of our financial difficulties will
disappear, as the mist ere rolled back and
diseipa,ed tbrorRb The power ola MONDAY
sun. There will be pleanty independence
power end %happiness. where today there ts
went dependence. weakness and unrest. II
IN through tine great power of the farmers
Union, In its constructive capacity mainly
that we are encouraged 10 lock with the eye
OIL faith 10 a future OF reace, plenty and power
and may God speed the day.
-0NGIN1sC VIZ n