The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1909-11-10
FIGHTING The FARMER
WHAT A FARMERS UNION PAPER
SAYS .aBOUT THE MILLS.
shutting Down. and Claims That II
Is an Effort to Keep tac Cotton
Grower Down.

The following articles from the
Farmers. Co:oc News. OF Union
City. Ga. brings out some things
seor, the mill cuT;ailmeut that Ne
neve- heard before. The first article
says:
The presidents, vice presidents
and owners Of cotton mills through
ou, the South are organized into
wha; is called the American Cotton
Manufacturers Association. Such
men as 6 B. Tanner and D. a.
Tonpk!ns Of Charlotte. " c.. E. a.
Snytbe OF Greenvi.le. S. c.. and 9TH
ers. who were worth Go more than
the rest OF US, estimated at least
in this worlds worldly goods. un-
I'll the recen; rise OF cotton mills
this side OF Mason and Dixon.
line They were some OF the pion-
eees in this fabulously prosperous
feld o! business. Their cotton mills
and others have paid enormous div
ideads. IN many cases as much as
from ten 70 forty per cent profit
on highly wa;ered- stock.
And yet the present president Of
the 4. C. NJ a.. Mr.. Lewis w. Parker
Of Greenville. S. c.. at the instance
Of Sny,he. Tompkins and Tanner.
has just called meeting OF the
board OF governors for the purpose
CT fighting the increase in the price
OF cotton to thirteen cents. oy shut
ting down the mills. or at beast
running them on half Or quarter
time Some Of these men whose
fortunes are increasing by leaps
and bounds as result OF their man
otactu.ing cotton. ride in automom-
biles live in the most luxurious hom-
es. and evea spend their summers
abroad. enjoying AL the very best
things OF life. while we producers
OF the raw material. the basis OF
their income. struggle from early
morn until dewy eve in order 10
keep body and soul together.
And when we get tosethe. for
the Gere purpose OF securing fair
! price. yes. the mere cost OF pToduc-
Ing cotton. they prepare 20 fsh,
Ia tooth and nall. IN this brutal
fashion. But this IS not the frs,
instanc NJ. Dante A:kens!de
Toupkins OF Charlotte. ,aen presi.
dent Of ,he a. c. II. A.. vent abroad
in 1907, with the present president
Of the a. c. II. A.. got up confer
-nce OF European cotton manufac'
.urers for the purpose OF divert
ing foreign immigration to the
South in orde: 70 break the back o!
1.-The Farmers Union and increase the
supply Of cotton produced. so that
only mere existance price 70. 20.
raw materials would prevail. Yes
AZ. Smy,he. Mr. Parker and other
mil! men OF South Carolina even
raised some twenty odd thousand
dollars &c send Commissioner Wat
eon o. South Capl!na abroad g
bring In two carsoes OF foreigners
for this purpose.
| Gentlemen. gentlemen. you live
among US. you: lives and your tami-
lies and your property .s mingled
with ours. and Jour prosperity. and
your daily walks are among us. from
whose humble ranks you have riser
upon our industry and toll. There
Is such a thing as having none o!
the milk Of human kindness and
being absolutely uasympathe,!c and
calous TO the struggling masses
their sorrows and herdships. around
you. but have care. lest you kill
the geese that are laying your gold
en- eggs. II any one doubts ou;
statement let him but read that
weil-known manufactures maSa'
zine. The Textile Record. August
i1s0S. published by Lord and Sasle
Boston aud New York. page 53S
where is printed summary OF Mr
Tonpkins' speech. and il is stated
among other things that Ar. Tomp-
kins told the European manufac-
tu.e-s plainly what vas and Is the
only way to increase adequately the
worlds supply Of cotton. namely. 10
stimulate and divert foreign tmm!-
grants BY the wholesale 10 the South
ern States.
| They Join Forces.
| In another article The Farmers
| Union News goes on 10 say:
The Northern cotton mill men
have responded to the suggests ~
OF the Southern cotton mil! NEE
that the uills te closed do13 in or
| der 70 cu-,a.l the pro6uctiou Of cot
ton goods. and thereby decraas' re
| consumption Of raw cotton :hus
depressing the p::ee OF cotton nnd
showing the Farmers Union that
they cannot hope for decent :,7iccs
20. their crop. In response 10 TIE
suggestion Of the America Co,'on
Manufacturers Association. which
IS a strictly Southern o.ssrizstion.
the executive committee OF the Cot
ton Manufacturers Association.
which takes In all the Northern cot
ton mills. has met and decided 10
have the production o! cotton goods
greatly curta:led shortly.
At the meeting. as at the board OF
governors meeting Of the American
Cotton Manufacturers Association.
at Charlotte. on the sth. every pos
sible device .ov fighting the Farm
ecs' Unions proper marketing and
holding o. the crop for better pric-
es. was fully discussed and plans
were proposed. going even to the
extent Of shutting down the mills
and starving the farmers OUT
You have organized and banded to-
ge;her 70. your own mutual protec-
ton and selfish interests. and hav-
ing made enormous profits and
drawn fancy salaries. you now be-