The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1910-09-28
JUSTICE For FARMERS.
SENATOR SMITH ISSUES STATE
MENT EXPLAINING FORMER
ONE.
He Advocates Any Measure That Will
Enable Producers tO Get Their just
Share.

some newspapers with reference to
the statement concerning the cotton
crep. issued by Senator f. d. Smith
a few days ago, the senator today
gave out the following statement
with the view OF clearing up the mat
ter and putting himself In the proper
Hight:
"It Is rather remarkable how a;
carefully guarded. conservative
statement can be misiuterpreted into.
just the opposite. In my Interview
IN regard to the COTTON crop a few
days ago. I used the following Ian
guaso:
Il shall not attempt to dictate
to the farmers of the South what they
shall DO. But under the circum-
stances I should be delighted to see
them combine and hold their cotton
from the market wherever it is pos
sioie for them to do SO. until It shall
bring such price as shall measure up
to the artificial price placed upon
manufactured articles by virtue of the
tariff"
I'm reference to my own opinion /
used the following language:
My honest conviction Is that 20
cents for the present crop Is none too
high. in view Of the supply, the cost
4 of production, the comparative value
OF cotton with other textiles. and the
artificial price that now obtains on
manufactured goods"
''The headlines and newspaper
comments have made 1t appear that
I have advised the farmers to hold
their cotton for 20 cents a pound.
One newspaper. in an editorial COM
ment, has said that the farmer
should sell his cotton at present prices
and pay his debts. That past expe-
rfence has been TO the effect that
where the price looked enticing in
the early fall. that farmers held and
suffered a loss. This is true
II have never advised any farmer
who had pledged mis- cotton TO a mer-
chant or TO any one to withhold II
from the market when It caused en-
barrassment or loss to the one that
credited him. But have always ad-
vocated the banks Of the South and
the financiers of the South doing all
In their power TO help these weak
and unfortunate ones to withhold
their stuff from the market until IL
should bring such a price as would
remunerate those that helped and
give a profit to the unfortunate ones
who needed help.
IT have never advised any price on
cotton. nor have / stood for any
specific price on cotton until the
farmers of the South. in convention
assembled, determined what, in their
Judgment. was righteous price for
what they themselves produced, and
then 1 became an uncompromising
advocate. of what wss deemed a fair
and legitimate return for their labor.
II have been criticised for standing
for 10 cents cotton. stood for is
cents cotton when the farmers Of the
South demanded IT, and had some Of
my critics been as loyal to the cause
as 7. the Is cents mark might have
been the sooner obtained.
IL sometimes marvel that we are
as we'll off as we are. when think of
the fact that the advocates OF pro-
lection with their newspaper organs,
their lobbies, their powerful advo-
Gates on the floor Of the house and
senate shut out competition from
abroad, combine their capital iu
America and force the price OF arti-
c'es beyond any reason. thus forcing
the producer OF the raw material. the
saiaried man and the wage-earner.
to pay exorbitant prices for those
manufactured articles which are q
common necessity. 1t Is marvel;
the seeming prosperity that the
masses enjoy.
'1 am not asking. nor have 7 ever
asked. that there should be a legal
enactment protecting any one. indi-
vidual or corporation. But when the
government Is committed to the doc
trtne OF protection by legal enact
ment, I think those who are the VIC
Tins should resist this unnatural con-
dition invoking the law Of God
which is the law of supply and de-
mand--and, by standing solidly to-
gether, force it's operation.
IF the price OF manufactured ar
tlcJes Is forced to artificial heights,
and the great body OF wage earners,
Iaborers and producers OF the raw