The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1910-08-17

Tor bacon over $13, 900, 900, for dairy
products over $12,OOO,O00, for flour
over s2O,OO0,000 and most of it
pleached at that, for corn $4,000, 600,
for hay 100000 and for oats ST.
100000, making a total of s68,35O.-
600. All Of this was taken out of
our pockets to make other farmers
prosperous. Most of this money has
gone to the middle West to build I'D
fine cities, beautiful country houses
and roads that enable the farmers
to speed over the country in their
automobiles. Adding to the above
over s17,0OO,0O for fertilizer, we have
a grand total of $S5,OOO,OOO expendi-
lures. The cotton crop which was
a record breaker last year in the way
OF profits, was only sold for $S9,-
100000. We had a balance Of nearly
S4,O00,000 in our favor, but had it
not been for the large corn crop, the
balance would probably have been on
the other side. Corn has saved the
day. Our crop last year was worth
$33,300,000. We are on the right
road. Experience with corn shows
1T. The $500 boys enrolled in the
Boys Corn clubs" are helping. Edu-
cation is playing an important part.
This has been the pioneer school along
the right lines and we must have
many more like it. Although the
influence which Gen. Sumter exerted
was Very great indeed, 1 believe it is
possible for this school to exert
greater influence.
Il am not opposed to raising cotton.
l want the acreage in cotton decreased
but the yield per acre increased, so
that we shall be able to supply the
demand. There is no commodity
sent to market with so high a degree
of ignorance lowering around it. The
manufacturer is anxious to deal with
the farmer but not with gamblers
The foreign manufacturer has been so
dealt with that he wouldn't buy a
pound from an individual, but they
would buy it through the union. 1t
cost us the enormous sum of $50, ,000,-
600 to market our crop. Good roads
would cut this sum in half, and by
following up the first law Of civil
ization, cooperation, the major por-
ton of this sum could be saved"
The next thing on the programme
was dinner. After everybody had sat-
isfed their appetites the Sumter Ag-
ricultural society was called to order
by its president, A. X. Sanders. After
the roll call, the first work taken up
was ro port of the committee on con-
stitution and bylaws. The report af-
ter being read and discussed was
adopted as whole. Then solicitations
for new members resulted in a most
gratifying increase of members. There
was marked evidence Of increased in
terest and widening influence of the
society, and that this organization has
come to stay.
There was one unlocked for fea-
ture of the meeting. At the conclu-
sion of the addresses Col. ]. J. Dar-
gan, introduced a resolution memo
rializing the legislature to memo
| rialize congress to disarm at once the
battleship South Carolina and con-
vert her into a merchant man and to
use the funds now used in maintain
ing the battleship on the rural agri-
cultural schools in South Carolina.
The resolution caused some discus
sion, which was more or less heated.
Col. Dargan resented any opposition,
and when Mr.. l.. I. PARROT, clerk
of court, said that he opposed the
resolutions, that the farmers had not
come there for any such purpose and
he was opposed to any such propo-
sition going out, Col. Dargan became
irritated and threatened the officer
with political death, telling him that
when the next election for clerk of
court comes off that the incumbent
will be blown up. Mr.. PARROT re-
piled that he would be at the blow
ing up. A vote was taken and two
votes were recorded in favor of the
resolution. That put an end to it for
the present.