The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1910-12-10

tidl ouI ldIIlS dhOTu Oh DutteT anu
eggs, poultry, fruits and vegetables,
hay, corn, oats, peas and potatoes;
bacon, hams and lard. When we
have made use of the opportunities
that are so abundantly bestowed up
, on us to produce these staple ar
tciles of food; through our own SELL
ing agencies put them on the mar
kets of the world where they are
wanted and will bring remunerative
prices, we will then be so prosperous
that we can finance our own cotton
We can then put our cotton in our
own warehouses, and say to the spin
ners: Here is the fleecy staple that
you need to manufacture the cloth
ing for the world-it is ours; we
know the grades, and We guarantee
1t to be as represented; we know the
cost and we sell it to you at one
profit Can we do it? Yes Will We
do it? Yes. Or always remain
"Hewers of wood and drawers of
water" But We must remember that
we cannot do it in a day, nor a month
nor a year We must go back to
first principles: Self help and neigh
borly cooperation. And then the
neighborhoods as represented by To-
cal unions must concentrate our
produce and our cotton at our con-
tract market prices, and educate and
train the men to handle our business
for us, like we are doing with Brog-
don and Gregg in our Union Broker
age here in Sumter.
What have we ACCOMPLISHED is
probably more important than what
we looked forward to doing in the
future. Well, first and foremost we
have made the Farmers. Union
commercial factor in the progress of
Sumter and Sumter county. Two
years ago our retiring vice President
and business agent, Brother Tindal
said the union was handicapped for
lack of a responsible financial head.
That without capital it was impossible
to do business, and we had the CO.
operative idea in buying but not the
machinery, nor the oil (money) to
lubricate the machine. Today we
have the Union Brokerage Co., with
upward of $4,000 paid up capital and
we nave done very satisfactory
business to those of us who backed
our faith with our money. and we
are developing the cooperative idea
In selling as we'll as buying, for
Brother Brogdon has sold not a lit
tie syrup, peas. oats. hams, bacon
and other country produce for our
members. And the Union Broker
age Company is a factor not to be
despised in fixing prices in this sec
ton. and as Chairman of our cotton
committee Brother Brogdon has
handled some lots of cotton, and has
other lots under his control to sell
when the market warrants
2nd. Two years ago the idea of
farmers buying fertilizers direct was
laughed at as a dream of the hay
seeds. Last year and this large lot
were bought direct by Farmers
unions and farmers outside the
union were given rebates by dealers
a r(h hos lrna DIV Il
them from being dissatisfied. This
season | am informed manufacturers
and importers are seeking the union
trade
3rd. Two years ago the New York
correspondents of our Sumter banks
tried to force them not to loan money
to hold cotton. Word had gone out
mo money to hold cotton" A COM
mittee of this union waited on the
President of the banks of Sumter,
and showed them how disasterous it
would be to the commercial interests
of the county to have to sell our
ton at IA cents, the prevailing
price. We found the bankers anxious
to help us and the suggestions they
made to us were very valuable. The
result of that conference was that
many bale of cotton sold the next
spring at 10 to IL cents that would
have gone to the spectators at 8 IA
or even less than cents if thrown on
the market. and it would have been
but for the Farmers Union and the
Sumter County Farmers Union alone.
VINO knows how far-rcaching the
| action of the Sumter County Union
ana the Sumter banks cooperating to-
gether was at that time. Or who can
measure the benefit to all the com
mercial interests of the county by the
mutual confidence that conference
established We should have more