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

The county union meeting at High
Hills on Friday was not so well at
tended as usual on account of the
distance some of the delegates had to
go, and the rainy weather Very
interesting reports were made by
committees appointed at the Trinity
meeting. The committee to secure
United States official cotton samples
reported that they had done so in
cooperation with the Sumter Cham
farmers to go into the lobby of the
Farmers Bank (the old court house,
and study these samples, compare
the cotton they have for sale with
the official samples before selling,
and thus be in better shape to trade
intelligently. 1t has been said that
the farmers will not do this and that
Forty-tWo dollars have been thrown
away. This is like the other state
ment We so often see, Farmers won't
stick" May be not, and may be
they will not use the official cotton
samples, but that is the more reason
and need for continuous efforts to
educate them to their duty and their
high privilege of being as we'll in
formed as to their business as any
other business man. And as loyal to
their interests and organization as
the members of the merchants asso-
Citations, the bar association and the
Brotherhood of the many labor or
ganizations are to their interests.
The next report of great interest
was from the committee to try to
bring about a better system of hand
ling cotton during the rush season
at the weighers platform in Sumter.
The committee reported some pro-
gress toward better system and to-
ward what the law creating the pub
lie cotton weighers contemplated
viz. Exact justice between buyer and
seller, and quick and economical
handling of the cotton in it's delivery
and weighing.
The committee was commended
for it's diligence and ordered 10 con-
tinue to look after this matter until
there is no cause for complaint
From the report of the committee it
would seem that the writer has been
600 severe on the management of
the Sumter Warehouse Company,
(but none too severe on the abuses
that have crept into the business),
and that the troubles have arisen
from too many heads working at
cross purposes. And from the fur
ther fact that what is everybody's
business is nobody's business" and
heretofore there has been only in
termittent individual complaint.
Now that there is an organized ef-
fort on the part of the Farmers Union
to find out where the bla me lies, and
help the proper authorities correct
the troubles, we expect to see so
great an Improvement that none but
chronic kickers can find cause for
complaint. We recognize that Sum-
ter hXes the price for cotton in all
the surrounding small markets, and
all of our efforts are for the improve
ment Of conditions there until per-
lection in handling cotton is reached,
believing that this will not only bene-
fit Sumter, bur all the cotton grow
ing section contributory thereto.
Another matter of Importance was
= appointment of a committee to
work in connection with committees
from the Civic League, the school
Improvement association, and the
merchants association to provide a
comfortable ladies' waiting room in
the business part of town, where
country ladies could rest and refresh
themselves when shopping. Some of
the big stores in New York have
such rooms on each floor, and we
are informed j. l.. COker and Com
pany of Hartsville have such a room
in their big department store. 1t
does not look right for Sumter to be
SO far behind a town the size of
Hartsville, and any merchant in
Sumter that will put in such a room
Will almost double his patronage. AS
no merchant has done so we homo
they Will cooperate with these 9TH
er committees to secure a place con-
venient to them all
f. w. u.