The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1911-11-08
COTTON DOCTORS PRESCRIBE.
MANY PLANS FOR BOOSTING
PRICE OF STAPLE.
Meeting OF Leaders OF Farmers
Union and Sympathizers Held I'm
Columbia Stackhousc Plan for
Holding and Financing Cotton Crop
Until Price Advances Endorsed
other Plans Suggested and Dis
CuSSed.

the Farmers Union meeting, held
here tonight, to consider the cotton
situation, is explained in the following
resolutions, which were passed:
That this Farmers Union recon-
mend to every farmer in South Caro-
lima who controls a bale Of cotton to
hold from the market every bale Of
cotton, except distressed cotton"
THAT the holding action be tele-
graphed to the authorities of all 9th
cotton States in the South, with the
request that similar plan be put
into action there.
THAT the building Of cotton ware
house Of a small scale throughout
the State as now be continued under
the approval Of the Union, with the
idea Of eventually merging.
That pledges be taken in writing
in every county Of the State from
farmers saying how many bales Of
cotton they will put themselves on as
agreeing to hold until September /,
1912. If necessary. for a reasonable
price, the exact figure to be agreed
upon in the immediate future.
THAT another set Of record books
be opened in each county of the
State, in which farmers will be ask
ed to put themselves on record as
agreeing not to plant more than &C
per cent Of their arabic lands in cot
ton during the season Of 1912"
The meeting was we'll attended, the
room being at one time nearly full
OF keenly interested farmers and 9TH
ers. 1t was evident that there was
spirit Of determination to take what
ever steps were possible to relieve
the present low prices paid for the
cotton on the markets.
The plan offered by DR.. Wade
Stackhouse, of Dillon, for solution
OF the cotton situation precipitated
the long discussion and opened up
the whole question Of cotton growing
and selling. The plan, In brief call
ed for the formation Of a State ware
house company, with a capital stock
of $1,000,000, to be divided into shares
OF the par value Of $50 each, the
money to be subscribed by the farm
ers Of the State. Fifteen warehouses
were to be built at the most logical
points in the State, having all advan-
tages Of competing freight and water
rates, and these warehouses to have
enough capacity. to hold at least one
fourth Of the cotton crop Of South
Carolina.
To get the arrangements whereby
the farmer would be able to get the
money advanced on the warehouse re-
ceipts, Mr.. Stackhouse advocated the
formation Of a trust company to
handle the warehouse receipts and see
that the money, was obtainable, the
trust company to be Of $1,000, 600
capital and to be located in Column
bia. In addition, he also planned for
legal contracts to be obtained by this
warehouse company from farmers,
stating that this cotton stored must
not be sold before August 1912, for
less than the minimum price fixed
and agreed on by the mass meeting
tonight, and If they did so that the
| farmer forfeit to the warehouse COM
pany the difference between the price
he obtained and the minimum price
agreed on. OF course, if cotton went
over the minimum price, the farmer
could sell when he pleased
The plan by Mr.. Stackhouse pro-
vided for a reduction in acreage Of
at least 25 per cent, the warehouse
company t. have farmers to sign con-
tracts to this effect. To guard against
the breaking of the acreage reduc-
ing contract. a penalty was suggest
| ed whereby the farmer should turn
over to the warehouse company all
cotton produced on any acreage over
and above rs per cent. The plan is
an elaborate one and went into the
the situation in detail.
Mr.. Jeff Buyck, of Calhoun County.
| suggested as a substitute a landlords
or landowners association, all own
ers Of land to organize this associa-
ton, to agree ID hold cotton and re-
duce acreage. Mr.. Buyck wanted the
land owners to agree to hold all un-
sold cotton until the price reached IL
/ cents, and to take the matter OF re-
ducing acreage on their own should
ers The association, i'm the idea OF
Mr. Buyck, was II cover the entire
| cotton belt, and when SeVenty-five per