The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1911-11-08
ACTIVE WORK BEGUN
COTTON HOLDING MOVEMENT
STARTED AT ONCE.
Trying to Carry Out Plan Adopted
in Columbia by the Farmers and
Business Men.

Business Men.
ITO secure 13 cents pound fol
cotton.
ITO open books in every county il
the ccE ton belt to secure pledge:
from farmers to hold cotton.
'To reduce cotton acreage TO:
1912 to not exceeding 60 per cent
of arabic land held.
ITO publish daily the names 0:
those who intend to hold their cot.
ton for a higher price"
These are the features Of the cam
paign for holding cotton with a view
to relieving the present unsatisfac.
tory condition that was launched
throughout the States Of the cotton
belt Thursday by the South Caro-
lima State Farmers union. The plan
was adopted at a meeting Of the
Farmers union and business men
held in Columbia Tuesday night and
was contained in telegram address.
ed to the commissioners Of agri.
culture and presidents of the State
unions of the South. The telegram
was signed by Commissioner Watson
as president of the cotton congress
of the South and E. W. Dabbs, pres.
ident of the State Farmers union.
Plan Proposed.
The following Is the telegram sent
out Friday. Following action OF
mass meeting. South Carolina farm
ers would urge you to take immed-
late steps to push with all vigor you
possess, in every township and coun-
t., your State the holding move
ment on following lines, similar re-
quest being made of tSate Farmers
union president, your State 0Den
books each county seat for signature
of farmers to pledge to hold stated
number bales until September 1,
1912, or until the price has reached
13 cents; prosecute vigorous cam
paign each township for holding cot
ton and getting pledges; get also
pledges to reduce cotton acreage for
1912 to not exceeding 10 per cent.
of arabic land held; for reports each
day as to pledges filed and publish
names of signers with number OF
bales pledged. Call for not less than
two cents per bale from growers
holding cotton to be sent immediate
ly to secretary-treasurer, State un-
ion, to defray expenses quick cam
paign for pledges, publishing receipts
daily This plan already under way
in South Carolina and quick and
effective retirement of cotton seems
assured. 1t is absolutely necessary to
bring the individual producer into
line right now if millions Of dollars
are to be saved to the cotton belt.
Plans for the future can be agreed
upon later, but feasible quick cam
paign of this kind pushed simulta-
reously in all our States can and
will effectively stem the present dis
astrous tide in this critical moment.
most earnestly appeal to your pat
riotism in the name of the masses OF
Southern people to act upon this
matter and act quickly. Am arrang-
ing for whirlwind campaign through
belt in holding cause for Senator
Smith, President Barrett and other
members Of national committee cre-
ated at Montgomery. Kindly wire me
Immediately il in behalf Of every ma
terial interest in the South you may
be relied upon to take the speedy ac-
ton. invoked
Cotton Pledge.
The following is the cotton pledge:
State of South Carolina, county Of
We, the undersigned, owners OF
cotton of the 1901 crop, hereby
pledge ourselves to withhold from
the market the number of bales en-
tered opposite cur respective names
until September l, 1912, or Until the
price OF cotton has reached 13 cents.
and we do severally soIemnly declare
that we will regard this pledge as
sacred.
We further agree not to plant, for
the crop of 1912, more than go per
cent. of our arabic lands in cotton.
I'VE hereby agree to forward to
J. Whitner Reid, secretary-tEeasurer
State Farmers union, Columbia. S.
c., by postal money order two cents
per bale fer the cotton held to de-
fray expenses of the holding cam
paign. Name, postoffice, r. F. D. No.
number Of bales withheld.
Letter of Instructions.
The following letter was sent out
10 the presidents of the county un-
ions Friday by Secretary Reid:
In accordance with action taken
at the mass meeting OF the State
Farmers union held in Columbia
Friday evening, am directed BY
tire president of the tSate union to
address you this letter, impressins
upon you the vital Importance, moi
alone to the cotton producing inter
ests of our State, but to the union
itself, of your prompt, vigorous ant
earnest action upon the request
made. We are at this moment fac
ing a crisis which demands that the
individual cotton producer shall be
reached and reached effectively anc
it is the sense Of all who participant
ed in the deliberations held that we
as the farmers organization in South
! Carolina, owe it to ourselves, to oul
wives and to our children to eHer
ourselves TO the utmost for the mex
few weeks, even to the neglect o.
personal business, to secure in writ
ing, pledges from each indiEidua
owner of cotton in every township II
every county in the State FeelinE
thus, the call has been sent out II
a., oHnja1 n,opner t,o every Othe1