Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1911-11-22
THE HOLDING MOVEMENT.
Commissioner Watson Co-Operates in
Efforts of Farmers Union.

gram sent by Commissioner Watson
to the Commissioners Of Agriculture
and Farmers Union presidents in
other States
"Open books at each county seat
for signatures Of farmers to pledge
to hold stated number Of bales until
September 1, 1912, or until the price
has reached 13 cents; prosecute Wig
orous campaign in each township for
get also pledges to reduce cotton
acreage for 1912 to not exceeding so
per cent Of arabic land held; get
reports each day as to pledges filed
and publish names of signers with
number OF bales pledged, Call for
not less than 2 cents per bale from
growers holding cotton, to be sent
Immediately to secretary-treasurer
Of State Union, to defray expenses of
quick campaign for pledges, publish
ing receipts daily. This plan Is al
ready under way In South Carolina
and quick and effective retirement of
cotton seems assured. 1t is abso-
lutely necessary to bring the indi-
vidual producer into line right now
If millions OF dollars are to be saved
to the cotton belt. Plans for the flu
turc can be agreed upon later, but a
feasible quick campaign Of this kind,
pushed simultaneously in all our
States, can, and will, effectively stem
the present disastrous tide in this
critical moment. l most earnestly
appeal to your patriotism, In the
name Of the masses Of Southern peo-
pie, to act upon this matter, and act
quickly. Am arranging for whirl-
wind campaign through belt in hold
ing cause for Senator Smith, Presi-
don't Rorrntt Ntb 30
national committee created at Mont
gomery. e. J. Watson,
President Southern Cotton Congress-
Approved: e. w. Dabbs, president;
j. Whitner Reid, secretary-treasurer,
State Farmers Union.
The Holding Plan.
Following up Commissioner Wat
sons telegram the circular letter was
sent to each president Of County
Union over the South, of which the
following Is the substances:
Sin accordance with action taken
at the mass meeting Of the State
Farmers Union, l am directed by the
president Of the State Union to ad-
dress you this letter, impressing upon
you the vital Importance, not alone
20 the cotton producing interests Of
our State, but to the Union itself, of
your prompt, vigorous ard earnest
&ctiOn upon the request made. We
are at this moment facing crisis
which demands that the individual
cotton producer shall be reached, and
reached effectively, and 1t is the sense
# all who participated in the delib-
aratiOnS held that we, as the farm
HrS' organization in South Carolina,
I'VE 1t to ourselves, to our wives and
o our children, to exert ourselves to
he utmost for the next few weeks,
ven to the neglect Of personal busi-
less, to secure, in writing, pledges
rom each individual owner Of cot
on in every township in every coun-
y in the State. Feeling thus. the call
las been sent out, In an official man
ler, to every other State in the Un-
ION that grows cotton, for similar ac-
ton to be taken simultaneously.
| enclose copy Of the call that has
been sent to the other States, which
will explain itself and give you an
accurate idea of the quick campaign
that is to be made In the effort to
check the downward trend of the
price Of cotton. also enclose a
number Of blanks Of the cotton
pledge that we wish signed by every
man that can be reached, through
meetings or as individuals, and l ask
that you issue, over your signature,
call for every grower Of cotton in
your county to come to the clerk s
office, at the Court House, and afnX
his signature to one Of these papers.
We further most earnestly ask you,
in discharging the duties OF your re-
sponsible position in this crisis, to
each day furnish by mail to me at
Columbia statement giving the
names Of the individuals that have
pledged the mselves to hold their cot
ton and to reduce heir acreage in
accordance with the pledge, stating
opposite the name Of each the num-
ber OF bales that he agrees, or
pledges himself to hold.
1t is our purpose to endeavor, as
far as possible, to send lecturers int
your county to arouse and stimulate
the people to a full sense Of their re-
sponsibility in this quick holding
campaign, and | would suggest that
both you and the county secretary
and these lecturers carry a supply of
blanks for pledges TO each point Wis
tied, and that all Of you get as many
signatures as possible, file the docu-
mcnts in the clerks Office and forth
with forward the information to me.
1T is our purpose to collate this in
formation each day and to publish
the names or the holders in the news
!, papers. with the number Of bales
held, not alone SO far as this State
IS concerned, but the same thing will
be done In each Of the other States.
After careful consideration of
every plan suggested, in the present
crisis, the one that we are putting in
operation seems to be not alone prac-
ticablc, but the only one that is oDen
in this hour Of need promising sue
cess, and we feel that it Is the duty
Of every man charged with the safe