The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1911-11-14
REPLIES TO GOVERNOR BLEASE.
Spirited Reply Of Marlboro Cotton
ommittee-Reasons for Refusal
Fail to Satisfy.

Fail to Satisfy.
Bennettsville, Nov. 9-Mr. ]. J.
Evans, representing the committee ap-
pointed by the mass meeting of MARI
boro farmers, has made reply to the
letter Of Governor Rlease. This COM
mittee, which is composed of Senator
J. B. Green, Representatives }. ).
Evans, F.. P. B. Fegues, Don Mcqueen,
Mr.. Charles Crosland and former Unit
id States Senator McLaurin, following
the instructions of the mass meeting,
telegraphed the governor asking for
a hearing for next Monday in the mat
ter calling an extra session of the leg
islature to consider the cotton situa-
ton. Governors letter was received
, here yesterday, it having previously
appeared in the press. The committee
had hoped, at least, that the governor
would extend to it ,ne courtesy of
hearing.
The letter Of Mr.. Evans, which the
governor will receive tomorrow, IS as
follows:
: yIr. Eyans's Letter.
ITO His ExcelIency, Hon. Cole L.
Blease, Columbia, South Caroll2a,-
, Dear Governor: l have the honor to
acknowledge the receipt of your let
ter of this date in response to my
telegram requesting hearing for the
REPRESENTATIVES from this county on
the subject of an extra session. The
request was made in response to the
decision of mass meeting of Marl-
boro farmers, held last Monday in the
court house. My message to you was
not through the public prints and I
regret sincerely that you did not ac-
cord US a hearing before reaching your
decision.
'sWaiving, however, the discourtesy
to US, it does seem that mass meet
ing of Marlboro citizens might have
expected an opportunity to present the
reasons which caused them to make
this request. The right of the people
to speak in mass meeting in free gov
eminent is supposed to be sacred and
will be a protection against injustice
long after the ephemeral power of the
willy politician has passed away.
True Democracy.
'SThe old-time theory, and the only
valid reason for democracy, is to do
the greatest good to the greatest num-
ber, and ! do not conceive that there
is any manner in which you could bet
ter employ the functions of your great
Office than in assisting the farmers of
this State to secure better prices for
the products of their labor. It is not
a good shepherd, my dear governor,
who would sit on stump and impair
italy allow the bears and the sheep to
fight it out. The crafty and the strong
should not be allowed to compel the
weak and the simple to fight them on
their own grounds, and the govern
ment take no consideration of mercy,
justice and the eternal moralities.
@Your excellency says that the hold
ing of the cotton crop now will do no
good except to a few wealthy farmers.
Most respectfully, We beg leave to
differ with you on that question. Any
advance in the price of cotton would
be Of great advantage, not only to a
few wealthy farmers but to every
man, woman and child in the South.
Cotton is the basis of our wealth. In
this county not one-half of the crop
has been ginned. Much is being held
in the hope of help from somewhere.
"Rich" Farmer a Myth.
ct believe that a call from you for
the legislature of South Carolina to
meet in extra session, to do what she
could constitutonally to aid in the
present holding movement, would of
itself advance the price of cotton ma
terially. If the crop of South Carolina
is 100000 bales, cent pound would
mean six million dollars to the people
of the State.
II think, governor, that you are mis-
taken about the poor farmer getting
no benefit; it is the poor farmer who
] needs it most; the rich farmer can
hold his cotton. It is the poor far
mer,' operating under lien and mort
gage, that these times are literally