The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1911-09-09
What Can The Farmers Do That
Will Help Them to Secure Above
Twelve Cents for The Present
Cotton Crop?

Many farmers have personally put
the above question to the editor, and
no doubt more have asked themselves
this question after reading our edi-
torial in the last issue, and seeing the
| market gradually seeking a lower
level. There are four things the
farmers can do, each of which will
materially assist in keeping the price
OF cotton up above IL cents.
| !. Let the commercial world know
that we will hold or retire from this
seasons marketing 100000 bales if
necessary. If they want only II ,0OO.-
600 bales, We will furnish them only
this amount. We are not compelled
to sell all this cotton, thank Heaven;
| 1t will keep, and it should be ours to
keep until they get ready to give us
a fair price for it. This will certain
~ settle the question. if our farmers
will come together and determine up
on this course in way that will as
4
carried out.
2. Market the crop slowly. This
we know is very difficult to get our
farmers to do. From the field to the
gin and from the gin to the market is
the rule. While down in Thomas
| county this week we saw them rush.
ing cotton into the gin during a
shower Of rain, and one man brought
bale that contained 500 pounds Of
seed cotton picked out the evening
before while it is damp. It took
four gins two hours to gin it. and he
could not get an offer made for the
bale after it was ginned. He will lose all
the way from IS to SO on this bale
OF cotton. They are rushing cotton
in. selling it for II 1-2 cents, and
seed for SIS per ton, only half price.
We asked the buyers why they didn't
pay more, and they said because seed
were so green. Then, why in the
name of common sense. does not the
l
ripe? The lint will grow on the seed
even after being picked until entirely
ripe and thoroughly dry. Why not
! put your cotton in a cotton house, and
allow it to do so?
| 3. Join the Farmers Union and
show to the world that you intend
to stand up for the rights Of the
farmers; that you are not only
farmer in fact. a sympathizer with or
ganized effort to help your class but
that you have actually Joined hands
with the Union to help in every way
possible the upfift Of farming as
profession. Our farmers will have
either to join the Union or to suf-
fer the penalty which means many
millions loss both in what they sell
and in what they buy. The producer
| now gets only 46 cents out of every
dollars worth of produce sold. The
middle man gets 81 cents-entirely
too large per cent.
q
wheat, oats, corn and to raise more
meat We farmers must not only be
self-sustaning at home, but grow and
raise ample supplies for all the hands
on our farms. This is now a neces-
sity If we would prosper, for with inn
proved methods and increased use Of
| commercial fertilizers. we can grow
2O,OO0,000 bales Of cotton
II we want fair price for our cot
ton, this is the only sure way OF OBJ
tanning it for any length Of time. 9th
er remedies are but temporary. The
cash demands upon our Southern
farmers are now too great We must
keep the millions at home that are
sent away for provisions, and curtail
our cotton acreage by growing all
home supplies upon our own farms.
We are doing better in this line. but
we need to redouble our efforts at
once. or by another season they will
not pay us 10 cents for our cotton.
Enough said--now for some real
work along these four lines, and We
Will soon, see an Improvement in the
outlook. August has not been so
favorable as July, and the crop will
not exceed 100000 bales. Only
TWO states have a prospect OF any
great increase--they are Georgia and
Alabama, and this will not amount to
over 100000 bales.-Southern Gull
tivator.