Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1911-08-23
CONSIDER COTTON CONDITIONS.
Farmers Union and Business Men
Held Meeting at Sumter.


the executive committee of the Sum
ter Chamber Of Commerce with the
representatives Of the local Farmers
Union, held in the Chamber Of Com
merce Hall Monday afternoon, a res
olution was passed to the effect that
it was the sense Of those present that
the price Of cotton had been depress-
ed to an extent decidedly out of COM
be harvested this season. and that a
circular letter be sent out to all Of
the commercial bodies throughout
the cotton States asking them to CO.
operate with the farmers in this Vi
cinity In getting exact estimates of
the cotton crop and its condition,
and In having the crop placed on the
market gradually, so as not to de-
press prices.
A night letter was also ordered
sent to Senator Il. d. Smith, asking
him to communicate with the depart
ment Of agriculture, asking that Sec
retary Wilson Immediately Give the
latest reliable information at his dis
posal as to the estimate of the cotton
crop and the condition Of the cotton
crop at the present time
Object OF Meeting.
The meeting was called at the re-
quest of President e. w. Dabbs, Of
the State Farmers Union, for the
purpose Of devising means whereby
the present depression in the cotton
market might be relieved, it being
the consensus Of opinion here that
the condition Of the cotton crop at
present was anything but favorable
Tor large yield, owing to the con-
tinued drought and other unfavora-
bic conditions. 1t was stated at the
meeting that this was the condition
throughout the greatest part of this
county, and through most of the
counties in the State, which. Presi-
dent Dabbs stated, he had recently
visited and travelled through.
Others at the meeting endorsed
IL
that conditions were the same
throughout most of the cotton
States, If newspaper reports were
giving accurate information. 1t SEEM
ed the opinion Of many at the meet
ing that the reports of bumper
crop, which had been published In
the newspapers, were grossly exag-
serated, and probably due to infor-
nation given out by parties on the
bear side of the market.
Common Interests.
e. W. Dabbs made a short speech.
In which he told why the meeting had
been called. He stated briefly and
concisely the situation as 1t appeal-
ed to the farmers and asked the bus
mess men, the merchants and bank
erS, through the chamber of com
merce. to cooperate with the farm
ers in helping them get their lust
dues. THE interests Of the business
men OF the city are the interests Of
the farmers" he stated, in closing
MS address, and he hoped that the
farmers in making this appeal would
be heard and helped and not denied
:neir rights
other speakers were Mayor l.. D..
Jennings, who is a business man. q
farmer, lawyer and banker: Hon
IL. /. Manning, farmer, a banker
and statesman; Clerk of Court l..
l. Parrott, another one Of Sumter
rountys large farmers; S. A. Welch.
prominent farmer Of Lee county.
and A. V. Smell, secretary of the
Chamber Of Commerce. The consen-
sus Of opinion, as expressed by these
men, was that the cotton crop reports
had been greatly exaggerated and
that 1t was only by holding cotton
and marketing it gradually that onv
Just price could be obtained.
Following the discussion by these
gentlemen. resolution was passed
10 nave the circular letters sent ont
20 'he various commercial bodies
throughout the cotton States asking
'hem to try at once to get an exact
estimate OF the crop in their sections
ana the crop conditions and to make
" report TO the Sumter Chamber of
commerce, or to such source
whence it could be disseminated
throughout the cotton States bv
means OF the newspapers
Letter Sent Out.
In compliance with thc rcson,ior
passed by the Charter OF Commerce
executive committee at its meeting