The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1911-12-30
Run,red That GaVernor Blsass VIII
Give Ris Place to A. D. Hadsan.
WATSON HAS MADE GOOD
he Has Made Splendid Commission
er Of Agriculture, and Has Done
Much Good Work for the Farmers
OF the State, But He is Not 81 {

The State says for weeks there
have been persistent rumors regard
ing changes contemplated In the State
department. Of agriculture. These re-
ports have caused much comment
throughout the State because OF the
great interest the public takes In the
work that has been accomplished by
the department of agriculture under
Commissioner Watson.
One rumor is that E. J. Watson is
to be displaced when his term ex-
pires in March. His place, offered to
ope or two others before, is now Of
fered to A. D. Hudson of Newberry
OF all the departments Of the State
government there is more patronage
attached to the Office of the depart
ment of agriculture than any other.
The State department of agriculture
is constituted as follows and receives
the, following appropriations:
Direct appropriation about slS'-
coo.
About $40, 900 is received from the
feed stuffs stamps. This work en-
ploys about ten men, including in
spectors and chemists.
The legislature appropriates S1O,-
900 for the United States farm dem
onstration work and an additional ap-
preparation of $4,000 is received
from the national department Of agri-
culture. The State aid is included in
the direct appropriation.
There are employed in this feature
of the. work State agent, two dis
trict agents and more than. 40 county
agents. The county agents come un-
der the direct supervision of the State
agent and also come in direct contact
with more people in the State than
any other class OF representatives OF
the State department.
There is also an appropriation OF
$4,000 for corn breeding work, which
is expended under the direct super
vision of the commissioner of agri-
culture and two other members Of a
commission provided by the act.
During the past several weeks Com
missioner Watson has been very ac-
tive in his work to help the farmers
Of the State and the, South to devise
some plan or means whereby the sit
uation with reference to low priced
cotton might be relieved. Early in
the fall he attended a meeting Of the
cotton growers and business men in
Montgomery, Ala, and was elected
president of the Southern Cotton con-
gress. 81 n. I,rl =.
The election to this position de-
volved upon him the, leadership in
the fight for a higher price for cotton
Later. acting as the agent for the
farmers of the State and, South, he
attended conference in New York
when loan of $50,000,000 was prof
fered on the cotton crop in tho South
by a syndicate OF New York bankers
The proposition met with some ad'
verse criticism at the time and has
never been worked out.
Several weeks ago Commissioner
Watson, as president of the Southern
Cotton congress, and not as the COM
missioner Of agriculture Of South
Carolina, issued a call for the presi'
dents of the Farmers Union anc the
representatives Of the governors, TAX
ing part in the New Orleans cotton
conference, constituting the executive
committee to meet in New Orleans
on December 1S' to discuss Plans fol
a reduction of the cotton acreage.
It was the intention Of Commis
sioner Watson to attend the meeting
of the committee. Just before Com
missioner Watson was to depart from
the State letter, it is reported, was
sent him by the governor informing
him that the position Of commissioner
OF agriculture, commerce and indus
tries would be declared vacant should
he Commissioner Watson) attent
the conference. The governor further
stated in the latter that Mr.. Watson
must ask permission to leave the
State in the future or leave without
his position.
To get back to the tangle in con
nection with the farm demonstration
work this much is certain: g.
The next State farm demonstration
agent must be acceptable to c. L
Blease, governor Of South Carolina
II the next farm demonstration agen
is not acceptable to the governor O
South Carolina, then the governor
will use his veto power ana cut OF