The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1912-08-28

$1,000 per bale in the last 10 davs.
The real fight for proper market
ing and greater stability Of price
must now be fought, and it rests with
the producing, banking and CONNER
ciai interests of the South TO push
that fight upon sound &c ,nomIc lines
based upon business principles appli-
cable to changing International com
merclal relations.
The time for decisive and concert
ed action has arrived.
1t has occurred to the undersigned
that no more appropriate day for the
taking Of such action throughout the
communities of the cotton belt States
could be selected for the purpose
than Monday, September 2, which is
Labor Day 1t is eminently proper
that upon this day, which is a nation
al and State holiday, that those Of
our people who labor in the fields to
create the wealth Of thel country
should meet with those whose busi-
ness interests are dependent upon this
particular product Of the soil and
determine upon g fixed policy in the
matter CT marketing of the 1912 cot
ton crop. We unhesitatingly and
mostly earnestly recommend that
this policy be the slow and gradual
marketing Of the crop. We most
earnestly call upon every banker in
the South, and particularly in this
State, to make such financial arrange
menrs that will able the banks to
render to the producer such aid as
will make it possible for him to avoid
the placing of all his cotton upon the
market at one time in the early fall.
enabling him instead to gradually
market it 10 the best advantage. We
would call the attention of the bank
ers and business men who are inter-
ested in the banks, to the fact that
even. Il the banks did not get one
cent OF perofit for advances to farm
ers for this purpose on cotton the
increased volume of business would
more than recOmpense them
We wish to take this occasion to
commend those banks in this and 9TH
er States which last season, secured
the necessary money to loan to the
farmers and especially do we COM
mend those banks and bankers, who
this season, have come forward and
announced. similar ARRANGEMENTS.
We IiOst earnestly call upon the
Commissioners of Agriculture of the
several States of the cotton belt and
the Presidents of the several State
Farmers Unions to issue calls similar
to this one for meetings on September
2, to the farmers, merchants and
bankers of their respective States for
the eNecut.pe Of the pj;r pose Outlined
.4Aove
t,~dii--.ose ,he impendins dans T ara
onslaught t's.. is being ma3p upon
the markets W tbs maap.iat,og
forces, We have after most careful
deliberation, determined to issue this
most earnest call. which we desire to
be understood as directed to each in
dividual farmer, each merchant and
each banker to assemble at such
meetings as are suggested on Labor
Day and give this matter the most
careful and thoughtful consideration.
We wish all to bear in mind that
last year though the Farmers Union
began work in August, it was impos-
sible to secure the cooperation we
are now seeking. This year with that
experience as guide the work was
begun as early as June. Could we
have had earnest ard active cooper
alton Last season such as we are now
asking and securing. an additional
$10,00a,00e. at least would have
been saved TO the farmers Of South
Carolina alone, and that, too. without
any other S:ate working on the same.
line.
In conclusion We wish. to impress.
as forcibly as We know how upon the
producers the fact that the greatest
ally that the speculative element who
would hammer down the price of
cotton relies Npon, is the thought
less farmer, who without regard to his
brother pro iucer's walfare, unloads
all of his cotton upon the market at
inoppOrtune and ill-adyised moments.
We wish further, on the other hand.
to impress upon the bankers of the
Snnth thct il Is not only the securing