The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1912-04-27

Farmers Union. had nothing to do
brought about by the seasons; and the
wicked Bear combine" and mill
mergers to make the fool farmers"
plant another big crop!!!
AS badly as we were fooled as to
the size of the crop our advice to
hold cotton" was sound, and the re-
suits should prove it to the mind Of
any reasonable man beyond the shad-
ow of a doubt. But how many of
them who said sell cotton, it is going
lower" will ever admit it? They and
more responsible for low priced cotton
last fall than all the Bears and mill
mergers in the world.
Some of these same business men
are now straining their credit to help
the farmers make a big crop, and
next fall. to make collections, will be
urging them to 'sell cotton, it will be
lower before Christmas" like any
body could not see that low cotton
would be bound to follow such a plicy.
The farmer who does not now pre-
pare to make a living. and some to
spare, need not swear at Bears and
mills next fall. He is the worst Bear
Of them all.
All the efforts Of the Farmers
Union. Southern Commercial Con-
gress and Chambers of Commerce
will not avail much, If the rank and
'nie-;:aye the work to the officers. Just
as an army without officers is mob
so are the farmers, producers. and
consumers without organization and
leaders, mobs in the sense Of having
no definite object in view.
you elect to leadership in these or
ganiaztions to refuse to be led. You
may think you can manage your busi-
ness better than anyone can tell you
and In fact you must manage it or it
will not be managed; but that Is no
argument against joining your fellow
men in cooperative efforts. You will
find that the most successful men
with their own business. are the men
who join together to still further pro-
mote their interests. and by cooper
alton build railroads establish banks.
erect factories and move the worlds
commerce.
Why should the farmer be the only
exception to this universal rule of CO.
operation? Is he made Of superior
that make him the only exception in
the world Of commerce and produc-
tiOn?
If he is made of superior clay and
more richly endowed by his creator
than his fellow men, 1t is the more
reason why he should measure up to
his gifts. on the other hand if he
feels that he has but one talent, he
should remember the fate of the men
who buried his lords money. 1t
was taken away from him and given
to the man that had ten talents. We
see that illustrated every day: "to
him that hath shall be given that he
may have more abundantly; and from
that hath not shall be taken even that
which he seemeth to have"
I have been requested to ask the
supervisor to publish statement
showing just how the surplus of $12,-
900 came to be in the county treas
ury, and why it should have been
necessary to issue $4,000 of good
roads bonds last year with the county
finances in such good sha .,e? Also
how much of the proceeds of the
bond issue were used last year? What
was done with the balance? And will
there be another issue Of $4,000 this
year under the terms Of the act?
me personally quite frequently, and
| cannot answer them. Judging by
voters, as well as to the supervisor
and county board. that they be an