The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1912-08-10
FARMERS
UNION NEWS
Frnriicai Thoughts for Practical
Farmers
'|ohdNcted by E. w. Dabbs, Pres
id"nt ). Z. Farmers Union.)
some Random Thoughts.

some Random Thoughts.
Last week, Monday and Tuesday, the
writer saw the crops from Salem to
Bishopville, going one road and re-
turning another. Wednesday, Thurs
day and Friday from Salem to Priva
teer and return Via the Baker school.
1t Is hard to form an average esti-
mate Of crop conditions. There is a
greater diversity of crops. from ex-
tremes of good to bad, with great
areas of indiffrent crops in between.
than l remember to have ever seen.
y
There is more good corn than the
good prospect for peas. Going di-
rectly from the improved farms of
the Mayesville, st. Charles, Bishop
vile section, the Black River country
to the sand hills OF Privateer one can
not help being struck with the ola
saying there is more in the nan
than there is in the land" The good
crops in the Privateer section are
as good as the best in the other sec
ton, and the poor crops in the Black
river section are just as poor as the
poor crops in the Privateer section.
AS good crops Of corn and cotton as
L have seen We're way out in the
4
Gains mill two miles or more to the
nearest public road. where twenty
five years ago a representative citi-
zen said to the writer: We don't
need no better roads. they was good
nough for my father and they is
good 'nough for me. My mule kin
pull five sacks of guano from Sumter,
and that is much as any mule ought
to pull"
Today by that very mans house is
a rural mail route. The better roads
have not penetrated that section yet,
but daily that community feels the
throb of the worlds great heart in the
tiny mail route that is taking the
news to its remotest corner. And not
far away is the telephone in the
homes of the more progressive of its
citizens. Then the splendid school
building on the grounds OF the old
church that has been the center Of its
religious lie for more than a CEN
tury, the good crops on lands suppos-
ed 10 be worthless up to recent years.
the numbers of tenant farmers who
are buying their farms. are indica-
tions that an awakening has. taken
place, and it will not be long before
good roads will ramify throughout
that section.
in connection. with the Bethel school
is the latest Improvement on foot
Now something about the meetings
at these various points: The one at
Bishopville was a one-day institute
Owing to the balkiness of "a hand
some automobile. | was not able to
reach the grounds until the institute
was SO near over that the last SPEAK
er was nearly through. There were
a thousand to fifteen hundred people
there, not more than a hundred Or
two paying any attention II the speak
er. After dinner when | was irtroduc-
ed betv eeH 100 ari 200 listened velv
attentiNelJ the lest We're worn out.
and amused themselves in groups al.
over the gr> nG;. rh.S Is not a criti j.
cisn. Of this particular NEE ing. tpr
all big one-day institutes are alike III
this respect. 1t is such strain on
the speaker To make himself heard
and on the people 10 hear AT a biz
open air meeting that neither the
speaker or the audience get any sat
iSfaction out Of it,
* 4
our remarks and those of Gov.
Mcleod We're To show what can lie
accomplished by cooperation. He in
the interest of a live Board of Trade
and for a live Farmers Union. Both
of us for the heartiest co-operation
between these two bodies. could
not help contrasting his membership
fees. which he spoke of as being Very
moderate, $3.50 per quarter; $500
semi-annual. or $1,000 annual in ad-