The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1912-02-21
ROCK Hill Plan WORKS
WATSON SAYS COTTON ACREAGE
WILL BE REDUCED.
Commissioner of Agriculture Returns
From Trip Through Cotton Belt
and Tells of Situation.

I
From Trip Through Cotton Belt
and Tells of Situation.
Much interest was aroused and
results will be secured said COM
missioner Watson, upon his return
to Columbia Monday after trip
through the cotton States in the in
tcrest OF the Rock Hill plan for re-
| duction of cotton acreage. He was
accompanied on the trip by John 6.
Anderson of Rock Hill. the originator
of the plan.
Commissioner Watson said that
throughout the cotton belt States Mr..
Anderson and himself had been most
cordially welcomed, and that the
Rock Hill plan had been started on
it's way to real effectiveness. In
North Carolina, Georgia, Alabama,
Mississippi. Arkansas and Oklahoma
the State superintendent had been
| appointed and no time was to be lost
in getting the counties fully organ
lied and actively at work. In Geor-
Sia the Atlanta chamber of commerce
| cotton committee has undertaken to
| finance the operations Of the State
superintendent Office. In Little
Rock the cotton exchange has under
taken to do the same thing
In none of these States did there
appear to be the slightest indication
10 hang back, but a remarkable de-
cree Of enthusiasm was manifested.
No particular effort was made to or
ranize the State of Louisiana, though
fherc was an excellent meeting at
Baton Rouge Louisiana's acreage
has already been much cut by the
boil weevil and from other causes
and therefore, even there an in
crease in that State, the total crop
is so small that it would make but
little difference. The tour concluded
at New Orleans on Saturday night,
and Mr.. Watson and Mr.. Anderson
left New Orleans early Sunday morn
ing. the former coming straight
through to Columbia and arriving
yesterday afternoon. Mr.. Anderson
stopped off at Atlanta to spend a
day or two with relatives.
The commissioner expressed him
self as agreeably surprised and high
| ly gratifed at the hearty and earnest
cooperation given by officials of the
several States and the bodies repre-
sentirg the banking and business in
terests. All agreed that the acreage
in cotton for the 1912 crop must be
reduced as first and foremost con-
sideration to any step that might
hereafter be determined upon in re-
gard to the marketing and handling
of the crop of 1912 at a fair price
to the producer. Every interest is
now thoroughly aroused to the ne
cessitv for quick action in view OF
the nearness of the planting season,
and in the opinion Of Mr.. Watson
there will be no undue delays in the
application of business methods IN
accordance with the Rock Hill plan
10 absolutely assure reduction. BUS
mess throughout the belt has felt the
effect of the low price of cotton this
season and is in the humor to fully
cooperate" said Commissioner Wat
SOD
While on the tour these gentle
men encountered the rise in the price
Of cotton. MI. Watson said neither
Mr.. Anderson or himself cared to dis
cUss the causes. The rise, however,
had had no retarding effect upon
their mission, nor will it have in their
opinion on the prosecution Of the
work to be done under the execution
o. the Rock Hill plan.
Texas was not visited because it
was rot believed necessary, Gov. Col
cuitt. who is a worker himself, hav-
ing given iull assurance that that
State will show substantial reduc-
ton and that he was looking after
the matter himself. "Yet the bears
are proclaiming that there will be
no reduction in Texas said the com
missioner.
Mr.. Watson, speaking for himself
ard Mr.. Anderson, said they both felt
that their quick tour and the efforts
tney had put forth would bring far
reaching results so far as the price
OF cotton next season and the pros
perity of The South are concerned.
and that those were the two main
| points to be considered. They feel
also that there is better under
standing is making for more COM
piete cooperation Of cotton producers
everywhere henceforth in any and all
things affecting the business like
marketing and handling of the
south's greatest monopoly crop.
FOLK FORCES SUPPORT CLARK.