The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1912-06-26
Some Random Thoughts.

fu recent trips to Mount Zion in
Lee county. Sardinia i'm Clarendon
county. and Dillon. crossing parts Of
Clarendon. Sumter. Lee, Florence.
Marion. and Dillon counties, the in
creased acreage in corn Is a crafty
tng teature. The fields of either corn
cotton or tobacco that can be seen in
q trip of about 100 miles across the
counties named. that are. good, or up
To the average for this time of the
year. can be counted on the fingers
of both hands. At the same time the
proportion of grassy crops seems to
be steadily decreasing.
..
AssUther commendable feature Of
this years farming Is the diversified
tion to be seen on so many roads
Large fields OF canteloupes along the
railroads; fields of young corn. where
snap beans have been market
ed. and still others show that this
section Is not absolutely dependent
on cotton for money this year.
In last weeks Item the statement
~as made What a difference there
would be In the condition of the
banks of an average county in South
Carolina IL two hundred and fifty
thouhnd dollare had been added to
che rstrns of the cotton crop, by
rdicious' marketing. III to that could
be added another two hundred and
nifty tholsand dollars from the sale
or vegetables and truck we would
won bc i'm the position of being able
To supply to- the banks the $500. 600
they may need to finance distressed
cotton.
In addition to the financial indie
pendence of the individual farmers
see what mighty force such sys-
tenn of farming would be in securing
our great export crop-cot,on. Ten
Sr twelve years ago i'm a convention
I'm the old courthouse the writer was
called tO order while trying to out
line such system by the statement;
MIR. Chairman. we did not come here
to hear about good farming. but TO
raise the price of cotton" There are
still some who hold That ne must not
bother with such things. but contine
our efforts e. marketing cotton. and
10 all such the same answer is as APP
plicabic today as then: If this j. not
In the line of practical control ot the
cotton crop and will raise its price.
de- not know anything about the
subject"
NJ Dillon found that the banks had
not yet given any consideration To
the matter IF securing money To hold
~tton. one prominent farmer and
inancicr wanted 20 discrcdit the
ability Of the sumter banks To do
what they had promised us To do
He wanted a big warehouse and like
mary others. wanted some one. some
where. somehow T. come L" his as
sistancc. I frankly told him ii he
wan cd a big warehouse TO gO and
build one. but not I" ny To- prevent
the people from building small ones
wherever they could; and that with
the evidences of wealth ON every side
al Dillon. they did not need outside
assistance 20 build Warehouses or To
hold cotton. but should bc setting an
example To- other sections Of the state;
and that II their big farmers and
ihcir bankers did not take care of
their cotton nobody else would do IL
for thcm. II is there like il is every
whore else. the his farmers think they
can ignore the small ftrmcrs. hut
they will continue to find that just
as last yctr. when their 800 illc
farmer wus Dl'solu,c,y as helpless us
'hcir ou'.hulc farmer To- -, nm TN,