The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1913-09-30
CONFERENCE FOR
THE COMMON GOOD
An Enthusiastic Preliminary
Meeting Held Saturday.
MET IN COURT HOUSE.
County Organization Perfected
General Conference to be Held
on Tuesday, November %.

The preliminary Conference for
the Common Good Of Lancaster coun-
ty met at the court house Saturday,
September 27, at 10 o'clock. A
large representative gathering was
this meeting called to arrange for
another regular conference to be held
at later date. Rev. II. r. Murchi-
son, member of the state executive
committee, who in furtherance of the
work of the state conference held in
columbia in August, had called this
county conference, presided. He out
lined the meaning of this movement,
showing that 1t was designed in or
der that the strong might help the
weak, that the individual might help
the community. We have come to
place, he said, where there must be
a thoughtfulness for the masses of
the people in order that they may be
enabled to enjoy the blessings which
are showered on this age. Our peo-
pie must learn to put more thought
into their business whatever it is to
make it more productive. The work
ing man puts out a prodigious
amount Of labor, working from sun
to sun and unless he puts thought
into that work and does it intelli.
gently he will get very poor results
whereas for the same amount of
work should be made twice as pro-
ductive. We must all put more
thought into our living. New Eng
land, said Mr.. Murchison, where the
soil is not so fertile as in South Caro-
lima, those who cultivate land get
more returns because they put more
thought into their business and Gv-
ing. We can point to specific exam
pies in our own state where men have
succeeded on the farm and elsewhere
and have grown wealthy because they
have done their work intelligently
and we'll. In school, in church and
in our industries as well as in farm
ing, we have wasted our muscle
where we needed only more thought
The chairman continued his re-
marks, giving a few of his ideas and
plans for the conference. He sug-
gested that one speaker might give a
brief history of the county, which
would be OF interest to the young;
that another, might tell something Of
the geography of Lancaster county,
telling how big 1t is, how much land
is In cultivation, etc, that some one
might report on the progress of edu-
cation, how many schools there are
In the county. where they are and
how many children are enrolled; an
other might tell of health conditions
and some one we'll informed,
might explain our county gov
eminent telling us our powers
and privileges. He suggested that
we, get some government expert to
tell the farmers how to raise better
live stock. Then the civic works of
the women should not be overlooked.
They might be told of what progress
sive women are doing elsewhere to
make more beautiful and healthful
tho mi unftfnc In which fhnU live
He cited the examples of Anderson
and Bishopville, telling what the
civic leagues had accomplished in
these places.
Mr.. Murchison explained that the
gathering was non-partisan rather
than non-political, as 1t has frequent
ly oeen called. The Conference for
the Common Good does and will ad-
vocate measures which aertain
to the betterment of town,
county and state, but will take
the part of no man for ad-
vancing his personal ambitions for
Office. Every man is politician or
should be, in the sense that he is in
terested in all that pertains to town,
county and state. THANK God"
said the speaker fervently, for the
politician who loves his country, his
state and his community and who
takes an interest in all that concerns
the people"
The chairman spoke of how the
Conference for the Common Good
offered help in making country life
more attractive, as we'll as more
healthful and emphasized the impor-
tance of cooperation. He referred
to the pressing need OF remotest sec
tions, into those places where the
need is greatest and then work for
better schools and churches and
more cooperative work, showing that
an inspiration to these people II
would be to see something prospering
before their very eyes.
At the close OF his interesting ex-
planatory remarks, Mr.. Murchison
called upon a number OF those pres
ent, asking them to express their
ideas of the movement. Mr.. w. c.
Thomson spoke of being heartily in
favor of the movement and promised
to throw the weight of his Influence
into 1t. He deploTed the absence OF
thought in the actions of men. H5
spoke particularly of how the pub
lie health was not properly safe
guarded, citing how he had once
been invited to drink from an opeI
water bucket in the back of a Grup
store, out OF rusty tin dipper
Various prescriptions were filed In
that room and even poisonous sub
stances like Paris green were handled