The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1913-06-25

COMMISSIONERS WATSON PRO.
JECTs AN IMPORTANT
WORK.
He Plans for the Immediate Estab-
iishment of Clearing House for
Accurate Information for Farmers
and Other Producers Who Have
Something To Sell and are Not I'm
Touch With Markets.

creating the State Department of Ag-
riculture. Commissioner Watson an
nounced yesterday that he had decid-
ed To establish as soon as possible a
bureau OF marketing. which will be a
clearing house for accurate informa-
ton for the use of those citizens of
the State who have produced some-
thing to sell and merchants and in
dividuals who want the products.
Every agency making for the cause
OF agriculture i'm this State, and work
Ing for the betterment OF the condi-
tion OF our people has all that 1t can
do. In this department. with the new
divisions recently established. We
have before us work the value of
which cannot be estimated" said
Commissioners Watson yesterday.
But" he added. nearly all OF these
lines OF work have. up to this time,
been directed to increased production,
more intelligent and profitable ham
ding Of the soil, and to the educa-
lion OF the people, looking to better
sprofits and better living. have
spreached and proclaimed I'm every
nook and corner of the State for years
The doctrine OF raising something to
eat at home and living at home in
stead OF out OF tin cans and sacks
shipped into the State from every.
quarter of the nation. and there has
been some little awakening, but as
Yet the surface Is merely touched.
We haven't stopped with telling the
people the truth about their uneco-
nomic method of living. but we have
been enforcing the restrictive laws
IA 10 animal feeds. human foods, ETC..
so vigorously as To bring home to
them the fooiishness and wasteful
ness OF buying inferior products that
they can raise at home and In many
Instances so as to prevent them from
getting the class OF goods that -
pAimed of on them from out Of che
State points.
4f'if we are to save millions of dol
iars wasted in this way, we've got
TO get down to business. We have
been hearing no end OF theoretical
discussions on the subject OF market
Ing. but nowhere in the South have
i seen any practical working plan
Tor barter and exchange of home-
raised and manufactured products de-
vfsed and put into operation. As
have said the men in this department
have about all that they can do, but
this problem is one OF such supreme
Importance. measurable In losses run
ming annually into the millions of dol
lars. that have determined under
the general authority given this de-
partment to establish as quickly as IL
can be done u bureau OF marketing
which shall be n clearing house for
those citizens of the State who have
raised and produced something TO
sell and those local and other mer-
chants and individuals who want
those very products. fresh and pure,
bnt who have no means of knowing
where they can be purchased save
from those who handle only products
shipped In from somewhere else.
For instance" said Mr.. Watson.
here In "a letter that came To nv
desk this morning from "a citizen OF
Marlboro county:
Can you advise me where can
purchase two or three bushels of
wheat for milling purposes? We arc
fond Of the whole wheat and want
II Tor my own use.'
Every day the mail brings inoui
ries OF this class. This man wants
home raised pure flour instead of
bleachcd or some other kind of flour
manufactured In the West and shipped
In put up ~ IA fancy labeled sack:
over In Lexington and In Newberry
as line wheat as was ever converted
into Hour IN being raised in such
This Kind. and this money can be kept
Nv nome and there need be no heavy
marketing and trade profits ami
freight charges for the consumer To-
pay-not To mention the consumer
doctors bills.
And so 1t Is with all kinds or
products Of the farm \ farmer who
has larR, supply of fine oats to
sell has no means Of knowing who
wants To buy oats. ana the latter or
ders In several carloads of sulphurct
ted oats Of doubtful quality. all the
way from Texas. A dairy In Union can
furnish fine market cream and butter
but can't find "a market, the ice cream
establishment In Columbia or Char
lesion may want the cream. and not
knowing where 10 find it substitutre