The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1913-08-08
COOPERATION, MARKETING
Theme of Special Conference
Held Yesterday Morning.
MEETING HELD IN COLUMBIA.
Marketing is Economic Distribu-
tion of the Products of All
the Industries.

the Industries.
E. w. Dabbs, president of the
State Farmers Union, presided over
the special conference on co-opera-
ton and marketing, held yesterday
morning in Columbia Mr.. Dabbs. in
opening the meeting, said:
Ladies and Gentlemen, Fellow Work
ers for the Common Good:
This conference is both an Ynspira-
tion and a prophecy. 1t was nothing
short of an inspiration when Profes-
sor Tate returning from the great
conference for education at Rich
mond, Va, conceived the idea and
asked several of us to join him in a
call for this meeting. Perhaps if /
had not attended the Richmond
meeting l might not have seen the
use of such meeting as this, for.
frankly. 1t has seemed to me that
there is tendency to multiply con-
ferences and increase machinery at
the expense of efficiency. 1t has been
said that 1T is the same old crowd
no new blood" but the workers
wearing themselves out to get up
more enthusiasm in their own ranks.
Increase Of machinery without in
crease of power until there is danger
of the power being only adequate to
run the machinery and none left for
the work. There is great deal of
truth in this, but after feeling the
electric thrill of elbow touch OF the
workers in so many lines of human
endeavor at Richmond, seeing by
actual experience the psychological
effect of such a meeting, I heartily
Joined Professor Tate and the other
gentlemen in issuing Il call for this
meeting.
This is not a multiplication Of ma
chinery, but a coordination of ma
chinery already at hand-an attempt
to prevent duplication of effort and
waste of energy by working at cross
purposes.
That II is a prophecy OF the good
things in the near future, this gath
ering splendidly attests. When men
and women leave their homes or
forego some OF the pleasures Of their
summer vacations to assemble in
common council in midsummer there
must be a real purpose in their
minds When men and women OF
all religious creeds meet as they are
doing in this conference to plan &
more vigorous campaign against the
forces of evil, and in the honor OF
our common Lord, to work for the
coming OF His kingdom here in Soutf
Carolina-when members Of all the
organizations, women's clubs, medi
cal bar. bank and mercantile asso
citation, federation- of labor and
farmers unions meet as we are do
ing here today-not in the spirit o
Cain. "Am I my brothers keeper?
but humbly assuming this responsi
.Sble relationship in the spirit of the
good Samaritan of whom our Master
said it was he who was "neighbor Il
the man who fell among thieves,
rather than the priest and the lie
ite-when obeyine the scriptual in
junction that every man must beal
his own burden, we accept and aC
upon the greater command, "BeaI
We one another's burdens and so full
fill the law of Christ"-we must bC
impressed with the nearness of the
coming OF the kingdom.
I wish to congratulate the people
of the state OF South Carolina upor
this great gathering Of its workinG
people, the people who do the thing.
absolutely necessary to our every da!
comfort-the people upon whom
rests the burden and heat OF the day
and without whose active support NJ
progressive movement can succeed
In conclusion, fellow citizens, do
not for a moment think that this
conference is to take the place o.
your church, your social, labor oI
business organize 'Nn. Instead 1t il
to make you more loyal to your owl
organization and to show you how
only by such loyalty can your organ
ization cooperate with the other or
ganizations OF your equally patriotic
fellow citizens.
We come to discuss at this hour
marketing. This great question ot
our economic life has been pushed
to the front by the Farmers Union
/ would be remiss in my duty to the
history OF this great order, were
the president of the South Carolina
division of the Farmers Educational
and Cooperative Union Of America
to fail to keep the record straight
At the same time I welcome every
other agency that is striving for a
right solution OF this question II
is bigger by far than the giving OF
a living wage and a fair profit to the
farmers of the land 1t means the
economic distribution OF the products
OF all the industries OF all the peo,
pie.