The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1913-07-12
the committee.

.. TX dl WHlCn d SCHeIne 10 increase
the consumption of cotton was 10 be
discussed
Was any action taken in regard
to sugar at that meeting?" asked
Senate Overman.
Il don't think so. There were some
letters written TO senators. / wrote
to Senators Bacon and Smith"
Smith testified that his expenses at
the New Orleans meeting were paid
by !. ID. Bowen, president of the Texas
branch of the union, and that Fresi-
dent Barrett of the national organiza-
ton was not present.
Smith said he heard many argu-
1 ments at the meeting Of the bad ef-
feet free sugar would have en- the cot
ton industry.
! L thought l was in the wrong
! place" said Mr.. Smith.
1T was more of a manufacturers
meeting than a farmers'?" suggested
Senator Overman.
! Yes, sir; so much so that made
speech about e." said Mr.. Smith.
Mr.. Smith oxplained later that he
telegraphed 10 Senator Bacon not 10
go into the Democratic caucus until il
was assured that a duty would be
put on meats and other farm pro-
ducts.
Mr.. Smith said when he got back
to Georgia he found he had been
mixed up with bad crowd" He
then learned, he said. that the meet
ing was really called to work against
free sugar.
His letters TO Senators Bacon and
Smith were requests that the farmers
interests be looked after.
II. H. Mobley Of Prairie Grove.
Ark, president of the state Farmers
union, said he was at the New Or
leans meeting. Bowen, who called
the meeting, he said. had been nam
ed chairman of a committee on the
/
ed by the national union at its last
annual meeting. He did not go to
New Orleans until the meeting was
over, he said, but he was told it had
been interesting
! He got general idea that "some
! quick work was to be done i'm tar
! III matters to boost cotton prices.
! He signed a telegram to the Arkansas
senators at Bowens dictation, asking
/ for hearing for Arkansas cotton in
terests.
! There is suspicion in my mind
that things were not just what they
ought to have been but don't know
much about it," said Mobley
I'm slow to make accusations"
said Mobley But 1 have come 90
know that at all our meetings, State
and national. we are surrounded by
men who want us to do something for
their interests.
Il feel, like Mr.. Smith, that there
was something wrong at New Or
leans"
You saw no suggestion that indi-
Gated bad faith on the part Of Bow
en?" asked Senator Cummins.
mo, SIR"
Mobley said he thought Bowen paid
the expenses of the meeting and that
he would be reimbursed by the Ma
tional Farmers Union.
/ William Whitman of Boston, former
president of the National Association
Of Wool Manufacturers, was the first
wool man present TO take the stand.
The output of the Abingdon mills, Of
which he is president, he put as be-
tween $4,000 and 500, 900 pounds OF
cotton yarn a week and it's capacity
at 400, 900 pounds of wool a week. He
said the wool mills had not been run
ming at capacity on account of poor
market conditions which he noticed
first in 1909. Conditions are worse
now, he said, than he had ever known
them 10 be. From 1894 to 1907 the
mills had run practically on full
time.
Whitman said he did not know just
how the association raised it's funds.
Senator Reed read from what pur-
ported to be bylaws of the associa-
ton, showing a method Of IevyinG as
sessments on wages paid mill hands.
He could not recollect about such
a system of assessments when he was
president and said that the bylaws
laid before the committee were adopt
ed after he quit office.
Chairman Overman announced that
the National Association of Manu-
facturers had requested him TO sub
poena former Senator Aldrich, former
Speaker Cannon and about 40 other
men once prominent i'm conRress and