The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1914-10-15
LET STATE BACK PEOPLE.
Voting Constitutional Amendment to
Increase Public Debt.

fectly and SympathlZe with the far-
merS who owe you, too. | do not
know what to suggest or how to
help our fellow citizens who are in
this predicament. Sad to say there
are very many of them in distress.
I am hoping that the legislature will
enact a law promptly providing for
a sensible warehouse scheme and
that the State will get behind its
own citizens with its credit, by vot-
ing a constitutional amendment to
increase the public debt for this pur-
pose. Possessing the power of tax
alton as it does there is absolutely
no reason why it should not do this.
Until South Carolina and other
Southern. States show their willing
ness to back their own people it is
idle to expect the national govern
ment to do it. l believe the State
supreme colrt would declare a prop
er warehouse law constitutional,
provided the people at the next elec-
ton vote to increase the public debt
for that purpose. The legislature
can act Immediately and as the elec-
ton comes off in November every
thing could be satisfactorily adjusted
in this way. South Carolina can thus
save its own citizens whether other
Southern States do or not. 1 doubt
very seriously, however. whether any
law looking: to the decrease of acre
age or forbiding the planting of any
cotton at all will stand the test OF
constitution ality. 1t is worth trying,
however.
l myself expect to SOW all the oats
can get in the ground and will
fertilize them we'll with cotton seed
meal and acid phosphate. two home
products. The land may wait for
potash until the Garmans are licked.
Luckily most of the land in this State
has enough potash in it already to
make one or two crops, for it is
mineral which does not leach out.
All the soils have a natural supply.
| believe the reduction of acreage
will settle itself without legislation,
simply because nobody is able or will
ing to advance money or supplies to
grow cotton at cents per pound. 1t
is like lifting ones self over fence
by his boot straps. -.
This European war has certainly
hit the South hard blow. We have
before seen cotton very low, but
everything else was low then, too.
Now everything We have to eat, es-
pecially meat and -four, is very high,
and the cost of growing cotton is
probably double what it was in 1890.
l see no reason why the National
Government does not hasten gettinf
the national reserve baks in condi-
tion to begin operation. We have
heard for a long while that the ma
chinary would begin to move on
October /. The National Govern
ment could recognize warehouse re-
ceipts as good collateral, and l be-
belive it will do so, provided the
States first take sensible action in
regard to this matter. 1 do not think
Uncle Sam will, or ought, to be ex-
pected to come to our help until we
have exhausted all of our own re-
sources and have done those things
which are necessary. There never
was time when the old adage, God
helps those who helps themselves" -
was more applicable and had more
truth. If the people of the State de-
mand a sensible and practicable law,
the Legislature will eact it, and the
Governor will sign it, too.
Our home banks, if they would
only cease being greedy hogs and do
their duty towards the people, could
get us all out Of the wilderness. 1t
is preposterous and criminal for
those banks to draw money from the
United States Government at 3 per
cent interest Ito assist the farmers
in marketing their cotton crop and
then give it to merchants and manu-
facturers, and then if some few
farmers are fortunate enough to be
able to put up the proper collateral
charge them 6 per cent. and per
cent. Secretary McAdoo has the
machinery already started in mo-
tion to print all the paper money
necessary and will issue to the banks
on proper collateral. Congress has al
ready discharged its duty far better
than our State Legislatures. In fact
the President and Secretary of the
Treasury dare not do more than they
have already proposed to do.
There are certain things the Ma
tional Government can do and ought
to do, but as usual there are dema-