Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1914-09-30
"A, sOUTH CAROLINA, WEDNESDAY, sEPT. so, 1o14.
TWO BILLS THEY WILL OFFER.
McLauIin and Stevenson Have
Agreed on Two Measures.

Ing LOT an emergency warehouse SyS-
TEN for storing cotton and State
valuation of cotton warehouse re-
Ceipts, prohibiting the planting Of
more than eight acres of cotton to
the plow in 1915, and a bill to sub
nit to the people at the coming gen
eral election a proposed bond issue
Of 81 100000 to place the State on
cash basis and complete the State
asylum, have been prepared and will
be introduced simultaneously in the
House and Senate when the General
Assembly meets on Tuesday of next
week in extraordinary session, to
consider means for relieving the
crisis now facing the State through
the closing OF the European cotton
market.
These bills were agreed on and
drawn up Senator John l.. Mcl.aurin.
of Marlboro, and Representative w.
f. Stevenson, Of Chesterfield, who
will introduce them in their respect
i've Houses. Mr.. Stevenson met Mr..
McLaurin in conference at the lat
ter's plantation in Marlboro county,
where the bills were put in shape,
and are now ready for introduction.
At that conference the only other
person was w. d. Grist, editor of the
Yorkville Enquirer.
The warehouse bill is an emer-
gency measure and provides for the
State to take over such warehouses as
the commission thinks feasible for
the purpose Of storing cotton. The
commission to handle the measure
under the bill will consist of the Gov
ernor, Commissioner Of Agriculture
and third member, to be elected by
the Legislature. Fifty thousand dol
lars is to be appropriated to put the
measure into effect Immediately. The
State is to validate all warehouse re-
ceipts and act as the agent for the
individual grower to get a loan on
this cotton. To this end the authors
point the way to the introduction of
a banking bill, the establishment Of
a central bank, under the national
banking act, by the State, which
would negotiate the loans for the In
dividual growers of cotton on the
auarehonse reeei ipts, the money tos he
gotten directly from the government
treasury and lent to the farmer at as
cheap a rate as possible, little to be
charged for commissions, which would
go towards the expenses of the bank.
State bank-a measure which is now
being debated by the Texas Legisla-
ture for that State. The warehouse
receip; is 70 carry the absolute title
to the cotton, and means have been
devised to this end in the bill with
out danger to liens which may exist
on the cotton.
The acreage reduction bill would
,Nln
80 per cent OF that of 1914, and is
based on the amount of stock used
in cultivating the present crop. 1t
would allow maximum Of eight
acres of cotton to the mule. Heavy
penalties are attached to any excess,
which is made a criminal offense
punished by fine of $25 for every
acre over eight planted, or imprison-
ment at hard labor. In case of
dispute as to the acreage a survey is
to be made by the Clerk Of Court.
The constitutional amendment for
81 100000 bond issue at per cent
to place the State on a cash basis and
complete the asylum, is the idea Of
Representative Stevenson. 1t is sug-
gested that funds arising therefrom
could be used temporarily to finance
the warehouse measure and then be
replaced. 1t is also suggested that
such bond money could be used for
possible extension Of the payment
Of taxes.
The idea Of the authors Of these
measures is emergency legislation
which, they believe. will enable the
State to borrow money direct from
the Federal government through
State bank to be established by SUP
elemental legislation, and loan 1t di-
rect to the cotton producers at a low
rate OF interest. They would have
the measures to go into effect imme-
diately, so as to afford instant relief
and save the situation now threaten
ing the South.
Senator McLaurin left tonight for
New Orleans to attend the general
cotton conference. He will be ioined
there by Representative Stevenson,
and they, with DR.. Wade II. Stack
house, the president of the State Cot
ton Congress, will go to Austin,
Texas, to urge on Governor Coluuitt
and the Texas Legislature the passage
of a bill reducing cotton acreage in
that State next year at least so per
cent.
Meeting for Keowee District.
TO the Patrons of Keowee Graded