The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1914-11-25
GRAIN CAMPAIGN
HALTS FOR WEEK
Continued from Page One.)

(COntlnued from Page One.)
III a Kind OF comatose condition, while
the time for putting In grain is pass
ing with every hour. Bankers and
merchants here and there just seem to
be waiting and in an uncertain frame
OF mind.
Il am deeply disappointed and
greatly surprised to find that the
amount OF grain actually planted to
date and the acreage prepared for
grain is nero bagatello compared
to what 1t ought to be. Undoubtedly,
without any agitation, there will be
moro grain planted than ever before,
but that is saying very little. The
tour Of the Piedmont was particular
ly disappointing to every one in the
party. No real start has yet been
made there as 4 rule. The opportu-
nifty does not seem to be understood,
and cotton seems to be the shattered
backbone OF the agriculture there.
Laurens county appears to have more
grain actually sown and UP and more
land prepared for grain than any
county we have visited. There is
more evidence OF activity from Colum-
bia up to Laurcns than in any other
section, though Sumter county is get
ting busy.
"HOpelcssly Passive"
The people, except in certain To-
calities-and this refers to all classes,
seem so hopclcssy passive under the
blow dealt to cotton by the war that
they don't even come out to the mrct-
ines as they ought to. don't know
To What extent We are going to he able
10 rouse them from this pdssivl.y.
The pity Of it Is that their opportu-
n:ty 70 i2tr.cvc :neir losses is 80 .lst
slipping away. We have learned
much of conditions in the State. 1t is
manifest that the greatest profit in the
Piedmont country is from the planting
OF wheat on the stiff red clay lands
and from oats on the sand soils. The
same thing is true of the lower coun-
ties, wheat, being planted on the best
lands and oats on the other. Very little
Is known as to preparation of soil and
as TO the planting Of wheat in many
sections, and the idea that wheat and
grain are now and will be money crops
has not even occurred to banker. sup
ply merchant or farmer dyed in the
cotton as they are.
While what I've said may seem
pessimistic, ! want to say | am still
an optimist, for can not believe that
our bankers and merchants, If they
ever hope to get what owing them
now, and the farmers If they ever cx-
pect to get out Of this mess we arc
in now, will be so blind that they
can not see whittier the planting Of
cotton, costing II cents pound to
raise it, to be sold at from to Z cents
in 1915, will land them, while, with
grain, for which there is the greatest
demand the world has ever known,
they can produce a crop Of real profit,
almost without fertilizer, at the
lowest expenditure for cultivation and
labor, harvest 1t months earlier than
anybody else can do 1t, and find a
ready market both at home and
abroad.
"Tf We do the right thing now
plant grain, put in hogs and poultry
and winter gardcns-and do 1t in time,
the cotton We have now on hand, not
yet sacrificed, may yet be saved; We
will build up new well balanced ag-
riculture protecting us against all dis
asters to one crop and by the midd
Of 1915 recover our financial oquilib-
rum and perhaps be better off than
ever before. 1t is our mission on the
campaign to explain to the people
the why's, the wherefores and the
hows. 1t is an uphill job, but we are
on the job and we are going to stick
to it and do our part"
We charged you goods at time of
your nced-we ask you to pay us now
Uhon va mood IT