The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1914-11-13
PARKER WILL RETAIN
HEAD COTTON MILLS
Will Not Sever His Connec-
ton With Mill Merger
Retires For Recuperation
Work Too Strenuous
For One Man.

The following is from the Green
vile Piedmont of Tuesday:
lhe retirement of Lewis w. Parker
as president of the Parked Cotton
mlliS and the appointment of Melville
I. Branch to succeed him does not
mean that he will entirely divest him
sell OF ms active connection with the
corporation bearing his name, but.
according to his own statement. will
retain hlS holdings in the mills and
VIII continue to act on the board of
directors. Mr. Parker returned to
Greenville Monday from New York.
where he had been in attendance up-
on meeting of officials of the mills
and where he rendered his resipna-
tion. With him was Alex Macbeth,
VINO resigned as treasurer William
T.. Beattle, who was appointed as Fir.
Macoeth'S successor, is not expected
TO return before Tuesday. according
to latest advices from him
AT his offices today in the Masonic
Temple, a host of friends greeted Mr..
Parker and a pleasant expectancy
was realized when he assured his call
ers that he would not sever his CON
nectlon with the interests of the cor
pofatlon. 10 reporter he confirmed
as practically correct, the "story" car
ried in the New York Commercial
Journal in which he is quoted as say
ing That he found the burden of at
tending the financial and manu-
featuring duties of the largest group
of cotton mills in the South too much
for one man to handle"
The Journal of Commerce and Com
merclal Bulletin Saturday offered the
following comments on the retirement
of Mr.. Parker:
Retirement Not Permanent.
News OF the retirement of Lewis w.
Parker from the management of the
Parker Cotton mills company was
very much talked about in the cotton
goods markets yesterday. 1t appears
that his health has been impaired by
the strain of the past few months,
and If his voluntary retirement from
active work had not come his friends
are of the opinion that he would have
completely broken down. AS soon as
prolonged rest, but it will be some
me-before he can entirely divest
himself of his active connection with
the corporation bearing him name. In
deed, several of his friends in the
market are of the opinion that his
retirement from active business with
the corporation is not permanent, but
Will last until reorganization of the
duties of managing the concern has
been brought about.
1t has been contended for years by
experienced cotton manufacturers
that no single man is able to handle
alone the onerous duties attaching to
the financial and manufacturing man
agement of 20 cotton mills making
different products. That Mr.. Parker
has been an interchangeable worker has
been we'll known, and that he has ac-
complShed so much has been regard
ed as marvellous by those who have
been IN closest touch with his enter
prises. Had he allowed a tinancier
to handle the financial end of the
corporations affairs and given his
whole attention to the perfccting Oh
the manufacturing organization. in
cooperation with his selling agencies,
1t IS declared by his friends thai ne
could have carried the burden Of Ger
porate coordination of segregated
plants to successful issue.
The methods of financing the big
enterprise necessitatc the floating of
individual mill paper.
and constant watching of this phase
OF the business is in itself a most trv
ing occupation and really requires the
attention of skilful financier. In
ordinary financial periods the bust
ness can readily be handled in CON
junction with the manufacturing end.
the manufacturers say, but in such
times as the past four months either
one end or the other must be neglect
ed If human endurance is to continue.
Political Activities
1t was quite natural to hear many
comments in the market to the effect
that Mr.. Parker's political acticities
In conjunction with tariff matters for
the American Cotton Manufacturers
association impaired his usefulness as
a borrower for his cotton mill enter
prises. But it was learned from the
most reliable sources that the mills
have very rarely been borrowers in
unfriendly quarters where tariff views
might injure them, so that all com
ment on that score was idle. None of
the four commission houses through
which sales of goods have been made
has been at all conspicuous in mixing
up business with politics, and Mr..
Parker has been too Shrewd a busi-
ness man to compromise the interests
of stockholders bv leaning upon those
who might prove unfriendlv in bust
ness for political reasons.