The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1914-09-16
MUST REDUCE ACREAGE
THIS is AS IMPORTANT AS bold
ING COTTON NOW.

The Legislature of Texas Now in
Special Session Is Expected to Lead
the Way for Entire South.
Cooperation among the farmers in
reducing the cotton acreage in 1915
was Saturday described by Commis-
sioner E. J. Watson, Of the State de-
partment OF agriculture, as equal in
importance with the effort to provide
menans of holding the crop of 1914
from the market.
The situation the cotton producers
are now facing, as result of the
failure of the market throught the
European war, was described as yet
grave though indications of a sue
cessful termination of the efforts to
save the crop are more promising.
The announcement from Washing
ton to the plans for the immediate
establishment of the reserve banking
system was the chief cause for opti-
mism yesterday. With this system il
operation by October l, leader in this
proposed system is described as tl''
solution of the problem of saving :ne
crop.
Asked OF the possibility Of the pro.
posed law restricting the cotton &C,
rea ge in 1915 being declared uncon.
stitutional by supreme courts of this
and other States, leaders in the effor'
to save the cotton crop told that, in
this event, their energies must be di-
rected toward securing complete CO.
operation among the farmers. The
planting Of FIVE acres in cotton in this
State to the mules has been suggest
ed.
Commissioner Watson maintained
yesterday his contention that law
restricting in 1915 the cotton acreage
of this state would be constitutional.
He bases his belief, he stated, upon
opinions of the state supreme court
and certain laws of this state, which
he is having complied to forward
Monday to Governor Colquit, OF Tex
as. The Commissioner believes that
such a law would be constitutional in
Texas. He pointed out that Cover
nor Coluuit had not investigated this
matter, but expressed only his per
sonal opinion in his telegram Friday
to the commissioner.
With the harvesting of the cotton
crop now we'll under way, the sltua-
ton, for which no solution has YET
been found, is becoming more grave
The leaders throughout the cotton
belt tell that only quick action will
have the effect toward which their
feforts during the past sir weeks have
been directed. Already this uncer'
tainty has resulted in hundreds o.
bales of cotton being placed upon the
market at ruinous prices. Governor
Colouitt, of Texas, says this uncer,
tainty is causing "a great and need
Hess sacrifice Of cotton by the farm
ers."
| AS the situation appears at present
Those well informed tell that the hope
for relief of the farmers must now
come principally through a fedora
warehouse measure, which will issue
upon stored cotton receipts that viii
be accepted as gilt-edge negotiable
security by the banks. Bankers
throughout the cotton belt general!
have expressed willingness to &C
cept these receipts as collateral fo'
loans, though they do not state upor
what basis the cotton will be valued
nor what percentage Of value tho
loans will be made. To some the
Valuation of cotton seems advise
Ible, while others declare that such ac
ton would be impracticable.
J Toward Texas the states OF thf
cotton belt now appear look TO,
leadership in the enactment of stats
cotton warehouse laws intended te
bring relief in the emergency. While
a strong fight upon certain feature:
of the proposed warehouse measure
is being made by the Texas Legis'
Ilature, in special session, it appear:
that favorable action will soon be tax
en-. Around the provision of the stat
ownership of the warehouses is be
ing centered the strongest opposition
by anti-administration members
whose principal contention is tina
politics will enter into the operation
Proponents of the state ownership
provision point out that receipt Is
!sued for stored cotton by warehous
of small capital in a remote towr
would not be regarded as security a.
good as if the state operated tn:
warehouse.
A state law legalizing the establish
ment by the state Of cotton ware
house system is regarded as unneces
sary by Commissioner Watson, who
claims that the federal warehouse Law
will sufficiently meet the needs i
this regard. The federal law, whicl
| the commissioner says will becom'
operative withing a short time. vii
make a farmers barn warehousf
when a license is secured.
Texas bankers appearing before tn
committee considering this bill vel
that they would prefer state owner,
ship of the warehouses. '''The ques-
ton of the responsibility. "The ques-
ton asking the loan would also en-
ter" regardless Of the ownership
the warehouse, a banker tod the