Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1914-09-18
SUMTER DEMANDS FEDERAL AID
Speakers Think President Does not
Realize Southern Conditions.

Speakers Think President Docs nor
Realize Southern Conditions.
An enthusiastic and largely at
tended meeting Of the Sumter coun-
ty division of the Southern Cotton
congress was held at Sumter, on
Saturday, in the court house. Be-
tween $50 and 400 farmers attended,
of whom about fifty were negroes.
There were bankers, farmers. mer-
chants. manufacturers. doctors, law
yers and other callings represented.
A feature of the meeting was the
several adverse and somewhat harsh
criticisms of President Woodrow Will
son and his cabinet together with
some heavy licks struck at the South
Carolina and other representatives of
southern states for Indifference to-
wards the dire needs of the southern
farmers in the present crisis.
President E. W. Dabbs of the South
Carolina Farmers Union, introduced
a resolution to show President Will
son just what the conditions existing
that he doesn't think President Wilson
and his administration really realize
the extent Of the disaster confronting
the farmers of the south.
Mr.. Dabbs did not think that any
assistance amounting to anything
need be expected from the Wilson
administration unless the thousands
Of farmers and others will unite to
show the administration just what
the disastrous conditions are and
will be worse unless national help is
extended. Sending committees to
Washington do no good. The secre-
tary Of the treasury and other Off
cials offer very little hope when it
comes to helping the southern farm
ers.
State Senator John H. Clifton en-
dorsed what Mr.. Dabbs expressed and
said the southern farmers and states
are not getting a square deal" from
the administration in Washington.
That the South Carolina and other
southern representatives are taking
things easy on their $500 a year
salaries, and prequisites, and imag-
ined that all the rest Of the world
was correspondingly prosperous and
happy. That every time legislation was
asked for the farmer these south
ern representatives see something
unconstitutional about it, but just let
a disaster happen in another section
of the country and momentary relief
is offered
Judging from the frequent applause
greeting the two speakers the senti-
ment Of large portion of the audi
ence was for the present "anti-ad-
ministration."
I. C. Strauss, a Sumter attorney
and banker, addressed the meeting at
length showing the manner in which
the Sumter banks are handicapped by
lack Of funds to help the farmers
more than they are doing.
r. B. Belser explained at length
the Importance Of crop diversified
ton.
The following resolution Of Cover
nor-elect r. I. Manning was unani-
mously and enthusiastically adopted by
reclamation:
Resolved, by the farmers Of Sum-
ter county in convention assembled,
that we most respectfully demand OF
the administration in Washington to
establish regional banks as provided
for by recent acts of congress al
once, so that currency based upon
warehouse receipts for cotton can be
issued as soon as possible"
The following resolution by Mr.
Dabbs was adopted:
Whereas, there is no prospect OF
any direct assistance from the treas
ury department unless the admins
| tration can be made to see the gravi-
ty Of the situation, the want and
pinching poverty that stare us in the
face, the shock to the business of the
| nation, the peril to our very civiliZa-
| tion from tramps and vagrants thai
will multiply as conditions grow
| worse, and many other evils not nee.
essary to mention here;
Therefore, be it resolved, Thai
we do call upon all of our people tc
take time to write letter describing
how fearful are the prospects star.
ing them in the face, and to mai
such letters to President Wilson
Secretary McAdoo, Secretary Hous-
ton, and others, members of con-
gress, and friends in the north that
they may see how dire our immedi.