The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1914-12-24
A Bright Day Ahead.

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To the Editor of the News and
Courier: Augustus Caesar
had combed his hair for death and
was told by his attendants that his
deeds in the flesh had been worthy
and sincere, he demanded their ar-
plause. Now, the "demagosues."
"gas bags" and "obstr,lctionists,'
who wrote and talked against the
recent extra session of the legisla-
ture, against big bond issues, against
total cotton elimination or even le-
galized reduction of acreage, neither
ask nor expect any applause, but
they will be forgiven for indulging
in a little self-congratulation over
the final outcome. Alex Stephens
once thanked the good Lord for
demagogue who could keep a straight
backbone in the face Of strong OPP
position and refuse to eat dir; rather
than stultify himself. That extra
session did nothing but put another
hundred thousand dollar burden up
on our already stopped shoulders
from heavy taxation, Dat ! do not
think it deserves the universal crit
icism still being heaped upon it. 1t
was trying to do the impossible at
what was thought to be the behest OF
a large majority of the rural constit-
uents. We should offer prayers of
thanksgiving that the damage was
not greater.
That whole panicky situation
taught some valuable lessons and
furnished strong deductions to any
tyro with a philosophical turn OF
mind 1t suggested the harm that
might result from a stampede, II un-
strained. Think of what might have
happened had that vicious scheme
of total elimination of cotton been
enacted and a serious effort made
to enforce it. Reflect on the per-,
nicious damage that would have re-
suited to the small farmer with his
wife and children as his only labor
and almost totally dependent on cot
ton. Our leading farmers, doubtless,
meant we'll in demanding this extra
session and they meant to play the
Moses act by leading Uncle Reuben
out of the agricultural wilderness,
but it was a great blunder as we al
see now. The newspapers did a wise
thing in fighting that utterly pattern
alistic and foolish bond issue, which
would have helped the farmer very
little and saddled heavy debt upon
the State for generations.
After all the smoke of this battle
has cleared away what is the result,
so far as Calhoun county is concern
ed? With her big crop at present
prices and what she has saved in
economy. she will start into the new
year about as we'll as she would have
done with ten cent prices, and what
she would have frittered away in
useless luxuries. The corn crop
was fine. People are spend
ing very little foolishly, and with av-
erage crops another year this coun-
try will be on a better basis than for
a long time.
It is true that ours is cotton
! State. 1t is the womb, the cradle
and the school of cotton, and it will
be so in spite of legal methods, boil
weevils, low prices and all other
evils. but we should not take ad-
vantage of the situation to our own
detriment. Supply and demand is
the only thing that regulates prices,
and the demand is shy now, and nat
urally so, with half the world at war.
For this reason there should be a
stronger and more aggressive cru
SADIE in every county for the plant
ing of more grain ano loousluhs.
Up to the present this feature is not
sufficiently noticeable. The public
laws no stress upon recent legal en-
actments, but every farmer should
see the wisdom of cutting down cot
ton for the present and urging even
his tenants to follow suit.
We all deplore the brutal war
across the ocean, but with a little
prudence and common sense
methods over the cotton belt, there
is brighter day for the South than
ever before in the near future.
T. H. DREHER.
Ct Matthew's s. c.. November 30