The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1914-10-13
TILLMAN SAYS LET
STATE BACK PEOPLE
VOTING CONSTITUTIONAL AMEND
MENT TO INCREASE PUBLIC DEBT
FayOrs a Warehouse Law-Belieyes
Supreme Court Would Declare
Proper Act Constitutional.
News and Courier.

News and courier
The News and Courier mas received
a copy of the Following letter from
Senator B. R. Tillman, W2ich will
prove no doubt interesting reading
matter just at this time:
Trenton, S. c., Oct. 9, 1914.
Mr.. J. T. Collins, Chester, S. C.
+ Nv Dear Sir: Yours of October D
received. l realize your condition per-
fectly and sympathize with the '-ar-
mers WHO owe you, too. l do not
know what to suggest or how to help
our fellow citizens who are in this
predicament Sad to say there are
very many O: them in distress. | am
hoping tat tle legislature will enact
law promptly providing for SEN
s5ble warehouse scheme and that tie
State will get behind its own citizens
with its credit by voting a constitu-
tional amendment to increase the pub
lie debt for this purpose. Possess
ing the power of taxation as it does
there is absolutely no reason why
it should not do this. Until South
Carolina and other Southern States
show their willingness to back t-eir
own people it is idle to expect the Ma
ional government to do. it. l believe
the State supreme court would declare
proper warehouse law constitutional
provided the people at the next cleo
ton vote to increase the public debt
for that purpose. The legislature can
act Immediately and as the election
comes off in November everything
could be satisfactory adjusted III this
way. South Carolina can thus save
! is cHn citizens whether other South
err States do or not. doubt very
seriously, however, whether any law
Joking to the decrease of acreage or
forbidding the planting of ny cotton
at all will stand the test Of consti-
tutionalicy. 1t is worth trying, how
ever.
myself expect to SOW al the oats
can get in the ground and will ferti-
lie them We'll with cotton seed meal
and acid phosphate, two home pro-
ducts. The land may wait Tor potash
until the Germans are licked. Luckily
most of the land ir this State has
enough potash in it already to make
one or two crops, for it is mineral
which does not leach out. All the
soils above the Ialls in our rivers
have a natural supply.
l believe the reduction of acreage
will settle itself without legislation,
simply because nobody is able or will
ing to advance money or supplies to
grow cotton at Z cents per pound. 1t is
like lifting ones self over fence by
his boot straps.
This European war has certainly nit
the Souta a hard blow. We nave be-
fore seen cotton very low, bat every
thing else was low then, too Now
everything we have to eat, especially
meat and -four, is very high, and tn
cost of growing cotton is probably
IN
! ] see no reason why the National
government does not hasten getting
the national reserve banks in condl-
tion to begin operation. We nave heard
for a long while dhat the machinery
would begin to move on October 1. The
national government could recognize
warehouse receipts as good collateral,
and I believe it will do sn. provided
the States first take sensible action
in regard to this matter. do not think
! Uncle Sam will, or ought to be eX-
pected to come to our help until We
have exhausted all of our own re-
sources and have done those thlnSs
which are necessary. There never was
time when the old adage, "God helps
those who help themselves" was more
applicable and had more truth. If
the people of the State demand a SEN
sible and practicable law, the leglsla-
ture will enact it, and the governor
will sign it, too.
Our home banks, if they would only
cease being greedy hogs and do their
duty towards the people, could get US
all out of the wilderness. 1t is pre-
posterous and criminal for those
banks to draw money from the Unit
ed States government at 8 per cent in