The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1914-11-25
SYSTEM READY.
Letter from Commissioner Jno.
l.. McLaurin Says He Ex-
poets Great Benefits.

4
put the State warehouse sytsem int
operation. Application blanks may b.
had from this Office, also the form
of contract. Under the act can onl.
pay rent after all operating exepnse,
are met; consequently, I am forced t.
take the warehouses that are Offered
at nominal rent, and require the
owners to pay all charges and ex
penses, including cents per bale pei
month to the State, to meet the cos
of postage, telegrams, express, travel
ing expenses, printing the receipts
tags and other blanks. I find that thu
charge does not cover the cost, but
will use the appropriation as far a.
1t will go, and submit the matter tc
the next general assembly. I do not
expect to use cent Of the salary
given me, unless there is a further ap-
preparation, as all the money will be
needed to continue the acceptance oi
warehouses. only want my actual
expenses ,and no receipts will come in
until cotton is taken out, which may
be a year, while insurance, etc., Is
paid in advance.
I hope to have some information
later as to the use Of State warehouse
receipts as collateral, but do not
wish to make a statement until I can
speak advisedly. DR.. Wade Stack
house submitted the receipts to GER
tain capitalists in New. York, and his
report was that the State receipt
would be preferred by them to that
of any private or corporate receipt for
cotton on storage.
A New Departure.
This is new departure in both
finance and government. It will take
time and patience to inaugurate it,
and I especially ask the farmers of
this State to give me their confidence
and support. Don't expect miracles. I
am not "a miracle man." as one of
the newspapers intimates, nor the man
who found shoe string and built a
factory" My purpose is to inaugurate
a sane, sound system of marketing
cotton.
I notice in the morning paper a
decision by Associate Justice Gage,
which further emphasizes the decree
in the warehouse case Of 1912. No
jurist has in clearer language set forth
the principles upon which such leg
islation as the South Carolina, Louis
lana and Texas warehouse acts are
based. Judge Gage says:
Cotton, and that includes its seed,
is the staple product of the State and
of the South; in this year of grace the
frightful collapse Of its price, Incl
dent to a wellnigh universal war, has
shocked two continents; the whole
policy of the State is bound up in the
growing the sale and the manufacture
of cotton"
The Individual cotton grower is
powerless to protect himself. If we
can unite the units, we can control
the situation. Cooperation spells sue
cess. We will never get this except
through our State legislatures. If onr
experiment fails, then no other State
will try it. .r
Expects Benefits.
I am only meeting such opposition
as I expected. I am depending on
my fellow farmers--not those whose
interests are against us. Some Of the
newspapers have been liberal and fair
while some have been harsh and un-
Just. Try to sift out the truth. If you
do not understand anything. Write me
and do not let your mind be poisoned
by insidious methods of belittling me
for the purpose of destroying meas
ure which will be of inestimable ben
eft to you and your children's chill
'dren.
I accepted unsought the tremen-
dous responsibility, and if my health
holds out, I will see it through. To
sell cotton at present prices is prac-
tically the confscation Of s5O,OOO,ooo
of property belonging to you. The
State is attempting to aid you. 1t IS
not only a function, but 1t is the duty
of a government to protect citizens in
their property rights as we'll as in life
and liberty. The declaration of Judge
Gage is a splendid enunication Of this
principle. 1 wish some case would oc-
cur giving him an opportunity to
define with the same clear insight, just
what the constitution means by pro-
+oo+;no q citizen in the ownership of