The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1914-09-23

the merchants and the banks of our
section to the limit to meet these
additional costs"
Everything was bright and glow
ing with us until this war came on
just at harvest time and took away
the markets for the consumption Of
the surplus cotton. which, after all,
Is the basis for its price. This has
left us barren. with means exhausted
and the planters crying for assist
ance we cannot give them.
AT a meeting in my town q day or
two ago all who have insurance poll
cies on which they can secure loan
were advised to hypothecate them to
raise the money to aid in harvesting
and storing the cotton. All who have
securities Of any kind on which mon
ey can be raised were urged to put
them up to supply the needed fund.
i am proud to say that all responded,
but still we are far short Of enough
W HicSS oh requirements
What we fear and what you mer-
chants have equally to fear is the
deterioration Of the cotton in the
fields. There are many small farm
ers who have run their credit away
beyond their limit in growing the
cotton. These are now in the po-
sition Of not being able to harvest
1t because the South can give them no
further help for the purpose: If this
element becomes discouraged it will
mean they will abandon the growing
cotton and let 1t lay in the fields un-
til 1t has so deteriOrated as to serious
ly injure its fibre and make 1t prac-
tically valueless. These men do not
want to do this. but they cannot help
themselves. While the result will be
greatly to their injury. 1t will likewise
react on you merchants who have
claims in the South, because even
when gathered the cotton will not be
OF such a grade as to command the
highest market price.
Just at this point would like to
urge that In the helpful movement in
which you are engaged you see to 1t
that what assistance you might give
will go first to this class. This is what
We In the South are trying to do. The
well-to-do planters can take care of
themselves temporarily. but these
poorer ones have no other means than
what they can secure from the out
side. Their cotton Is as good as the
other fellows. 1t will give you equal
protection and will aid a class most
In need.
ITO provide means for the storing
Of the cotton and to give whatever aid
Is possible the legislature Of South
Carolina has been called In extra ses-
sion for October 6. The purpose Is
solely to provide for this emergency
In 80 far as the State can give aid.
That 1t will assist in the erection of
additional warehouses have no doubt
although South Carolina is already
well provided for In this way. should
say the State can easily store between
100000 and 10000 bales. which is
nearly its output.
This Is q nationwide issue and
those who help will be also helping
themselves. I assert that no one will
lose money by buying bale or a
hundred bales. Cotton is not perish
able and 1t Is bound to bring its
price.
What We most fear without aid
In this emergency Is that the crop of
next year will be so greatly curtailed
as to seriously affect every one in
the South and everyone who does bus
iness with the South. including your
selves. II this crop cannot be cared
for 1t will mean the piling up OF so
much credit that none at all can be
had for the next crop. This will au-
tomatically reduce the amount grown
and will still leave the debts from this
crop unpaid. This will throw the
planters back not one year, but many.
1t will reduce your ability to place
goods In the South, as there will be no
money there to pay for them and
consequently few buyers.
ut Is not charity you arc doing.
Value will come almost two-fold in
the end and you will be aiding your
selves and the business interests OF
your city as we'll as the Southern peo-
pie"
This address aroused the greatest
enthusiasm and the position of the