Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1914-10-07


the Mexican border almost to the
Georgia line. 1t Is true, after four
to six years its ravages become less,
but In wet seasons no cotton Is made
after August 1 in any Of the territory
now invaded. Moisture conditions
and the large swamp area in South
Carolina in all our vast TERRITORY
from the sand hills to the ocean, IA
vor the boil weevil; and 1t is my
Judgment that this territory will be
forced to abandon the cultivation OF
cotton for all time to come. feel
sure our sea island cotton industry
will be obliterated. We are told the
boil weevil can only propagate in cot
ton squares or forms, and that If all
cotton shall be destroyed for one
year in territory now covered, that
we Will have rid the cotton States of
this pest.
If this statement is correct. even if
cotton was worth IL cents per pound,
1t would pay us to abandon the Guilt
vation for one year.
Some critic says tnis law would
benefit only the rich farmers. That
the poor widow owning one-horse
farm which she rents for cotton or
money, would be ruined. l deny this
charge. Her tenant can sell the pres
ent crop for more money than he con
this crop and the next, if he con-
tinues to plant cotton. Out of the
enhanced value of cotton he holds.
he can pay his 1915 rent and can
have all the land he has been plant
ing III cotton to raise food crops.
Seventy-five per cent of the people in
these United States have never seen
cotton blossom, and they are pros
porous and happy. We can raise any
OF the crops and animals they raise.
and with less effort. Let us suppose
no State control Of cotton acreage is
taken, and that the poor widow, the
tenant and the small independent
farmer depend on organized effort
such as pledges and gentlemau's
agreement to reduce the cotton crop,
what will be the result? This Euro
pean ar has blotted out our accurs-
ed crop mortgage system. The
WHO" as well as the big land-poor
cil resident, will next March have
10 6 a"antee the merchant and
baaNo. tor supplies to make another
croD. Wore than ten million bales
u' go ''u will be made. A 6 cents
price rr term Of years will be the
result. thu they will lose every cent
on I'll, ooveted rent Land values
VIII d.op 90 per cent, and it will be
practically impossible to raise money
on mai estate mortgages. The no.
c0tt'., .&W is just as valuable TO tho
small land Vner aud the renter rs
1t Is TO the largest farrne! IN the
Stata. The greatest hardship w.u
fall on the shiflless negrora who
have always worked FOR wages. But
even to them no cotton means less
suffering. With low prices and con-
tlnued business gloom, there is going
to be scant employment for our shift
less negro labor. Sooner or later
they must learn to grow other crops
than cotton. Every negro family
might raise enough chickens and
eggs to supply their cash needs. The
Southern white man has always been
the negro's best friend. We have fed
and clothed the shiftless negro for
70 years. We have made him shift
less by our one-crop system and by
our determination to make him
cheap bOdy-servant. Assure the
South Carolina farmer Of a good
price for cotton, and he will continue
to reed the negroes dependent upon
him. Fifteen cents cotton will ell
courage some much needed improve
mentS on the farm next summer and
fall which will give employment to
our people. Let South Carolina pass
a law eliminating all cotton in 1915,
conditioned that it shall not go into
effect until the other nine producing
States pass similar law. Let the
Governors of the cotton States get
together and sign the bills the same
day and put the law into operation
by proclamation.
Mr. Farmer, if you endorse my
views see that your delegation to the
Legislature vote for it. We have
nothing TO lose by enacting such