Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1914-03-24

pass this act and not give a cent Of ap-
preparation that I could get private
capital to put 1t into operation, and
make vast fortune for myself and my
associates, but that such was not my
object, that desired all the people to
share in the benefits of the idea"
am just the same way now. Mr..
Duke and his associates will not make
so much money from the operation of
the warehouses, nor from merely loan
ing money, but the power which 1t will
give them to fix within certain limits
the price Of $1,000, 100000 worth of cot
ton viii, yield untold profit for the in
siders.
Mr.. Dukes vast fortune is founded
on the monopoly Of tobacco. The farm
ers Of Kentucky can tell US what that
means. The price of cotton Is regulat-
ed by the floating supply, which is es-
timated on an average at about 2,000,-
900 bales. Whoever controls that con-
trolls the price. II this giant corpora
ton Is to own and operate the ware
houses and furnish the funds to finance
the floating supply, they can take 1t on
or off the market to suit their pur-
poses. The temptation is too great for
human nature to resist. When this Is
considered In connection with the fact
that the same set Of men own the elec-
trio power and majority Of the stock
in the cotton mills. It is easy to see that
the farmer will get very little out Of it.
There Is no way on earth for the cot
ton planter to be Independent and get
the full benefit Of the law Of supply
and demand, except to hold the sur
plus and say when and at what price 1t
shall go on the market. This Is the way
Mr.. Duke ama3sed his millions In to-
bacco, and he has struck a bigger thing
now than tobacco. The potentialities
Of the cotton crop are just beginning
to be understood by such men as Mr..
Duke, and he is simply forming the
biggest trust in the world. The trusts
have taught us accumulation through
cooperation. The individual is no
more, the combination everything. As
sociation Is the dominating principle
Of human civilization, but under the
present system there Is association only
for favored classes. Here is one man
with capital and power ready to under
take in thirteen states what South Car
olina feared to undertake In one. No
wonder property gravitates more and
more toward the possessors Of wealth,
men who create nothing, but with the
power to control labor and Its products
are the veritable kings Of the earth.
Right here is the genesis Of the agi-'
tation and discomfort Of productive Ia
Dor, the subtle, unseen and unconsci-
Gus working Of the masses for the en-
thronement in government Of the prin-
ciple of association. They feel that
only through its power to crystalize
into government can come more COM
forts, wider intellectual culture and
enlarged moral perceptions.
What chances have individual. farm
ers, scattered over thirteen states. IN
contest with an expert financial
strategy, backed by enormous capital
and unlimited credit? What the people
can not do for themselves individually.
It Is within the province and the duty
Of the government to do for them. This
is not socialism, 1t Is patriotism.
It looks to me as II the farmers must
make a choice between agricultural
impoverishment and governmental pa
ternalism. AS for me choose the lat
ter.
The whole scheme Of our national
government revolves around the pro-
lection Of certain classes and indi-
viduals. Tariff. money and transpor-
tation are the foundations Of CONNER
cial life. A Democratic administration
has reformed the tariff, and is rapidly
regulating the transportation problem.
1t has destroyed the money monopoly
under the. national banking act and
given us an opportunity to use the
products Of our farm to obtain money.
Now why should not the state come to
the relief Of her people and provide
the machinery for us to take advantage
Of this situation?
There is very mistaken idea about
it being necessary to build so many
warehouses. / see Mr.. Duke Is pro-
posing, just as I did, to take over the
warehouses already in existence. He
will never have to put up much actual
money. He proposes to capitalize his
credit and name, just as did to capi-
talize the sovereignty Of the state. II
the house had passed the bill, I could
have put the plan into operation for
$50, 900 and then Mr.. Duke and his as
sociates could have organized cotton
corporation to work in harmony with
the state warehouse, instead Of being
absolute masters of the situation.
Jno. L. McLaurin.
Bennettsville, March 19.