The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1914-10-03
Some Random Thoughts.


Oh torty that have been in Washing
ton since the middle Of September
90 not succeed in securing the pas.
sage of the Henry bill which pro.
vides direct aid to the cotton farmers
and other growers Of staple non-per-
ishable farm products in this emer.
gency they have made Mr.. McAdoo
give such shaking up Of the banks
that l believe we will soon have re-
lief.
The presentation Of the failure of
commercial banks to meet the re-
quirements Of agriculture that was
presented to the committee on bank
ing and currency of the house Of rep
resentatives by members Of the
Farmers Union committee will do
more to secure rural credits or a sys-
tenn of agricultural banks than any
thing that / know Of.
In the very nature Of the CONNER
cial banking business farmers can not
get the same assistance from a COM
mercial bank that other lines of bus
mess secure and we should honor the
banker who will strain his resources
to the utmost to help farmers in this
emergency. In the Progressive Farm.
er Of September 26th The Bank of
Sumter. the First National Bank and
the City National are listed as sub
scribing to the following pledge:
"You may print the name of our
institution in Your list Of banks that
will stand by the farmers, utilizing
to the uttermost our possibilities for
securing funds to finance the cotton
crop. and recognizing warehouse GER
tificates to the limit Of our resources"
Why should not every bank in the
State sign such pledge? With
every one heartily lined up for such
q purpose and every grower Of cotton
lined up to hold cotton, it would not
be long before the price Of cotton
would be at such figure that a grad
ual selling movement, say each man
sell one bale out of ten, would re-
lieve the strain on the banks and
the growers too. Right now I trust
our people see what could be done,
II we were organized as have tried
to get our farmers to do. 1t is not
too late to organize now for effective
service in this emergency.
] understand some cotton has been
shipped to ports, and other central
points to be settled for later. This
cotton has gone into consumption and
the price dropped half cent per pound
in few days In consequence of some
farmers and merchants supplying the
demand. On Saturday. 10th, we had
high hopes of cotton going to 10 cents
by Oct. 1st in response to the "Buy
a Bale Plan" and the fine holding of
the farmers and merchants. To al
low cotton to be used and then sub
stituted Is not holding. We ought to
proclaim from every street corner
that the only way to hold is to hold.
A similar plan Is suggested for cot
ton seed Let the mills have the
seed and settle when the price goes
up. Such suggestions are worse
than Col. Thompson's plan to finance
the cotton crop three years ago, and
Ne all know how that was laughed
out Of court. Even the Progressive
Farmer slipped up in last weeks
splendid resume of the cotton situa-
tion and the way out, when it mad
vertently advised letting cotton be
stored with the mills to be settled for
six months later. A warehouse that
does not guarantee to deliver the
identical bale of cotton on presenta-
tion of the receipt Is not holding
warehouse, but is selling one.
Why not have as active work done
by Clemson College to promote or
gonized holding, financing and market
ing Of cotton, as to promote the SOW
ing Of winter cover crops, the grow
ing Of legumes and raising OF stock
We have this crop made and made
largely with the fertilizers that gave
Clemson its income. Unless we can
sell ii at q profit we will be i'm mighty
poor shape to begin the better farming
we hope to see inauguratcd. Clarence
Poe suggested last week that $4,000
q tt,., tnp li.r., 4.