Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1914-09-22
IN BEHALF OF COTTON

IN BEHALF OF COTTON
There were about thirty farmers and
few business men Of Yorkville in at
tendance upon the meeting held in the
temporary court room, Saturday, the
purpose Of which was to discuss ways
and means whereby the price Of the
present cotton crop might be raised,
discussion Of the Georgia Plan and the
consideration Of plans calculated to
curtail cotton production next year.
Mr.. ]. T. Crawford, president of the
York County Cotton congress presided
and requested Capt M. c. Willis, the
secretary to read the Georgia plan,
which was published in The Enquirer
| of Tuesday, Sept. Is. Following the
reading Of the lengthy document, sew
eral gentlemen present went into
discussion Of the proposition. Upon
inquiry Of DR.. Thos. N. Dulin as to
whether the plan was constitutional
Capt. Willis stated that Hon. w. f
Stevenson and other attorneys OF note
| had given it as their opinion that the
plan was constitutional. 1t was learned
that Hon. ]. E. Mcdonald Of Winns-
boro had given it as his opinion that 1t
was constitutional until the supreme
court declared it otherwise.
Mr.. Walter B. Moore, president OF
the Nicely, Travora and Lockmore Cot
ton mills of Yorkville, arose to ques-
ton Of personal privilege. A report had
been circulated throughout the county
he said, that he was working entirely
for the interests Of the mills and
against the farmers and for that reason
had advocated that people buy cotton
at the market price. This was not true
Personally he did not care "a cuss'
whether he paid Is cents a pound or
cents a pound for cotton. He was pre-
pared to pay either price
| Mr.. Moore stated that the man who
had started such report was possessed
of a rotten mind, and the report was
wholly devoid Of truth. He went on to
say further that it was he who had
called the first meeting Of the farmers
Of the county, his purpose being to try
and find some means by which the de-
cline in price might be scotched. Had
| it not been for him such meetings
would very probably have never been
held in York county.
j. c. Wilborn, president Of the York
| Vile Board of Trade, stated that he
| had heard Of no criticism Of Mr.. Moore
nor the impugning Of his motives. He
as president of the Board Of Trade, had
called the first meeting Of the farmers
of the county at Mr.. Moores sugges-
ton. Mr. Wilborn advocated the adop-
ton of the Georgia plan.
| Mr.. J. T. Crawford stated that he haC
understood Mr.. Moores position to the
effect that if farmers persisted in sell
| ing cotton at the market price, the
were able to hold it until better prices
could be secured. He had agreed with
| Mr.. Moore, he said.
| Senator j. E. Beamguard wanted tC
know what the farmers wanted at the
extra session Of the legislature. The
| senator favored a reduction OF acre
age. He did not favor the Georgia plar
and did not believe in restricting g
| farmer to raising only three bales OF
cotton to the plow. This would work
a hardship on the tenant who would
hardly be able to pay his fertilizer bill
under such arrangement. The sena-
| tor argued that Ii was impossible tC
| limit a mans energy, and though II
would be better to allow only a certain
per cent of cultivated land to be plant
| ed in cotton. and then let the farmer
raise all he pleases on that per centage
| Capt. NJ. c. Willis was of opinion
| that three bales Of cotton to the pillow
was much too small an amount. He
was willing to let the Legislature fiS
the amount per plow.
At this juncture Mr.. w. b. Moore
stated that he wished to apologize tC
the assembly for his personal remarks
and asked that no more attention be
| paid the matter. He said he would have
made no reference thereto; but on the
way to the meeting three gentlemen
had met him at different places and
told him the whole county had the word
that he was working against the farm
ers. His feelings had been hurt, he
said, hence his remarks. The gentle
man wished to say to Senator Beam
guard that he had been wrong at the
previous meeting with reference to the
buy a bale at ten cents movement
| one feature of 1t he had overlooked
the fact that since Jones and Smith
and Brown were buying a bale at ter
cents, their neighbors were asking the
question, why shouldn't l do |. e.
wise?" Mr.. Moore asked to be excused
| from further attendance saying that
Saturday was his busy day and that
owing to the increase in the price OF
cotton he would have to arrange to
run his mills on half time next week.
A number of farmers present went
into quite an extensive discussion OF
the Georgia plan and the question OF
the reduction Of acreage. The senti-
ment of the meeting seemed to be that
the Georgia plan was the most practi-
cal and tangible, but that the question
of the number of bales to be raised to
the plow should be fixed by the legls-
lature, and a resolution to that effect
| was adopted.
' Dr. r. A. Bratton was Of opinion that
the meeting was going long way Off
| If IL was in search of immediate relief
| He said it was impossible to secure re-
duction of acreage and production, II
had been tried many times. The Fed
eral government helps other sections
why not the south? II the government
should take hold and buy the crop at
ten cents, the price would rise to II or
l. cents quickly. Continuing the doc
tor said that since the Federal govern
ment imposes taxes on the people, he
could see no reason why that govern
ment should not help its people when
necessary, as is now the case.
on motion of Dr. Dulin and amend
ed by Senator Beamguard, the congress
adopted a resolution asking farmers to
hold at least half the present crop for