The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1914-06-06
Some Random Thoughts.

Nestlhg the Oat crop and of keeping
up with the other crops at the same
time, the County Farmers Union will
not call a meeting this week. The
next regular meeting will be on the
3rd OF July with the Concord local.
This will give plenty Of time for all
the committees to bring in full re-
ports on the matters referred to them.
The July meeting should be q very
interesting one.
The extensive and prolonged
drought has seriously cut off the
oat crop. In many fields caused poor
stands Of cotton and tobacco, so that
the outlook for good prices is much
better than year ago. On the gov
ernment report Of the cotton condi-
ton good cotton should bring 15c
now, and 1t would be, If our farm
ers had stood for that price last fall.
But with so much of the crop in the
hands OF the spinners 1t is very
doubtful If the few bales scattered
about will be sold much higher than
at present.
II all cotton merchants would work
as hard to secure a full price for the
farmers cotton as Mr.. David Coker
of Hartsville has done verify believe
the average price for several years
would have been at least one cent
per pound more than we have re-
ceived. This applies to short as we'll
as long staple. 1t should be very
gratifying to the farmers of South
Carolina that Mr.. Coker has been Sc
lected as one Of the directors of the
regional bank for this district, at
Richmond, Va. / am sure that if
anything can be done by this system
of banking to ala the farmers to
market their cotton and tobacco
more satisfactorily, Mr.. Coker will see
that 1t Is worked out.
Supervisor Pitts and Overseer Hol-
land. with their assistants are doing
a good job in building the Shiloh
road. They will finish about one and
one-half miles Of the most difficult
part this week. While this road has
long been needed. the experience of
the builders is enabling them to build
so much better road than would
have been done ten years ago that it
Is worth the long wait to secure it.
This highway and the building of
the Sumter and Turbeville- Olanta
railroad will be even more valuable
to tho city of SuLiter and the coun-
ty than the securing the Seaboard.
The highway. Is now assured. and no
reasonable expense should be spared
by Sumter to secure the railroad. 1t
should be made a part Of either the
Coast Line or Seaboard systems, IL it
Is to give the greatest convenience to
the people along the line.
The splendid cooperation of the
County Farmers Union and the
of Commerce-good team
given us tick eradication
work several years before it would
have come about. but for these or
We have not yet Sc
cured an ideal produce marketing
system. but thanks to the Union Bro
kerage company. the creation Of the
Farmers Union, conditions have vast
ly improved. Some team work on
the part Of the Farmers Union and
the Chamber Of Commerce ought to
perfect marketing system. If any
two men can work 1t out, President
Williams Of the County Union, and
Secretary Reardon of the Chamber
Of Commerce will turn the trick.
Give them the support of the farm
ers and Of the business men Of cOun-
ty and town. and watch results.
1t would not be q bad idea to put
this combination in the railroad
proposition. The same arguments that
were made for securing the Scaboard
will apply to getting the Sumter
Turbeville-Olanta railroad and unless
Sumter made q bad bargain in pay
ing for the former it ought ,.ot hesi-
tate to making reasonable outlay
for the latter. Anything that will do
the general public so much good
should not be left to a few public
spirited citizens of the city and coun-
~.
The work of the County Democratic
Executive Committee in carefully de-
fininp tho houpharioa nf tho rin,,o