Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1914-02-06
STATE WAREHOUSE BILL
Interesting Debate on this Important
Measure.

interesting bCpdIC hiho '"hS' s~'-
Measure.
Probably the best speech made on
the floor of the senate this session, was
made last night by Senator Weston
of Richland, speaking in favor OF
the McLaurin warehouse bill that
passed the legislature two years ago
and was declared unconstitutional on
technical points which have, 1t Is said,
been eliminated from the present
measure. Senator Strait of Lancaster,
made what is perhaps the second best
speech of the session. also in favor or
the bill Both speeches were notable
for their viewpoint rather than for
any thing else.
Senator Weston said that If the
state were to create the warehouse
system provided for in the bill and
the cotton of the state were weighed,
graded, insured, and if the state
pledged itself to produce the Identical
bales on demand upon the maturity
of paper the small. one-horse farmers
would soon organize and select a goou
business man and send him TO the
markets of this country to demand
price for their cotton. Then, SAID the
senator. If the price were not obtained
in the domestic markets, the represen-
tative of the farmers could go TO the
markets abroad and bring European
capital into this country.
Senator Weston said that there was
less wealth per capita in the southerH
states than in any other sectlon VI
this country and yet the south has
MONOPOLY of cotton which is the
finest security in the world. Ihe 1aT,i-
er. he said, had not secured lot TINS
monopoly the price that ne shouiu
- a
have. This price could De secureu uS
means Of the warehouses, ne salo'
The small farmer, argued the sena.1s
unknown to the banker couio'
through the warehouse. put up his
cotton as security and borrow money;
He said further that the bill woulo
keep distress cotton of the market
and that the distress cotton Is WHAT
breaks the market down.
Senator Strait said that the ware
houses would be as forts protectihs
the people against financial enemies
He said that the object or the meas
ure was to put the small FARMER as
well as the large one In posltloh ~
demand a price for his cotton. he
said that If the warehouses had been
established so years ago that the
south would today be the richest coun-
try in the world. He pointed 10 tne
establishment OF the regional panhs
for the purpose of protecting the pro-
ducing classes.
Senator Strait digressed to attack
Grover Cleveland, referring to MN as
the greatest traitor that ever uo9
the sod CT America. The senator saiu
that Cleveland had permitted pahiS
in his effort to put into effect MS goiu
standard. a
Debate on the bill last night lasted
over two hours, Senator Weston speak
ing from a half to three-quarters OF an
hour. Senator Carlisle, Black, Sharpe
and Buck opposed the measure. De
bate will be continued this morning
with the outlook in the senate faVor-
able for passage.
Senator Carlisle's principal objection
to the bill was that he did not tnlhh
that the state ought to go into business
and compete vi ith private enterprises.
He said that il would cost hundreds
of thousands more than $15O,OoO 10
put the system into effect. He thouent
the system impractical. The senator
from Spartanburg qualified ms oo-
iections by saying that he had no
hopes of preventing the bllls passage.
He said that farmers in his county
had asked him to vote to Kill the
measure, but that these farmers may
have been posted.
Senator Black oD1ecteu 10 lhe s'o.S
going into business and objected TO
the cost of putting the proposed sys-
TEN into effect. He said that the three
commissioners provided for in the Dill
would be paid larger salaries tnan
the governor of the state, larger than
the judges of the supreme court.
Senator Sharpe saying that the
warehouse system was the most sl-
gantic undertaking brought to the at
tention of the lawmakers of this state
in the last decade" opposed the bill.
It's too big for me-" he said
Mr.. Sharpe said that 1t was soclal-
istic: that the state should not go into
business. IN
Senator Buck opposed the bill as
impractical and because it would cost
large sums Of money to operate the
warehouses. Salaries would be Sl4O'-
600 as a minimum, he said; and the
system could not be kept out OF poll
tics.
Senator Gipn said that he was op-
posed 10 the bill. and Senators Pat
terson and Young indicated during the
debate that they were in favor OF the
measure State. Feb 8.