The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1914-10-14
SOUTH ITS OWN MAKER.
THINKS 1T CAN SAVE
ITSELF EVEN NOW.
Proper State Warehouse Bill Should
Form Basis for Operations of Fed
cral Reserve System.

application of credit systems and the
establishment of state warehouse
for cotton, aided by the automatic re-
duction in acreage consequent upon
7-cent cotton, will prove the best
method Of pulling the South out of
expressed by Senator Il. R. Tillman in
letter given to the press by him.
Senator Tillman says he doubts the
cOnstitutiOnality of acreage restriction
by law but thinks it might be worth
trying anyhow.
The senator urges "a proper ware
house" law, which he thinks would
stand the test Of the courts provided
a special increase in the public debt
be authorized by the people at the
general election.
The senator's letter, addressed to
j. T. Collins of Chester in reply to q
request for advice, follows:
my Dear Sir: Yours of October 5
received. realize your condition
perfectly and sympathize with the
farmers who owe you, too. 1 do not
know what to suggest or how to help
our fellow citizens who are in this
predicament. Sad to say there are
very many Of them in distress. l am
hoping that the legislature will enact
u law promptly providing for a sensi
bic warehouse scheme and that the
State will get behind it's own citizens
with it's credit by voting constitu-
tiOnal amendment to increase the
public debt for this purpose. Pos
sessing the power Of taxation as it
does, there is absolutely no reason
why it should not do this. Until South
Carolina and other Southern States
show their willingness to back their
own people, it is idle to expect the ma
tional government to do it. l believe
the state supreme court would declare
ID proper warehouse law constitution
al. provided the people at the next
election vote to increase the public
debt for that purpose. The legislature
can act Immediately and as the cleo
tiOn comes off in November every
thing could be satisfactorily adjusted
in this way. South Carolina can thus
save it's own citizens, whether other
Southern States do or not. 1 doubt
cl hn, h,tl l,n,
law looking to the decrease Of acre
age or forbidding the planting of any
cotton at all will stand the test of
cOnstitutiOnality. 1t is worth trying,
however.
Il myself expect to SOW all the oats
l can get in the ground and will fer
tilize them we'll with cOttOnsecd meal
and acid phosphate, two home prod
ucts. The land may wait for potash
until the Germans are licked. Luckily
most of the land in this State has
enough potash In it already TO make
one or two crops, for it is u mineral
which does not leach out. All the
soils above the falls In our rivers have
natural supply.
! IL believe the reduction of acreage
will settle itself without legislation,
simply because nobody is able or will
| ing to advance money or supplies to
! grow cotton ut Z cents per pound. 1t
is like lifting ones self over q fence by
his boot straps.
This European war has certainly
hit the South ii hard blow. We have
before seen cotton very low, but
everything else was low then too. Now
everything VIC have to eat, especially
meat and flour, is very high and the
cost of growing cotton is probably
double what it was in 1880.
Il see no reason why the national
government does not hasten getting
the national reserve banks in cOndi-
tion to begin operation. We have
heard for Il long while that the ma
chincry would begin to move on
October /. The national govern
ment could recognize warehouse re-
ct,rts as good collateral. and | believe
1T will do so, provided the States first
take sensible action in regard to this
matter.
II do not think Uncle Sam will, or
ought to be expected to, come to our
help until we have exhausted all of
cur own resources and have done
those things which are necessary.
There never was Il time when the old
adage. God helps those who help
themselves" was more applicable and
had more truth. If the people of the
state demand Il sensible and practical
BILE law, the legislature will enact it,
and the governor will sign il too.
'Dur home banks if they would
only cease being greedy hogs and do
tEtir duty towards the people. could