The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1914-10-21
NEED OF GRAIN MILL,
Planters of County Will Diversity
Crops Next Year and Market for
Grain Is Wanted.

field products and reduction of cot
ton production will be general in
Sumter county for the next few years.
Secretary ReardOn. Of the Chamber of
Commerce, has had excellent oppor-
tunities to find out the sentiments of
hundreds of farmers of all kinds
from the onc-horse farmer to the
largest planter in the county.
Hundreds of these farmers have
been to the secretary's office to see
about selling their cotton at ten cents
per pound and q great may have ap-
preached him ON the streets.
On Saturdays the secretary has
made 1t his business to get out and
talk to as many farmers as he could.
He kept account Of the remarks made
by at least one thousand farmers
about cotton reduction and dversiN-
cation.
Only about six were undecided as
to whether they will diversity and re-
duce their cotton production during
1915. and four of those gave as their
reasons for being undecided that they
were afraid to go heavily into the
planting Of oats, and corn, beyond
their actual needs. because they
were apprehensive that there will be
no regular market in Sumter to dis
pose Of surplus crop of grain
They were therefore of the opinion
that 1t was the same amount of cot
ton or nothing.
The rest were overwhelmingly in
favor of cotton reduction and SAID
they were going to cut down their
crop one-half to One-fourth They
were also gcttir" ready 70 plant
more corn, oats, wheat, tobacco, bar
ley, rye. Irish and sweet potatoes
and many varieties Of vegetables, to
raise more hogs. chickens, and cat
tie.
Many freely admitted that they will
be forced to diversity or suffer actual
want of food stuffs. Others believe
that the time has arrived to adopt
the live at home" methods on the
farm. Among the farmers Interview
ed were white and colored. There
were landlords who said they will re-
quire their renters to plant tobacco
and to reduce cotton production, as
we'll as to plant sufficient corn and
other grain to supply their family
wants and to feed their live stock and
hogs. and to plant vegetables sutF'-
cient to supply themselves the entil =
year through. winter and summer.
But after all the most vital cons l.
GRAFTON regarding the diversification
problem Is the establishment of a
grain warehouse. flour, meal, feed
stuff, and brand mill in Sumter. and
II possible a grain elevator to en-
courage the farmers to diversity by
heavy planting of grain crops.
Secretary ReardOn Is trying very
hard to interest outside capital in
building a grain elevator and flour
mill in connection with the PARROT
Milling company's meal and feedstuff
plant. He has hopes and Is still cor
responding with northern and west
ern business men who have shown
great interest in the Buy a Bale"
movement and who wrote that they
are anxious to do anything in their
power to help the South Carolina
farmers and business men. The Sum-
ter secretary is also trying to have
outside capital put UP canning fac
tories In Sumter. But the local farm
crs and business men should show
first that they believe that a grain
elevator, -four meal. and feed stuff
mill will E2v by subscribing to a
limited amount Of the capital stock.
1t Is not at all improbable, but not
vet certain that q committee Of in
luential business men will visit this
section from Tennessee and Ohio to
look into conditions as they are with
u view Of helping out in this emer-
gency. But in the meantime the
farmers and local business men must
first show that they are willing to do
something to help themselves. and
that they have confidence in the fu-
management of elevators, warehouses
and grain mills before they can rca-
sunGbly expect to secure the desired
cooperation from the outside.