Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1914-07-31

QOne WIFI Tie SldlhS "Oulu DC W pun
them up or plow them up so as to pre-
vent further exhaustion Of the soil.
But in spite of it all, the speaker
said, that the calamity might possibly
prove a blessing in disguise. He felt
that the blessing really would come, II
the people would now begin to give at
tention to proper rotation, to sowing
winter cover crops like the vetches
burr clover, crimson clover, alfalfa, and
other legumes that would draw nitro
gen from the atmosphere, and bring
fertility to the soil. He spoke Of the
terrific waste that our people are prac-
ticing in the purchase Of commercial
fertilizers, especially ready-mixed fer
tilizers, and he felt sure that when
they began to get out OF the old Gus
tom under which they bought their
meat from Chicago and Omaha, their
canned tomatoes from Baltimore and
other things from everywhere else eX-
cept from home, such calamities as TINS
would not be so paralyzing in their ef-
fects.
He promised to use his efforts with
the general assembly to secure a re-
mission Of taxes for one or two years
further to try to secure an appropria-
ton for the purchase Of seeds and such
other relief as might be obtainable.
Mr.. Watson said that the 5000 Nam
cy Hall potato slips that had been con-
tributed by a Columbia sympathizer
were on their way to Rock Hill, from
which place they would be distributed
In conclusion, Mr.. Watson took occa-
sion to say that he wanted farmers eV.
erywhere to become sellers instead OF
buyers and to that end he was trying tc
re- organize the Farmers Unlor
throughout the state.
Mr.. ]. Whitener Reid was introduced
as the next speaker. He expressed his
UNQUALIFIED approval Of the Bethel I'm
provement association, and congratu-
lated the people on having such an or
ganization, cooperative and educa-
tional in it's character like unto the
Farmers Union, which, he said, cover
ed very nearly the same ground, upor
somewhat broader lines. He spoke Of
his long service as secretary or the
State Alliance, which at the zenith Of
its strength had 1854 members ir
South Carolina. The Farmers Unior
has for it's object the same purposes
that were sought by the Alliance, anc
it had the benefit Of the experience o1
the previous organization. The mair
purpose Of the Union Is intelligent CO:
III buyii6 hAS
selling. Each meeting is divided into
two roll calls, so to speak. The frs
roll call Is for all those who have any.
thing to buy, and the second for al
those who have anything to sell. Botf
sellers and buyers can get the best ad-
vantage for themselves by clubbing to.
gether not only their money and com
modities; but their combined expert
ence. Mr. Reid also Joined Mr.. Watson
in his condemnation of the APPALLING
waste Of which the farmers are guilty
in the purchase of ready-miXed fertll-
izers. He said there was no legitimate
excuse for a mixing plant in the entire
country. The farmers should buy theil
ammonia, potash, phosphoric acid. etc.
and mix it themselves. He said there
was not a fertilizer mixing plant II
either France, Belgium or Switzerland
and that no farmer in any of those
countries would think Of buying ready.
mixed fertilizers, for two reasons-ir
the first place, because he would bt
doubtful about what he was getting
and in the second place, he would moi
think of paying such an exhorbitan
price for that which he can do for him
self so easily and to so much better ad
vantage. Then in the third place, aft.
er the matter of buying and selling
the speaker thought the Union indis'
pensble in the organization and pro
motion Of rural credit societies, which
are calculated to promote the interests
Of the farmers beyond calculation.
Mr.. Thomas l.. Johnston, president Of
the Peoples National bank Of Rocf
Hill, made a few remarks about the
hail storm cr unity, told how his bank
was trying to do what it could to re-
lieve the situation and expressed his
realization of the fact that all that haC
been done in the direction Of relief was
only a small part Of what is really
needed. He suggested that owners Of
warehouses might do a good thing by
rendering the use of their buildings fol
storing seeds and other contributions II
kind, that may be made, against the
time when these contributions will be-
come available.
Mr.. Ira B. Dunlap, cashier Of the Ma.
tional Union bank Of Rock Hill, re.
viewed what the people Of Rock Hill
had tried to do for the relief Of the ca
lamity stricken farmers. He gave the
main credit to the Chamber Of Com
merce, and told how it had done the
thing that appeared to be best, in rails
ing money with which to buy seeds
and in encouraging the farmers to &c
dl IL again. ne Sdlu llldl lHC
had helped, because that was the only
thing for them to do OF course the
banks had good securities and these
securities were as good as they were
before the storm. The banks, how.
ever, did not feel like sitting down ant
waiting for mortgages to fall due to bt
foreclosed They could see where Il
was better to give extensions, advance
more money and carry accounts over tt
next year, and If need be to the mex
and the next He said the people wht
were hurt worse than anybody elst
were the merchants, especially the
merchants who had advanced on Sc
curities no better than growing crops
and to people who had nothing else t
hold them. He thought too, such mer'
chants ought to be hurt, because such
farming ought not to be encouraged
He believed only in the farmer whc
worked his own land and sought tC
improve it. He went on to urge the
sowing of the legumeS and other win.
ter cover crops and especially alfalfa
He told how Mr.. ]. M. Cherry Of Rocl
Hill, had netted 500 an acre on 6;
acres of alfalfa, and compared this re.
suit with the best that can be done
with other crops. In conclusion h,
stated that if the farmers of the storm
stricken section OF Bethel would go t(
work and put their lands in crimson
clover, burr clover, alfalfa, oats, rye
and the like. that in one year from to.
day they would be in better shape fl
nancially and otherwise than if the
storm had never struck them.
After Mr.. Dunlap's address, Mr.. H
G. Stanton offered two sets Of resolu'
tions. one addressed to the South Car
olina representatives in congress, Sena.
tors and members of the house, and the
other to President Woodrow Wilson
The preamble Of the resolutions set:
forth the nature and extent of the
damage, along with the results there
Of. The devastated territory is de-
scribed as being from seven to ter
miles in width and twenty-five miles
long, and the damage to cotton, corn
cane fruit, etc. is estimated at more
than one million dollars. The farmers
are declared to be financially ruined