The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1915-01-06

Irish potatoes are the quickest food
crop that can be produced In the early
sprins. There Is market for a good
many hundred bushels In this city
and the supply has heretofore come
largely from Florida and the Char
lesion trucking district. Sumter coun-
~ should produce all the Irish DO
tatoes Il consumes. The curb market
VIII furnish an outlet for hundreds of
bushels OF potatoes during the spring
ard summer. while the unstable sur
PLUS can be used on the farm. Our
people have never properly appre-
ciated Irish potatoes as a staple ar
ticls Of diet and have depended too
much upon hog and hominy as the
stan OF life. The doctors have not
yet succeeded In discovering a certain
cure for peilagra. but the consensus
OF opinion OF the leading medical ex-
perts who have been investigating the
disease is that pellagra Is probably
the result OF restricted and ill-bal-
anced dieting and that those who have
varied diet. In which Irish potatoes.
peas. beans. and variety Of fresh
vegetables are regularly included, are
not likely to develop pellagra. 1t
therefore seems to be a reasonable
conclusion that II will be advantage
Gus financially and conductive to
health to grow more Irish potatoes In
this section. A large potato crop will
certainly reduce the grocery bills and,
perhaps. the doctors bills also.
The agitation for the repeal of the
crep lien Law In all the Southern States
Ia boing renewed by the agricultural
press under the leadership Of the Pro-
gressive Farmer. The repeal Of the
Her law Is set up as one Of the es-
sentiais for the restoration OF pros
pss1tY South Carolina for many
years fought over the question and 4,
was an isue In several campaigns. The
sentiment In favor of repeal formerly
became preponderant and a legisla-
ture was elected pledged to the repeal
OF the crop lien law and the repeal
wes duly enacted. But Immediately
. system Of agricultural chattel
mortgages was devised and put into
operation and the crop lien business
hes continued to flourish. There has
h4en no substantial change In the
system and II any good results follow
ed the repeal Of the crop lien law we
have not observed II. The business of
this section had SO long been done
% credit. the basis OF which was the
crop lien. that 1t was impossible to
MAKE tho radical change contemplate.
ed by tho repeal Of the lien law. 1t
was necessary that a substitute sys.
tenn of credit be provided for the
farmers and as no attempt was made
to do this by those who agitated for
tho repeal Of the lien law. the whole
matter fell fiat. The agitation that the
Progressive Farmer has undertaken Is
more wisely conceived In that the de-
mand for tho repeal Of the crop lien
law Is coupled with a demand for the
establishment Of system OF rural
credits made I'm the interest of the
farmers. IL this programme can be
put into effect the results cannot fail
TO be OF tremendous benefit TO the
small farmers Of the entire South, but
the whole thing hinges upon the sys-
tenn OF credits. II n practicable. work
. ing system OF rural credit can be de-
vised for Southern farming conditions
the crop lien law need not be for
mally repealed. since Il will be eradi-
Gated. II exists now only because 1t
Is a necessity dire and oppressive
necessity In many instances Remove
this necessity by the creation OF q
safe and simple system of rural cred :
It's and the lien law will no longer
trouble the farming interests OF the
South. Rut to repeal the lien law