Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1915-05-04
McLAURIN AT GOLD HILL

other explanatory of the causes, prog
ress and conduct Of the European
war, were a feature Of the exercises
in connection with the breaking Of the
Gold Hill school this year.
The school breaking exercises were
held last Wednesday, Thursday and
Friday. There was a three days pro-
gramme for the occasion, MADE up OF
plays, recitations, declamations, dia-
logues, etc, and participated in by
most Of the schools pupils. 1t was all
very interesting, especially to the pa
irons Of the school, and much Of 1t
was well calculated to interest even
casual visitors All Of 1t was good,
and we'll worthy Of a discriminating
write-up, which, however, Is not
practicable.
Mr.. McLaurin, who had spoken at
Filbert the night before, went over to
Gold Hill Friday morning, spent sew
eral hours there, went to Fort Mill In
the afternoon, spoke in Monument
Park at night and on Saturday went
over into Lancaster county, where he
spoke at another school breaking In
the afternoon. He was met by large
and appreciative audiences at all points
mentioned, and the people appeared
TO be deeply interested in all he had to
say.
At Gold Hill, the speaker was in
troduced by Hon. s. H. Epps, as
man who had held all the highest Of
fees within the gift Of the people OF
his county, his congressional district
and of the state; man who had de-
voted his life to the real welfare OF
his fellowmen, and who was coming
TO be appreciated for his real worth.
Mr.. McLaurin, Mr.. Epps declared, hao
done and Is doing more for the farm
ers of South Carolina than any other
man Of the state, and the speaker was
proud to have the honor Of introduc.
ing such a man to the people OF Golo
Hill.
MIR. McLaurin spoke for about for
ty minutes. He had listened WIFI
interest to recitations Of several of
the last speakers of the morning ana
was delighted with the manner In
which they had acquitted themselves.
His speech was along the line OF the
one he delivered at Filbert the night
before and Of his various published
addresses, except that he went Into
more detail as to the importance OF
grading cotton.
There is not one bale Of cotton In
hundred sold in South Carolina, he
said, that Is graded up to its full value
by the buyers, and the losses to the
producers on this account are great
er than any other one feature connect
ed with the marketing Of the crop.
He told how he had had his eyes
opened along this line in 1911, when
he sold 800 bales Of cotton for future
delivery. In order to be sure that the
cotton was acceptable, he had 1t grad
ed in advance by local expert grad
er, and when the representative OF the
New York factor to whom he had SOLO
came down to take it up, he made
difference on the local grader that
gave him nearly $1,000 advantage IN
the grading alone.
In South Carolina and in most other
cotton states, the rule among buyers
is to grade cotton on a basis of color
and October is generally held to be
best because of its white color and
later on, in November, December and
January, the grade is allowed to fall
lower and lower. AS matter Of fact,
he said, the color Of cotton In its raw
state has absolutely nothing to do
with its value, as in every case where
color counts at all, all cotton has to
go through a cleaning and whitening
process that brings it up to standard
color The real measure OF value, ne
said, is in the length, strength and
fineness Of the staple, and by way of
illustrating what he meant, he exhio-
tied three samples of raw cotton OF
different colors One was clear white
cotton picked in October another was
of darker shade picked in Novem-
ber and another was still darker,
picked in December. He declared that
each Of the three samples was oil
about the same value and that II there
was any difference it was rather in
favor of the December cotton, which
on the local market would be classed
under the other two g'ades. Then he
showed a number Of different samples
of beautiful white processed cotton
that had been made from the various
grades, and also samples Of bleached
linters, which he said would sell for
several times the value of the raw
product.
His object in exhibiting these sam
pies, he said, was to more emphati-
cally impress the points he was try
ing to teach. and then he went on to
say how, when the farmers got up
their own warehouses, and were made
to realize the Importance Of grade,
they would soon get all this informa-
ton in q practical manner that would
be to their very considerable financial
advantage.
He explained the relation Of cotton
and finance and told his audience how
if they had cotton stored In state
warehouse of their own in their own
neighborhood, with receipts in their
pockets, they would be able to get A.
nancial advantages that they had new
er dreamed of. He wanted them to
do their banking with their local
banks, and he was reasonably sure
that there would be no trouble along
that line. There would be presented
at first certain changes to the ad-
vantages of the farmer and rather out
of rhyme with the present ruling rate
of interest and discount that might
make some Of the bankers little re-
luctant to come in; but 1t would soon
be proved that the farmers advantage
was not to the banks disadvantage.
The apparent curtailment Of profits bv
reason Of reduced interest rates would
be more than made up by volume Of
business, and the volume of business
would help the banks as well as the
farmers, and the farmers as well as
the banks. However, where there can
be no satisfactory adjustment Of the
new relations on a basis of the estab-
lished order of things, state ware
house with 500 or more bales Of cot
ton converted into liquid securities on
basis Of the facilities offered by the
state warehouse system always carries
the potential possibilities of bank i'm
itself, and the owners of the cotton
have it In their power to get all the
help they need through their own ef-
forts.
The entire audience, men, women
and children. listened to Mr.. McLau-
rims discussion of the presumably dry
subject of cotton warehousing and
banking, with the deepest interest and
attention, and several times during the
talk applauded him vigorously.
After the speaking those present
enjoyed one of those famous Gold Hill
picnic dinners. and spent an hour in
pleasant social intercourse that was
thoroughly enjoyed by everybody. The
exercises were resumed in the after