The Pickens sentinel. (Pickens, S.C.) 1911-2016, 1915-12-16
ADDRESS OF
Gov. Richard [. Manning
Or South Carolina at the Initial Meeting of tha
House Of Southern Governors
in Charleston Monday Evening, December 13, 1915

House Of Southern Governors has been
accorded to me. 1t Is a sincere pleas-
ure to greet you here and to claim
| you as our guests.
The Significance and Importance Of
the subjects for discussion will be
recognized by glance at the program.
! This Congress will bring up pleasure
as necessary accompaniment Of the
gathering together Of men and women
representative in character and charm
Ing personality. But pleasure Is not
It's object. Nor are we here simply
to adopt resolutions. We are here to
deal seriously with genuine, serious
| problems problems that affect us Of
the south particularly, but in wider
sense, affect us in the nation. We are
here as southerners, but we yield not
| to north east or west in our loyalty
to the nation; and as Americans we
pledge our devotion and support to
our country's flag and to our countrys
constitution and laws.
Foremost among subjects to be dealt
with here is that Of Education"
! This subject is broad enough to cover
all the others, for without education.
no other need be considered; and edu-
cation in its final analysis is the
problem Of the botterment OF the race.
1t is education, too, that will lead US
| to apply science to agriculture, the
foundation stone of the material de-
velopmcnt OF the South.
The Importance Of applying science
| tn prin my ho I'm of
ed. The increased cost OF living
makes demand for increased pro-
duction. which canont be stilled. The
problems brought upon us by the war
In the Old World across the water are
enough to spur us onward to solve
them. But besides dealing with pres
ent conditions, we will be wise If we
| can catch the vision Of future oppor-
tunities, and will prepare to take ad-
vantage Of those opportunities, max
ing them count in our favor.
Rising to the viewpoint Of the great
| President who is now guiding our
national destinies, we can see that all
we do for ourselves is preparation
also for the service we will be called
upon to perform for the rest Of the
stricken world The things
we give will smooth the ocean
way for trade in things we sell
and natural impetus will be
given to all our industries. These re
wards will be our just dues, for W.
have not escaped scatheless from tn
mighty struggle All Of us remembe
the heavy cloud that settled over ou
fi1,;f s,, No ~,,.l1, do, -,
conflict. The seas were closed to us
the heecy staple Of the South gluttet
the market; food was high and money
was unobtainable. Men tell us now
and tell US truly, that we are unpre
pared for war. We were not thel
even prepared to remain at peace
while others fought.
| (Parenthetcally, let me say that be
| lieve firmly that South Carolina
stands conscious Of national unpre
paredness, but is ready and does
stand squarcly with the President in
his policy Of national preparedness
for defense.) l repeat, we are not
! prepared today This presents in
one phase, the task Of the Southern
! Commercial Congress-.
Cotton is southern product, but it
is a product OF national Importance.
! In normal times it maintains the bal
ance Of trade. 1t brings to our shores
$600.000,000 to $900,00000O in gold,
and 1T pays for the goods we import
| from Europe. 1t Is the material that
| clothes the world. and it Is practically
| without competitor The south has
practically monopoly in its produc-
| ton; but can the south afford to
ignore the insistent demand that in
handling and marketing this world
! important product, our methods must
! be changed in order that he who pro.
! duces this crop shall receive the full
benefit OF this monopoly? Cotton is
not pcrishablc, but con be kept indefi-
| nitcly if properly stored. Cotton that
! was burden to us a year ago, must
be insured as a resource, whether
! foreign markets are closed to us or
not. We must establish broader
| system OF cotton warehouses, properly
/ Safcguarded, SO that insurance and in
! tcrcst charges can be obtained at low
| rates; and warehouse receipts SO pro
tcctcd and sascguardcd that they will
be a giltcdgc collateral anywhere and
/ everywhere Tfc Federal Reserve
J Bank can, and does, furnish all money
/ needed, and we Of the south must do
| our part in seeing that all reasonable
requirements for the safety Of tho
security Of cotton warehouse receipts
are complied with / firmly believe
that the declaration Of Mr. McAdoo,
the secretary Of the treasury. that the
Federal Reserve Bank would lend
thirty millions or more, If necessary,
on cotton properly warchoused, saved
! us from disastrous losses by main.