Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1915-01-12

them. Furthermore, the trade, seeing
that the price cannot fall below Wha
has been fixed by the government, Is
likely to bid somewhat higher; while
the readiness Of the government tt
lend upon cotton tends greatly to re-
store confidence"
Germany did much the same thine
for the protection Of beet sugar. This
Is the big money crop Of Germany
When the war beean, Germany imme'
diately bought the beet sugar, ane
way. England had been in the habit
Of buying this sugar, and was obliged
to have 1t. She winked at this actor
on the part Of Germany, until England
got her supply, and then she declared
an embargo 1t is not far from the
truth to say that Germany largely f.
nanced her war by selling her sugal
crop to England, and England appear!
to be trying to finance her war through
the cotton crop Of the south.
II cotton were a monopoly In Ger
many, England or France, who doubts
that they would promptly Nationalist
1t, and hold the balance Of the world ir
tribute by its power?
No other country has such a mono.
poly as the south has, in her cotton.
which l have called attention, with hel
potash. England has pursued this pol.
Icy with her gold, by becoming the
worlds banker. Sweden and Norway
do the same thing with iron and steel
No people have such an opportunity
as we have, through our state govern
ments to establish q credit system OF
our own, entirely independent Of out
side aid. All that we have to do Is -
make our own ports cotton distribut-
ing centres, and our own banks the
repositories for the gold for which our
cotton sells, instead Of being as we
now are, the mere agents and vassels
Of New York and London.
A Step Forward.
The present Warehouse Act Is but q
small beginning in so great work
but 1t is distinct step forward.
/ realize that the fiscal condition OF
this state precludes the possibility Of q
large appropriation, but there are two
pieces Of property in the city of Co.
lumbia, belonging to the state-or vir-
tually belonging to the state-which
can be acquired and made to answer
the purpose Of the Warehouse Com
mission, at comparatively small cost
Suggestions.
The state has an equity in the state
dispensary property, on Gervais street,
Of about 100000. The state owns the
eight acres on which Is situated the
Richland Distillery. No one Is using
these buildings, and they are rotting
down. The purchasers Of the state dis
pensary property are willing to let the
state have 1t back. 1t has a three
story brick warehouse, with a sprin-
kler system, capable Of storing 7,5Ut
bales Of cotton.
Why not utilize the money invested
in one property to develop the other?
then, except compress, and II he
Sinking Fund were authorized to boz
row money, 1t could be repaid from
the profits which would acrue. The
commission on placing a few cargoes
Of cotton in Germany, at present prices
would pay for the entire plant. There
Is absolutely no risk, because the prop
erty purchased, and it's improvements,
would stand for itself and be self-sus-
tanning.
I recommend to your earnest con-
sideration that the Sinking Fund Com
mission be authorized to use the pro-
ceeds arising from the sale Of the old
state dispensary building to provide a
compress and suitable warehouse ia
cilities, on the property known as the
Richland Distillery, so as to enable the
State Warehouse Commissioner to
build modern warehouses, with every
mechanical appliance, to give cheap
storage. ~ '- -'''s-
Amendments Suggested.
I suggest that the law creating the
Warehouse System be amended in the
following particulars:
/. That the State Warehouse Com
missioner be authorized to make sales,
when requested by parties having cot
ton on storage, to either foreign or do
mestic spinners, and that you provide
the sum Of ten thousand dollars to be
used in the Inauguration Of this fea-
ture.
2. That the provisions in the act as
to certain counties being permitted to
build county warehouses to operate
under state management, so as to get
the advantage Of the state receipts, be
extended to all the counties Of the
state, and thus localiZe the system In
the various counties, and thereby
cheaper the cost Of operation, without
weakening in any way the strength OF
the State Warehouse system.
Cotton from these county ware
houses could be shipped, on milling
rates, via the compress, and go at one
rate Of freight from the farm to mill
in Europe or elsewhere.
Insurance Rates.
One Of the most expensive features
connected with the operation Of the
State Warehouse Act Is the heavy
rate Of insurance. If there Is any way
in which it can be done through the
Sinking Fund commission, so as to get
a cheaper rate Of insurance, / would be
glad to avail myself Of the opportuni-
ty.
1 think, however, II l am given the
funds to put in the double sprinkler
system to which I have called your
attention, that. under the rates now
offered, 1 could get insurance at ten
cents per hundred instead Of the pres
ent rate, which averages about 1925
per hundred dollars.
I will include in my supplementary
report, as directed by the act, list Of
the warehouses, locations, names of
managers, amount Of cotton on stor-
age, and such other details as may be
necessary for your full information.
I have the honor to be,
Your obedient servant.
Jno. L. McLaurin,
State Warehouse Commissioner.