The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1915-01-09
DABBS ANSWERS KANORR.
To the Press OF The State:

To the Press OF The State:
Some weeks ago there appeared in
the National Field. the weekly farm
paper owned by National Farmers
Union, a circular letter sent out by
Dallas hardware firm urging their re-
tail stores to demand of the farmers
that they sell cotton and pay their
accounts. so that the retailers could
pay the wholesalers and so on. Pres
ident Lewis Of the Texas State Farm
ers' Union answered this circular ef-
fectively when he said why Is the
farmer picked out as the only one
who Is to sell his wares at cost or be-
low to keep trade moving 1t was
announced that New York firm was
so much pleased with this circular
that they would send out ten thou
sand copies in the east, of course,
without the answer Of the Texas
Farmers Union. A Charleston news
paper published 1t and perhaps other
papers In the State also. From the
standpoint of the merchant 1t
sounds like good advice.
Taking up the campaign Mr..
Kanorr. a hardware salesman Of Flor
ence. I am informed, has published
several letters giving farmers down
the country" for not selling their cot
tor and paying their debts. One of
his pet sentences Is Farmers, what
would you do II notices were posted
saying-No goods sold after January
1st. 1915. except for cash ?" He then
proceeds to read q good lecture of
about three-fourths Of q column to
the farmers on the need to them of
being honest, etc. When l read his
first letter. was disposed to be pro-
voked at what appeared to be a part
of a conspiracy Of the Texas hard
ware house to force the farmers to
sacrifice cotton to maintain the cred
II and standing Of merchants. But
when Mr.. Kanorr repeated and 1 saw
how seriously he took himself 1t be-
came amusing.
wonder II he has considered what
would happen. II the merchants could
be persuaded to put up such a sign ?
Well. in the first place they would
not live up to 1t thirty days. With
almost nothing being sold along about
the last week In January a farmer
would go to town and the merchant
that he usually bought goods from
would say "Mr. Blank. come in and
let me sell you something" mo, ]
have no money" Well, that does not
apply to you. whenever you want any
thing. come in and get 1t. We know
you are all right" The farmer would
say, "Well. believe I do need a pair
OF plow lines; 1t Is rather trying to
plow with grapevines for plow lines"
And so the credit system would be in
full swing again for Mr.. Blank would
be only one Of the thousands of
farmers approached in the same way.
But just suppose for argument that
the merchants would live up to such a
plan. Business would be reduced
more than half. Nearly all the
bookkeepers would lose their jobs.
Half the clerks would be dis
charged. Mr.. Kanorr would be one
OF the statesmen to lose his job. or his
territory would be more than doubled
to take thu place of some other good
man who would have to seek other
employment. None Of these men
could set work as carpenters or build
ers. for these trades would be dis
charging men. They could not get
work on the freight trains. for the
railroads would have to lay off that
part Of the time. Owing to the scar
city OF travelling statesmen and other
passengers some passenger trains
would be discontinued. These clerks,
bookkeepers. statesmen, masons, car
penters, etc.. could not even get Jobs
as section hands for fewer trains and
lighter ones would mean less repair
to tracks and road bed and section
men would be laid of to still further
increase ARMY Of the unemployed.
What could they do? Well. I am
afraid our friend. Mr.. Kanorr. and his
friends would have to try taking up
some OF the unimprOved lands that
are such source Of annoyance to our
worthy commissioner of agriculture,
and the progressive boards Of trade of
our cities, aided and abetted by the
editors OF our metropolitan oailies
who are clamoring for Belgian sirm-
ers to show us natives how to farm.
In .s.E -