Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1915-07-30
900 would have felt good in a year lik'
Itbiso he said

proved beyond question by actual de-
Velopments; but he had no quarrel
with Governor Blease for holding up
the bill so 1t could not become a law
until too late for the ratification OF
the people in the pending election. He
was willing to trust to the good Judg-
ment of the people in any propositions;
but while he himself had no doubt
whatever as to the adequacy Of the
ed questions hat the people could not
understand without intelligent explain
alton, and as the time was SO short
for such explanation, he was not pre-
pared to say that the governor had
acted unwisely In handling the matter
as he had done. He did not hesitate to
say, however, that the bill was sand
bagged and hamstrung" by people who
get their living out Of the cotton pro-
ducers Of South Carolina
Next MI. Stevenson took up and dis
cussed at considerable length the con-
troversy between the United States
and England as to cotton. When our
government protests against the action
of England In holding up cotton des-
tined to Germany, ETC., England comes
back at US with the precedent set by
the Federal government hen 1t was
trying to starve the south during the
civil war. He thought it vas the duty
of the president to repudiate this old
doctrine, and to insist that cotton
should have the freedom Of the seas,
and although he did not want to be
understood as wanting war, he felt that
the president would be amply justified
in giving England to understand that
unless she agree to free trade In cot
ton, the United States will lay an m
barge on the food supplies and NUM-
tons by which alone England Is now
able to carry on the a He explained
that the cotton for which England is
now paying 10 cents Is the same that
was wrung out Of the farmers OF the
south for 6 cents, and every cargo that
England seizes out Of this crop makes
Just that much less that she will have
to pay for out. Of the next crop. Mr..
Stevenson said he did not believe In
this war business, but he did believe
in this country protecting it's rights
and he thought that the exercise of. q
little backbone would secure what
properly belongs to Us. Mr.. Stevenson
was literally applauded.
Hon. John L. MeLaurin.
Hon. John L. McLaurin followed Mr..
Stevenson and began his remarks with
hearty commentator Of what thai
speaker had said as to the proper
treatment OF England. He repeated In
part what he had said about every
body getting rich out Of the war ex-
cept the cotton farmer, and showed
how our misfortune in the matter was
chargeable to the high-handed AFRO
gance of England, and the lack of or.
ganization in the south. He deploreo
,ko of-lyino ~ tho 4 ttoifa nfo q q a mng1
horrible affair; but he insisted that the
freedom Of the "a for American cot
ton was a matter Of very much greater
concern to US than this horrible trag'
edy. The Lusitania matter was little
more than an ordinary incident OF war
the loss Of a thousand lives OF so II
one place where other thousands o.
lives were being just as unjustifiably
snuffed or starved vi in other places
But against this tragedy he was dis.
posed to weigh the tragedy OF hun.
dreds Of thousands of our own people
being deprived Of the proceeds Of theil
labor without any show Of right OF
justice because Of the high-handet
action Of England. He charged thai
England had taken our cotton whole
sale at 5 and 6 cents q pound n wa
retailing it out to other nations at ~
cents a pound. He did not want any
war, he said; but in this matter 1t 1!
up to US to defend ourselves, else W.
are liable to be reduced to circum.
stances no less desperate than war cal
bring upon us. In view Of the fac
that the United States Is now the only
| country in the world that Is on a golt
basis, and we are adding to our wealth
at q ate that in another year vii
make us weather. than all the othel
nations put together, we are going Il
| be extremely lucky II We get through
with this thing without getting into {
war that might be brought abou
through envy Of our good fortune.
Mr.. McLaurin discussed the ware
house system at length, stressing NOR
| particularly the finance feature there
of, and declaring that 1t Is the onl!
means by which the cotton producer
a hope to take care OF themselves II
the existing situation. He gave fig
ures to show how the tremendous cot
ton crop Of last year had so largely
disappeared by reason Of the use of 81
much Of It for making powder, ant
how although next year the world!
supply will be only about two-third!
| Of the legitimate demand, the produc'
\ ers of cotton cannot hope to get any
thing like their share Of the high price.
that are certain to obtain unless they
warehouse their cotton and finance the
same in accordance with the system
| that he has worked out. The creates
enemies Of the cotton producers, M
said, are not in England and Germany
but right here at home-the people
who refuse to help them out Of thu
present situation and be satisfied will
their Just proportion Of a Legitimate
profit. II these would join in and hell
in what we are trying to do, 1t would
be easier and more profitable for al
Of us.
The speaker discussed In detail the
necessity for a law to license cottor
grading and told how 1t would wori
without injustice to anybody, and II
doing so emphasized the significance
Of the fact that although we have laws
governing weights n measures IT
all other commodities, these laws al.
ford no protection whatever for cotton
In conclusion, Mr.. McLaurin review.
ed the strenuous efforts he q pu'
forth during the past several years tt
help the cotton producers to q fairei
and more equitable method Of market.
ing their crops, told briefly what hat
been accomplished up to this time, anC
put it up to his hearers something Xix
this:
You understand very we'll what I an
trying to do. l have explained to YOU
fully and frankly the imperfections OF
| the warehouse law, and how much de
ponds upon your backing. o wha'
are you going to do? II you are 60
ing to build warehouses, quit talking
and do it. II you are not, say 80, anc
let me return to my W affairs.
promise you that If you build ware.
houses and put your cotton therein,
| will see to 1t that you get all the mon.
ey you need, from your local bankers Il
they will cooperate, and from else
where IL they will not. II you will give
me a law to license the grading Of cot.
ton, l will see that the law Is enforced
to the very great profit Of the seller, OF
will give you some mighty good white
labor on your roads. But whatever
you are going to do, do it, and quiz
talking.
The fact that Mr.. McLaurin had
many friends in the big audience was
evidenced by frequent applause. Wher
he concluded his address, shortly be.
fore IL o'clock, he started for Charlotte
with the intention of taking Mrs. Nc
Laurin from the hospital to the noun
tains.
Hon. D.. e. Finley.
Sometimes, said Congressman D. E
Finley, who was ext introduced tc
l- -sa@s1 10 q