The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1915-12-18
CROPS GATHERED AT DALZELL,


all gathered and a short one it is.
Cotton should bring a good price, if
supply has anv controlling influence.
With an eleven million bale crop. with
the surplus b ought over from last
year, we have not anything extraor-
dinary and the world is bound to be
scarce of cotton before there is anotb-
er crop made.
The oat crop, which is a great es-
sential in farming, is about all in.
There is some yet to be solved, but not
very much. There is also a good deal
OF wheat planted, which is an indica-
tion that so much -four will not have
to come from the west to supply the
demand next year.
Farmers are talking about the high
price of fertilizer and a good many
are somewhat at sea as to whether
they vii. buy the amount used hereto.
fore. Another short crop Of cotton
will be a blessing to the South and
the prices now asked for fertilizers is
another blessing in disguise. Some.
who claim to be informed. tell us that
the belligerent nations need cotton
and must have it for manufacturing
explosives and various other purposes.
so it looks to the average observer
that If the war continues for another
year or two and the South continues
to make short crops Of cotton and
plenty Of foodstuffs for man and
beast, we will soon recover some of
our losses, which we have sustained in
the past. Plenty of hog and hominy.
winter cover crops and less CONNER
cial fertilizer, with less land, time and
attention devoted to cotton spells a.
more prosperous people. Such q pol
icy should be the slogan of the South.
Germany now seems to be ready to
consider terms of peace, but the en-
tente Allies don't seem to be ready.
The sacrifices of life, money and prom
erty has been astounding, and one
hundred thousand square miles or ter
ritory has been lost by the auadruple
entente, and it does seem reckless on
their part to want to keep up such a
bloody strife. Servia is practically
lost and the invasion of Montenegro
ts- e-r,tra1 AI1,Ss- 50 Ion.IaSEo
ing these facts, and all other territory
the German factions have with pow
er to levy an eXtortionate tax upon. to
be appropriated in prosecuting the
war, the outlook for the entente does
not appear particularly bright.
President Wilson's message to con-
Sress the other day is worthy of study
by every man Of average intelligence.
Not only congress should ponder and
weigh it we'll, but the whole American
people should give it profound con-
sideration. Unpreparedness, in case
of an attempt by some OF the great
powers of Europe, to invade our coun-
try would put us in a helpless plight
and self-preservation being the first
law of nature, we should by all means
do all in our power to be ready for
such an event, Notwithstanding we
are peace-loving people. A COM
mercial marine is another important
factor that this country needs as bad
as anything else in building up her
interest as progressive nation. The
president said the other day that it
had been shamefully neglected. That
is no new information to the Ameri-
can people. When this country reach
es that stage, where she can do her
own shipping, or greater per cent.
of it, new fields of trade will open up.
and rates of transportation will be
less. which, of course, will be a valu-
able asset to the shippers of this
country, and the producer having to
bear all burdens of freight on his
product, will share in the reduction.
Such Improvement in conditions is
what this country sorely needs.
J. c. Dunbar.