Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1915-10-01
AT THE NEW YORK END AGAIN
Warehouse Commissioner and Sales
AGENT Go North.

Columbia, September Ex-senator
| McLaurin has been called to New
| York, presumably for q c~onference-on
the cotton situation. It will be re-
membered that in August he suggested
in a letter to President Wilson that
the Allies be extended a credit for the
purchase of supplies in this country.
Senator McLaurin said he had reason
to believe that the Germans were
buying cotton here; that 1t was incon-
ceivable that a nation SO far-sighted
would permit England to obtain a
monopoly in this important munition
Of war. Even If peace were declared
tomorrow, and England had the sur
plus cotton, she could compel the
Continent to buy it at a large profit.
1t would be a singular condition, when
we remember the situation last fall,
to see foreign governments competing
in our markets for cotton.
Asked what maSe him say Germany
was buying cotton, Senator McLaurin
said, well 1 think it better not to say
too much; business people don't want
their affairs paraded in n news
papers,"
1T Is magnificent, the way the far
mers are holding. The present advance
is due to cheap money. Low prices in
the fall have come heretofore from
the contraction Of credit. This Is the
first time that we have had extension
of credit just when needed, at the crop
marketing period. Credit Is always
freely given at the planting season, to
promote a big crop, and then brutally
withdrawn at the marketing period,
so that the distress cotton breaks the
market, and after the middle-men get
hold of it credit is again made easy
N ND Il n1xnnnno Thfo q - thu fanont
farmer is having a show. I think the
State Warehouse system Of South
Carolina played an important part,
but Woodrow Wilson and McAdoo
turned the trick, and I say, God bless
them.
81 want the farmers to hold the
present crop, and let the cotton carried
over be consumed. Force the con-
sumption Of the surplus Of 1914, then
next spring we will talk turkey
about 1915"
Col. T. B. Thackston the newly ap-
pointed sales agent will accompany
the senator to Washington, when he
will take the matter up officially.
Col. Thackston said that "in the
development of the state warehouse
system we have just reached the really
big thing in it-direct sales of cotton
llOlu Tic " IL SuoloiilCl. III
means q stable price for cotton and
Standardization of grades. The COM
missioner has done a great work in
providing negotiable security which
enables the gradual marketing of the
crop, but, after all, borrowing money
on cotton Is a mere temporary exped-
lent; the main thing is to sell advant-
ageously. We do not grow cotton to
warehouse: we grow it to sell.
MY plans at present have not been
formulated, and 1 prefer to say moth
ing until after more mature delibera-
ton and a more thorough acquaint-
ance with the plans Of the Federal
government. l will say, however, that
the result can only be achieved by the
cooperation Of the individual farmers.
The organization Of the farmers for
marketing purposes is the foundation.
I believe hat the success in securing
credits at this unusual time for the
advance of cotton prices at the mar
keting period is such a lesson that the
farmers of the south are prepared
now to go further. 1t inspires them
with confidence and teaches them the
value of combined effort.
There is no reason why, with the
machinery which Mr.. McLaurin has
perfected, to wit, the state warehouse
system, that the farmers of this state
cannot organize n control absolutely
the sale Of this years cotton crop"