The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1915-01-30
BELSER OPPOSED TO REPEAL.
POINTS OUT WHY 1T WOULD BE
lNJUDICIUOUS TO REMOVE
LAW.
Shows That There Will be a Surplus
OF Six to Seven Million Bales of Cot
ton This Year and Large Crop Next
Year Would be Injurious to the
Farmers.
Columbia State.

ser Of Sumter, who was one of the
leaders in the movement at the late
extraordinary session Of the general
assembly that resulted in the enact
ment Of the cotton acreage reduction
act, was in Columbia yesterday.
Noting" he said, that the legisla-
ture seems disposed to repeal the
law, I would like to call attention to
few Of the considerations which in
fluenced it's passage and to point out
that the conditions which now con-
front us are not materially different
from the conditions which were an
ticipated by those who worked for it's
enactment into law"
"The indications still are" Mr..
Belser continued, that there will be
"a surplus of 100000 or 100000
bales carried over from the 1914 cot
ton crop. With this condition existing,
1t certainly seems to be inviting ruin
Gus prices to let down the bars for
another full crop.
1.-THE only hope for securing a fair
price either for the crop on hand or
for the crop produced in 1915, lies In
so reducing the crop for 1915 as to
make room for the surplus carried
| over. This was the principle on
which the acreage reduction law was
founded.
Furthermore, it was. found that
this State imported from other Sec
tions corn an. corn products to the
value Of SIS, 10000 to $4,000, 900;
wheat and wheat products to the
value Of $1S,00O.OOO to $4,000, 900;
! hog products amounting to $4,000
900; mules and horses, $1,000, 900:
hay, $2.00O.000; oats $1,000, 900;
canned fruits, vegetables, ETC., s14.-
taot .Qao, and numerous lesser farm
products running up the i6taf 20 over
s70,O00,0oo of products WHICH could
readily be raised on South Carolina
farms
Now the total acreage in 'cultiva-
tion in the State is about 5,6OO,O 600
acres, Of which about half, or, $780,
600, was in cotton in 1914. With the
same total, compliance with the law
would reduce the acreage third,
or to about 100000 acres.
THE production of these products,
for which money is now sent out Of
the State. would certainly furnish
profitable employment for much more
than the 100000 or 100000 acres
which the law would require to be
taken out Of cotton.
To those who raise such a cry
about taking away from a man his
right to use his property as he likes,
1t need only be pointed out that as
community life develops this right is
necessarily restricted in various ways,
as for instance cities prescribe fire
limits and forbid the construction Of
wooden buildings, and numerous
other restrictions which could be
readily cited on the ground that the
public welfare SO requires.
| 1T must not be overlooked that
more than half Of the cleared or
arabic lands of the State be idle each
year; that system Of farming such
as would be necessary under the Op-
Grafton Of the cotton acreage reduc-
ton law would make it possible for
the same labor and work animals to
tend more land; that the system of
rotation to which it would give rise
would enable us to reduce the tre-
mendous fertilizer bill which annual
! ly consumes from One-third to ono
half Of the proceeds OF the cotton
crop; that the humus or vegetable
matter which would accumulate in
tho soil from the growing Of grain.
followed by peas and of the other
!eSurne crops, would permanently
build up our soils, prevent washing
and add greatly to the productivercss
OF our lands; that the conditions
which would thus be brought about
would add greatly to the profita bie-
ness Of farming.
IF it be conceded that the reduc-
ton should take place. that the re-
sulting system Of farming would add
to the permanent wealth of the State,
wherein can it be successfully con-
tended that the general welfare of the
State would not be promoted by ac-
cOmplishing the necessary reduction
with some degree Of uniformity by
law requiring the rcduction?"
Try !n OyCvrfIn V,.oS i,lcn.'.