The Monroe journal., 1916-12-01
MUST CREATE A DEAD LINE
Senator McLaurin Says That TWEEN
~ Mile Strip Must BE Kept Clear
OF Cotton i'm Order Co Stop Weevil.

ssShatNf titf-adtt III SAY NAT ~ Hettt-
ty Mile Strip Must BE Kept Clear
OF Cotton i'm Order Go Stop Weevil.
Charlotte Observer.
That North and South Carolina
should cooperate in preventing the
invasion of the dreaded cotton boil
weeyil by utilizing the natural bar
rier of the Savannah River and
Strengthening it by means of a 20
mile strip in which no cotton would
be allowed to be planted at all and
then by stringent measures as to
quarantine. is the calm and confident
Judgment of former United States
Senator John L. MeLaurin of Ben
nettsville. 5. c.. who arrived in Char
lotte Sunday in his car on short
business trip TO the city.
Senator McLaurin is large cotton
planter himself and is probably the
best posted expert on cotton growing
and marketing TO be found In the
State of South Carolina. For the past
decade and longer he has been toiling
in season and out for the benefit of
the cotton farmers of the southeast
and has always been in the forefront
of those working for the good of the
cause of the great agricultural class.
This being so. he has viewed with
apprehension the continued advances
of the boil weevil pest as ii has
gradually worked its way across the
Mississippi and on into Georgia. The
effect of the storms in accelerating
Its advance last year and the year
before has been noted and il is now
generally believed that unless some
thing is done IL will be in South
Carolina within the next three years.
That ii will arrive in due season is
said to be certain by the experts
unless something is done.
What Senator McLaurln Suggests.
This something is just what Sena-
tor McLaurin has suggested to the
authorities in South Carolina and he
will also present it to the authorities
in North Carolina when he believes
the time is ripe.
Senator McLaurin believes that his
idea is feasible and that il will be
effective if properly initiated and
then consistently handled.
Says he:
There is something that is just as
sure as death and taxes and that is
the arrival of the boil weevil in the
cotton belt unless something is done
to check or permanently stop it. The
idea that | have in view and one
that has been incorporated in my re-
port is to establish a prevention zone
at the natural barrier of the 'Savan-
nah River which in itself is quite
a consideration. From Augusta to the
sea, the river offers a broad swamp
area North of Augusta there is a
space that will have to be reinforced
until the upcountry is reached where
there is little or no cotton planted.
The plan is to declare belt ada
cent to the river 20 miles wide in
which no cotton shall be grown and
this cottonless zone, added to the
natural barrier of the river, will pro-
vide a 40 mile zone which would be
such a hindrance TO the boil weevil
invasion that 1t will check il
for years. OF course. added to this
would be effective quarantine meas
ures
THE value to the Carolinas would
be incalculable when il is considered
that all the rest of the cotton belt
would be infested with the weevil
thereby reducing the yield material.
ly. 1t would be a great gold mine
to the two States. The cost would
not be excessive and by means oil
prompt measures could be put in
effect without delay. OF course the
longer the two States delay the more
difficult the carrying out of this
plan will be-"
Little Cotton Stored.
Senator McLaurin is hale and hear.
ty and carries his years splendldly
He is State warehouse commissioner
in South Carolina and therefore has
an admirable opportunity for know.
ing just what is happening in cotton
circles in the State. He was asked
last night about the cotton stored In
South Carolina.
There is only very little" said
he. Cotton at 20 cents offers slight
inducement to the farmer to hold fol
higher prices. The amount of cotton
stored in South Carolina today is on
ly small part of what was there
last year"
Senator McLaurin was asked If ht
believed that cotton would go high
er.
Il do" was his emphatic rejoin
der. Il took occasion recently to
compare the general schedule Of
prices today with those that existed
just before the war. And would you
believe me. cotton today al 20 cents
was about the lowest in the lot. AS
compared with other lines it is cheap
| believe that 25 cent cotton will be
realized"
Reverting to the cottonless belt
along the Savannah River as means
OF checking the invasion of the boil
weevil, Senator McLaurin declared
that 1t could be done easily. the far.
mers in that territory being shown
just what other crops could be rails
ed probably to the exclusion of cot
ton. Crop diversification would be
the means.
A leap year girl who proposed In
vain to half dozen men says there