The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1916-06-14
RURAL COMMUNITY
BUILDING PLANNED
CONG. LEVER WILL CONDUCT EH
PERTINENT SOMEWHERE IN
STATE THIS FALL.
DISPATCHES FROM COLUMBIA
Dolnss and Happenings That Mark
the Progress Of South Carolina Peo-
ple, Gathered Around the State
Capitol.
Columbia.

Special from Washington. - Con-
.eressman Lever is planning to make
an experiment in rural community
building somewhere in South Carolina,
beginning this fall. The effort, while
building a community spirit, will dem
onstrate the practical value for farm
ers of the legislation for rural credits
Standardization of warehouse receipts,
and cotton standards in security COM
munity cooperation. A fine grade> OF
cotton will be used, and Mr.. Lever
homes to have the services of govern
ment experts in getting the work
done.
His purpose is to make the work
permanent in the community, and II
NAV be several years before the re-
suits expected are attained. He ex'
pressed the belief that the commun'
ity he proposes will be an example
Of value to the South as well as to his
own state, and his hope is that model
rural community may be established
with the people cooperating along all
lines that make for progress and bet
terment.
He will choose some section where
the people are homogeneous, and call
a meeting. He will ask them for the
next year to prepare their land and
use the cottonseed under the direc'
ton of a demonstrator. 1t is prob
able that the upland long staple Will
be used.
The community idea will develop
along the following lines: The WORK
of the community with the cotton un'
der this plan pre-supposes a commun'
ity gin, which means O gin co-opera'
lively owned. 1t pre.supposes, TOO
community buying and mixing OF fer
tilizer. A soil survey expert will sno"
the needs of the soils and fertilizer
will be used which applies especially
there. Community selling will be nee
essary. Mr.. Lever said that selling rs
a feature of agriculture that farmers
know less about than any other fea'
ture.
Mr.. Lever entered in a criticism
that has obtained in the South in
which farmers sell to buyers without
knowing the real value Of their cot
ton. "Four-ffths of the cotton Of the
South is sold that way. The big
BUYERS have given small owners OF
stores in small towns the quotation
on which to purchase the staple
These people are not fully acquainted
with the grades. The cotton growers
are not and the result is that the
price paid often is not what the farm
ers should get.
This leads to a small community
warehouse, owned, controlled and
operated by the community on the
safest basis. It can be operated in
conjunction with the Federal system.
Mr.. Lever wants an expert cotton
grader to stay with the people for a
time to demonstrate the values OF
their cotton to them. Not only by
this method will much higher cotton
be put on the market for its real
value but they will be taught the va
rious grades of cotton so they Will
know what they are selling when no
expert is around.
That community will probably sell
1000 bales" said Mr.. Lecer, in fol-
lowing the outline of his plans. We've
got to have competition in buying cot
ton. There is practically no compe-
tition now. The thing to be done IS
10 make a market day for buying
cotton and let the fact be advertised
Sc the buyers can be on hand at a
given time. Let US say that on a GER
tain day we will sell so bales. That
will interest the mills, and they Will
feel justified in sending buyer on
the ground for the occasion. Let
them advertise the quality Of the cot
ton, say that it grades up to middling
fair, with length of staple Of one
and quarter
That, in substance. Is Mr.. Levers
idea, for the beginning Of the COM
nunity work.
"If you can demonstrate to the farm
er that he can make money by CO.
operation in growing cotton you Will
have instliied in him spirit of co.
operation and you can follow it out
in other agricultural activities and in
community building.
Mr.. Lever is seeking the best full
fllment of community life in the rural
districts to which requires co-opera-
ton.
Shoe String Act Goes to Court.