The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1917-04-25
M'llUn|M TALKS ON COTTON.
TELLS FARMERS THAT PRICE
WILL REACH THIRTY CENTS
AND HOLD TT.
However,, He Tells Farmers That II
h Their Duty Ia Ward on More Sc
rious Situation AMI as Patriots to
Raise More Than Sufficient Food for
THEIR Own ConsumptiOn-Mcctlng
Wen Attended.


.
The meeting at noon today, when
former United States Senator John L.
McLaurin OF Marlboro spoke to an
audience In the Court House on cot
ton and its relation In the world war
Of today. was largely attended and
the crowd was very attentive to what
the speaker had to say. Mr.. McIaur-
IN stated that Sumter. at the close of
the war. had an opportunity of be-
coming . great cotton center. IL the
buslu9ss men would take advantage
% the opportunities before them. He
sn3d that q compress was necessity
- export trade and, already having
} one hero. with the excellent facilities
for wsrehousing which Sumter had
ne saw no reason why the city should
not bs the leading cotton center OF this
section of the South.
He said that last year he had plant
"a one acre OF grain for every acre
of cotton on his plantation. This
year he had done better than that
He went on TO say that the farmer
Who ala not raise sufficient foodstuffs
for himself this year was a most sell
nsh kind OF man. II he did not have
enough foodstuffs for his own con-
sumption a very serious situation
faced him. and II was his duty as a
patriot TO plant more than enough, so
- to help feed others who could no.
grow foodstuffs.
The meeting was presided over by
osnator r. ID. Epps. who presented
tho speaker. Prior to Mr.. McLaur-
in's talk. a collection was taken to
dsfray the expenses OF the meeting.
IL was announced that Mr.. McIaurin
would meet with a committee during
the afternoon to confer about making
sumter more OF cotton center. A
resolution was passed by a rising vote
asking Congressman Lever and secre-
tary Il. 1. Reardon to see IL they could
not secure another competent cotton
grader for Sumter this fall and win
ter.
MT. Epps introduced the speaker o.
the day as man who know more
about tho cotton situation than any
other man I'm the South.
Mr.. McIaurins speech was as fol-
lowE
Fellow Citizens:
thank the gentlemen who invited
me to Sumter, I am always glad of
an opportunity to meet the people of
this county. I have made a great
many speeches South Carolina in
the past twenty-five years, and had
rather discuss public questions before
an Anderson or Sumter audience than
any county In the state. The people
as whole are better posted and take
more active interest In the great
cuestiops of the day.
note that I am expected to talk
on the cotton situation. IL may be
permitted to amend this just a little,
would say ION the cotton situation
In Its relation to world at war"
So far as Sumter Is concerned IL is
one Of the most favorably situated
towns In the State to become a great
cotton market. You have'the advan-
tnge OF being great railroad center
In the heart Of the very best belt of
cotton territory. venture the as
sertion. that with Sumter as the hub
that within radius OF rs miles the
yield OF cotton per acre exceeds any
area OF like size In the world. You
have splendid warehouse facilities
and strong banks. To draw cotton to
Sumter means trade for your mer-
chants and deposits for your banks.
When the state Warehouse system
was established. II was my hope to
see sales OF cotton direct from the
warehouses to the mills. There is no
better place than Sumter to inaugu-
rate the movement. This eliminates
useless middlemen and enable the
farmer TO get more than he can else
where. This will bring cotton here.
You can always draw cotton to Sum-
ter by giving storers of cotton the
lowest rate OF interest obtainable. a
warehouse in connection with q
bank Is a good proposition. The bank
gets the deposit when money is bor-
rowed or cotton sold. II Is n steady
stream. The warehouse gets the stor-
age which makes n profit. The bank
does not lend It's own money. II takes
the warehouse receipt and the FEEDER.
al Reserve bank discounts the re-