The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1918-11-20
pledged TO
HOLD COTTON
Movement Set ON root IN
Columbia
FARMERS URGED
TO OR G A ~! Z L

Senator Smith Furnishes Data to Show
TINT Recent Drop in Cotton rriceS
Unwarranted. Says that the Require
ments are Greater than the Supply
OH Hand.
Columbia, Nov. 19-Cotton growers
from every section of South Carolina in
conference in Columbia yesterday
pledged themselves to hold the crop
off the market until the staple is sell
ing at 80 cents q pound, mddling basis.
A resolution was also adopted, au-
thorizing the executive committee OF
the State Farmers Union to call on
President Wilson to abolish at once
the two boards dealing with cotton OF
which Brand and Page are chairmen
This committee was also authorized to
purchasing committee to furnish the
names of the parties in the South who
sold cotton short the last few weeks
thereby causing such disastrous
slump in the cotton market.
TO provide the machinery with
which TO carry into effect the aims Of
the growers, a central committee OF
Is was created. This committee is
authorized "to study the cotton situn-
ton. u establish and maintain COOP
orativc action with other cotton
States, to advise farmers and other al
lied interests as to what steps to take
to secure the best possible prices for
the 1918 crop and as to cotton and
food production for 1919 and TO organ
izc the farmers and their allied inter
ests for their mutural protection
Eight members Of the committee
are named in the resolution. These
arc to select seven others and there
are to be on the committee eight bona
fldc farmers. Each congressional dis
trict is to have representation. Tho
eight named in the resolution are:
Governor Manning, A. G. Summers
commissioner of agriculture; DR.. w
NJ. Riggs, president Of Clemson Col
lege W. w. Long, Capt. j. II. Claffy
president OF the State Farmers Un
ion; w. G. Smith, State warehous'
commissioner; j. Skottowe Wanna
maker, president of the South Caro-
lima Bankers Association, and V.
Montgomery, president Of the Soutl
Carolina Manufacturing Association.
The meeting was unusually we'll at
tended, there being approximately 25
farmers from all parts Of the State, al
good, substantial citizens. vitality In
tercsted in the present status OF tn
cotton market. The meeting wa
called at noon in the library at tn
State Capitol, but the crowd could ne
be accommodated in this room an
the meeting was adjourned to tn
court house.
Governor Manning called the COZ
vcntion to order and referred to tf
urgent necessity of those interestt
in and dependent upon cotton to me
and deliberate calmly. He had inaug
rated the movement for the Allan
conference when the holding mov
ment was initiated and he felt tn
there should be we'll defined NOV
ment in South Carolina to keep Z
cotton off the market in this cris
DIR. Wade Stackhouse nominated w.
Smith, warehouse commissioner. pc
manent chairman OF the conventic
WillfaHa Banks was elected secreta1
tE. r. Coker then introduced
resolution embodying the sentiment
the convention. which resolution
thoroughly debated before being fina
adopted.
Capt ]. II. Claffy Of Orangebu
president of the State Farmers Uni
seconded the resolution and @
phasized the Importance Of the rep
senAatives going back home and
ganising local unions. II the st
were well organized at this time
unions would afford the necess
medium for getting before the fal
ers the holding movement.
R. Nj. Mixson Of Barnwell oppo
the resolution, arguing that 1t was
mild. Later in the day he offere'
substitute resolution, which
tabled.
Senator e. d. Smith made the cl
talk, reviewing in It's various ran