The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1918-04-24
No. 16
R. D. COTHRAN WRITES
ABOUT THE TOBACCO
OUTLOOK IN COUNTY
Editor the Manning Times,
Manning, S. G.

Manning, S. G.
My dear Sir:
have purposed in my heart sever
al times of late to try and get some to-
bacco news through the columns of
your paper to the growers. The first
thing | want to get straight is re-
port that has become quite prevalent
in going the rounds that have said
that tobacco would not bring good
prices this time. ! wish to state in
the outset that do not know how
this originated. | first heard this in
January, coming at that time from
the Davis Station section. ! refuted
the statement to those who asked me
!if / had said this. | assured the en-
quirer that | had no ground to think
anything but that the weed would sell
good. | now get it coming from the
Salem section clothed in the same LAM
guage. have been asked several
times by friends if l had l..ade the
statement, only to hear coming from
me as told my Davis Station friends
two months ago, "Nr"
| suppose that most of the people
in Clarendon County who plant tobac.
co know that | went to Virginia and
did tobacco warehouse business af.
ter my season closed here last fall.
went there in September, ana closed
business March the 9th of this wear.
Several times while there ! wrote to
the papers, giving accounts of how
well tobacco was selling, etc. Messrs.
l.. 0. Holloway and G r.. Bowen OF
Lake City and myself did fine busi-
ness up there. We made things hum,
and averaged more than thirty-twe
cents through the entire season for
bright tobacco. ! recall writing at the
time that if the prices that were be-
ing obtained were anything to go by
that we could be assured of good
prices i'll South Carolina again this
year
/ have said this much to different
friends repeatedly when asked about
the tobacco prospect, etc.-that the
European war was our only stumbling
block this year; that if the Germans
should be successful it would likely eff.
feet both the prices of cotton and to-
bacco, rs both these crops arc largely
export, and this | have always abridg.
ed by saying that we must of course
not sit down and wait for this to han.
pen, but that we must win the war.
, l only spoke Of possibilities, and not
probabilities. | am not prophet;
hence l can not speak with authority
as to our future governing prices for
our products, etc. have always been
able to give out information from time
10 time, based on conditions as they
actually existed, by being familiar
with them. In this way have helped
my fellow man in my chosen vocation
to get information that has been OF
interest no doubt. am still in that
position, and will state that the old
markets in North Carolina, Virginia
and New York have about closed hteir
tobacco houses this year with by far
the best record ever made. Tobacco is
more in demand today than in any
time in its history. I see the govern.
mcnt has bought the entire output OF
the Bull Durham smoking tobacco for
this year. Tobacco has a great for
clgn demand. Cigarettes arc bring.
ing elghty-onc cents per pack Of tWen-
ty IN France. At least, this is vouched
ior by an eminent physician of Char
lotte, C., who left his business and
went across to help the boys heat the
Hun. | am putting jr an article writ.
ten by the editor Of !, Southern To-
bacco Journal which is encouraging;
also one from nibrcll Brothers, of
DanVillc, Va, who are good authority
on the tobacco situation. am fully
convinced that prices will be good,
based on the present demand for to-
bacco. | am myself planting eight
acres, along with other crops. OF
course, every thinking person win
know that | would not knock my own
business by dis '"uraging the planting
of tobacco. | will be liberal enough,
hough, to advise the planting of abun.
dant food crops first. The govern.
mcnt has said that we must make our.
selves supporting in the South
4
tor our soldiers and allies all of our
western grown stuff in the shape OF
export cdjblcs.
do not want TO be dictatorial, but
would like to urge upon every friend
that | have in Clarendon County, both
white and colorcd, that hasn't already
done so, to buy Liberty Bond or
some Thrift or War Savings Stamps
Mr.. j: f.. Kelley, as you doubtless
know, is chairman of the Liberty Loan
Mr.. Oliver O'Bryan is chairman of tho
Thrift and War Savings Stamps
committee. You can buy at postoffice
or any bank. You are not giving this
money away but merely loaning it to
the government to help defeat the
greatest enemy to mankind the world
has ever known, the German hordes.
For TINS investment you will save
whatever you put in it, together with
tour and one-half per cent interest,"
ana you will also help to save the
homes and liberty Of the civilized ma
ions of the earth. ! must confess that
this war has given me a great deal Of
concern. I am very much hurt at the
thought Of other people fighting,
bleeding and dying in war that war
forced ,a.pQn them without notice by