The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-06-29
NT70H GROWERS MEET.
ASKS GOVERNMENT no FIX COT
nv TON PRICES.
South Carolina Cotton Growers As
soc1ation Expresses Confidence I'm
Governments Policy OF Fairness In
Price Ffxing-Smith to Appoint
Delegates to Meeting In New Or
leans July 4.

I'm the State library yesterday after
soon at 2.30 o'clock and adjourned
Immediately upon the acceptance OF
a resolution to change the name of
the organization TO THE South Caro-
lima Cotton Growers Association"
The session of the new body was de-
clared TO be open by the presiding Of
f,cer. w. @. Smith, and matters relat-
Ing to price fixing on cotton and the
selection OF delegates to attend a con-
ference OF Southern bankers and
planters In New Orleans on July
were taken up.
Mr.. Smith said I'm his Introductory
remarks that great interest had been
manifested In the movement by the
farmers where county organizations
had been perfected. Next year the
farmers viii have at their disp osal the
services OF expert cotton graders in
Darlington. Greenville. Orangeburg
and Sumter.
president OF the Texas Bankers As
sociation. addressed to T. b. Thack-
SON. deputy State warehouse commits
sioner. was received as information.
J. A. Banks OF st. Matthews told OF
the services that the Federal Reserv
Bank had rendered to farmers during
the year 1915. and read a telegram
which he had recently received from
w. p. @. Harding. an official OF the
system. I'm answer to an inquiry as to
what steps would be taken to finance
very large and expensive cotton
crop. The telegram stated that the
matter had been under consideration
for some time by the bank officials
fnd that adequate provision would be
made to take care OF the needs of the
farmers In the cotton growing States
Wade stackhouse of Dillon was the
next speaker. DR.. Stackhouse said
that the cotton acreage this year was
tho largest that South Carolina had
ever cultivated, and that the condi-
don was at least s5 per cent. with
every indication that the percentage
Will rise as the crop natures. He said
that the law of supply and demand
did not control cotton marketing as 1t
did the salo OF other commodities
Cotton seed products. iron. copper
powder and other necessary materials
had been materially reduced in price
by the manufacturers when the gov
ernment requested that they should
do 30. the discount amounting. in
some instances. to 10 per cent. Dr.
stackhouse expressed II as his opinion
that the government could not force
farmers to sell their cotton at an ar
bitrary price fixed by officials, but at
the same time the price fixing Of cot
ton goods would automatically fix the
price OF the raw cotton. Four meas
ures were suggested by him to solve
TIE problem before the farmer
The association was urged to have
representatives to attend all conven.
tons and meetings where matters in
volving the interests of the farmers
are under consideration. and to pro-
vide fund with which TO defray their
expenses His second suggestion.
which was later put In the form OF q
motion and accepted with modifica.
uons. provided that congress should
conduct an investigation into the
mode OF operation employed by the
New York and New Orleans cotton ex-
changes. His third and fourth sug-
sestions were embodied In a resolu-
ton which read as follows:
BE II resolved. That the South Car
oiina Cotton Growers Association
meetipg this day in Columbia and
having representatives OF the various
counties In the state. hereby reques,
our delegation representing us in New
orleans on July l, TO support the fol-
lowing resolution. Resolved. That
We request the president OF the Unit
cd States through the food admins
tration as q war time necessity to re.
auire that at least one acre OF food
crop be planted in 1919 for each acre
planted In cotton; and that the grain
crop be fertilized pro rata with the
corresponding cotton acreage and cul-
ivated with the same skill; and tina,
no farmer in 1919 shall plant in cot.
ton an acreage greater than his aver.
age for the years 1915. 1916 and 1917.
We request that the president through
the food administration will appoint a
commission to determine fair value