The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1918-11-20
South Carolina Cotton Manufacturers

The eight above mentioned are to
meet at once and select seven other
men well qualified in agriculture,
marketing or finance. The commit
tee as finally constituted shall consist
of at least eight bona fide farmers,
| and at least one of it's members shall
come from each of the seven con-
gressional districts of the State. The
committee shall meet, organize and
proceed with it's duties at once. 1t
shall have power to call together this
convention from time to time, and
may fill vacancies in it's own per-
sOnnel.
Second. That the members of this
convention be asked to contribute one
thousand dollars at once for the pre-
limnary expenses of the committee
Of fifteen.
Third. That the farmers of South
Carolina be urged to either hold all
cotton from the market pending the
action of the committee, unless the
market in the meantime reaches 35
cents middling basis.
Fourth. That the banking interests
be urged to cooperate fully in the
| campaign for better prices.
| Fifth. That all owners of cotton be
! urged to store and insure all cotton,
using the facilities of the State ware
house system as far as they are avail
able.
Sixth. That the committee is expect
ed to use the organization of the
| Council of Defense, the Department
Of Agriculture, Commerce and of the
! extension division, to secure the full
cooperation of all the farmers in this
program.
Senator Smith Speaks
Senator f. D. Smith was then callea
upon by the convention, and he re-
viewed the cotton situation. We of
the South alone produce the textiles
for the whole world. He quoted Sir
Arthur Hutton, president of the Brit
ish Textile Association, to show that
Lancashire converts 100000 bales of
cotton. The cotton of India is so short
and weak that it is negligible fac
tor in English spinning, and weaving
The invested capital of England is the
quality of American cotton. He re-
called the disaster of 1914 with the
mercc. Cotton could not then be sold
at all. 1t was fully predicted that the
South would have four or five million
bales to carry over. England made
cotton a cOntraband, and Germany
was bottled up.
Smith Gives Figures
The country was face to face with
q large surplus. He, with others, had
pleaded with the government to sta
biliZe cotton, as it was the basis for
credit, and to bond cotton to tide over
the crisis. The government said it was
an economic mistake to interfere with
cotton. What happened 2 From August
l, 1914, to August l, 1915, right in the
midst of the shock there was con-
sumed 14,800,000 bales of cotton, to
world. From August I 1915 we con-
sumed 14,200,000 bales The next year
we consumed 12,400,000 bales.
In the early part of this present
year there was circulated a report that
there would be five million bale sur
plus, and this plus the report of 49,
1000 bale crop indicated another
1914 crisis. In the years subsequent to
1914 there was consumed within two
millions more than were produced. The
next year, 1917-198, there was con-
sumed three million bales less than
| crown. And nobody knew this better
than the cotton spectators them
selves. He had obtained the figures
ON the director of the census. There
was produced 34,000,000 and the
ciiouIIC SoiouiNCt eSBIcSulcu I'll, ,UUU,
600. Those were the figures of the
government. And even then ther was
a propaganda that there was a 5,OOO,-
coo bale carry over. He was glad to
see that the figures that Mr.. Coker
bad brought back from England cor
rob0rates these facts.
England today, which consumes
100000 bales had on hand no stock
at all. They are~trying over there to
buy ten bale lots. Germany consumes
100000 bales and Austria consumes
100000 bales and the rehabilitation
Of those countries will mean that it
will go under the eye of England
and France and Italy and America
The factories in Germany have not
been destroyed. He had been told that
it would not been fair to permit Ger
many to pick up the threads and go
on where she left off, before France
and England could be rehabiitated
He has plan to offer, that the Ger
man mills may be used to rehablitate
France and Italy and England He had
been criticised for voting to give au-
tocratic power to the government in
the distribution of grain, but he
thought that it was Necessary to sac
rificc democracy that dcmocracy
might live.
-W-S-S--
POPE is NOT REGRETFUL