The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-10-09
COTTON PURCHASE BoARn.
How Farmers Prevented F;Aing Cot
ton Price.

Or the CNaRSCDu:S CoUilty = III iIieA >
! Union held on last Saturday, V. o
i Tatum, the delegate sent to Wash
| ington to represent the farlne-s S IN
ao.. Of this county. and Captain Cat
y. representing the State farmers
union, made their report, which wa
in substance as follows:
The entire delegation from South
| Carolina was composed of the delega-
ton above mentioned, 4. G. Summers
the present commissioner Of aSricui'
| ture Bonneau Harris. commissioner
elect. William Banks, the editor of the
Carolina Stockman and Farmer, and
Thomas ". Zeigler Of Orangeburs
county.
Every other State in the cotton bell
was represented By a strong delesa-
ton. with the exception Of Tennessee
and Florida The South Carolina del
egat;on was in favor OF, fixing fatt
price. but it stood alone. All the otile:
Staees were opposed TO any price benz
fixed, and gave notice that they would
fight that proposition to the last
ditch.
The representatives of the cotton
States held two meetings on MONDAY
and invited the senator's and repre-
sentatives from the cotton States to
a meeting to be held that night. The
meeting was held at the Ebblt House
and speeches were made b. Senators
Smith of South Carolina, Smith OF
Georgia. Underwood Of Alabama and
by Representative lever of Souta
Carolina. Hef1in Of Alabama. Young
Of Texas and one or two others Tl2s@
Names can not be recalled.
The sum and substance oS the
speeches was that a price Oh raw cot
ton would be fixed. that they were al
orDcsed 10 it. that they had dom
everything they could to prevent i
without avail. and advised that ths
next best thing to GO was to try and
nave & good price named. If possible.
The only speech that came from,
the side OF the cotton delegation was
delivered by T. ~ Calvin Of Texas
who is stationed at washington, en-
ployed by the farmers organizations
IN the cotton safes, and whose dutE
it is to keep in touch with all mat
ters affecting the farmers interests
It soon became apparent to the South
Carolina delegation that he had the
full confidence Of all the other dele
cations. The speech he made that
night captured our delegation, and i!
was the universal opinion OF all o
Their, that he was the peer Of any o
the public men present.
The next morning meeting wa:
held ct the Office of Senator Smith OF
South Carolina, and i was agrees
that the representatives Of the cot
ton farmers should ask for an aud
ience with the cotton committee ap-
pointed by the president, and it We
for that afternoon Ct
o'clock At that hour the entire del
egation net at the appointed time and
Mr. Calvin was again the spokesman
Cor The farmers. Mr. Paige, the chair
man Of the cotton committee, .assur-
ed US that 50 far as they F"cw,
air price would be named t raw
cotton, when it was done, bat as hi
committee had just been appoinced
they could make no. promises unt1
they had time to look into the mat
ter.
Mr.. Redmond, a member Of The
committee from Calhoun county, arG
Mr. Murph, the secretary, also Of Cal
houn county. assured US that th@
farmers had friends on the connitteA
and that we need have nc fear, wa
very pleasant to US from South Car
clina, but the other delegation insist
&c that they wanted a price fixed. Sc
we came away with the intention
seeing the president the next day.
The next morning we met in ths
Office OF Senator Smith OF South Car
olira with the senators and represen-
tat:ves: who attended the meeting OF
Monday night, and after discussio:
Senator Smith of South Carolina and
Senator Smith Of Georgia were a2-
pointed TO arrange meeting with
the the president that day.
In short time Senator Smith o
South Carolina stated that he naG
taken the matter up with the White
~ OOSS, Will liiS lOSOil l44dt-I ZIG VI So1
cent stated ne had every hour en-.
gagged for the day, but. that he had
arranged With Mr.. Baruch. the chair
man Of the war industries. board, to
receive us. and that he would act fol
him under instructions which he, II (
president. had given.
At 4.30 that afternoon, Wednesday
the cotton delegation met with Mr.
Baruch. who stated that he had just
left the president who directed hin:
to say that there would be no price
fixed on cotton at this time.
TIL: representatives Of the farmers
stated TO MIR. Baruch that they wers
pleased 20 know that there was fou;
cotton growers on the cotton commit
tee who were to make investigation
but they wondered why the farmers
had no representatives on the '5oarG
that was TO purchase cotton lie in
quired il they wanted one, and upor
being told that they would like to Sc
Alr. Calvin added, asked them K
draw up q petition and he would dc
what he could to nave their wishe>
carried into effect.
This statement is as short as /,
could be made to be Ineligible, an(
Is written for the purpose Of givins