The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1919-09-24
S5O0,OO COTTON CORPORATION
Farmers and Business Men of Sumter County
Organize TO Protect Price :ef the Staple.
Enthusiastic Meeting Held Today

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A mass meeting was. held at the
Court House Saturday IN interest of
the Sumter County Cotton Associa-
ion. Farmers. bankers. lawyers, and
all walks of lie were represented in
the 500 men that were present. The
meeting was called to. order about
11.30 by Mayor Jennings, who is
also chairman. of the association in
Sumter county. Mayor Jennings
spoke few words then introduced
Hon. John H. Clifton. The speaker
told of the Importance Of protecting
the South's product from the gam
blers The people Of the South are
as a, whole. absolutely dependent upon
the price set on cotton. When cotton
is selling for a good price the coun-'
try as whole is prosperous. The
association Intends to help the little
farmer who pays 81 for membership
as much as the large planter who.
pays s100-for membership.
The real object Of the meeting" :"
said the speaker, SIS to form corpor-
alton to- keep the distress cotton off
the market"
Former Governor Manning, who
was next introduced; paid a con1pli--
naent to Mayor Jennings, chairman
Of the county association. The
speaker told of the failure of reso-
lutions in the past. The day when
the South held out its hand for spe-
cial privileges was past, and the peo-
pie were going to act. He told OF
the absolute necessity Of the .corpor-
alton to keep the distress" cotton off
the. market. Heretofore. the cotton
has been placed on the market when
it was flooded Mortgages on hories
and farms proves the bad condition
of the farmer in past years. The
asking of the. buyers what they will
give for the, cotton will soon be a
thing of<the past Mr.. Manning said
that the better price that cotton
brings, the better will the children OF
South Carolina be educated. the bet
ter will they serve their State and
country as citizens. The buyers will
be benefited by the organization be-
cause they will not have,sto buy It
off the streets as it will be stored in
the warehouses. .'No language is too
strong to urge you to join in this
movement which means the salvation
eff the South"
Mr.. w. A. Bowman told ~of the
foolishness OF the farmers selling
their cotton for CSC when it will be
worth 4oc before next summer. The
speaker said that there would not be
1000 bales of cotton offered ior sale
in Sumter county until the minimum
price is reached.
Mayor Jennings told those present
that in Dillon on Friday Si23.o0o
were subscribed by not half so large
an audience as was here present. He
told Of the sneighhoring counties that
were organizing A phone message
from President Wanraniaker said that
all the Southern States were organ
zing. A cotton mill man had stated
to President Wannamaher that mon
ey could be made by the cotton mill
if cotton sold ct 45c per pound. The
chairman urged the people to wake
up and take notice of the events. Over
100000 had been invested in the cor
poration with less than three hours
work. Three cotton buyers in the
city subscribed to the corporation.
The mills must be prevented from
getting % per cent of the cotton. be-
cause 100000 bales will run
the mills for three or four months
and before that is used up another %
per cent may be on the market.
Mr.. Jennings made an excellent
speech in which he compared the
work Of Southern soldier in France
to the farmer in the South. Will the
farmer hold the line and then ad-
vance as the Southern boy did in
France?
After the speakers had finished
Mayor Jennings stated that the cor
poration to be formed would have a
capital of s5oeooo and of that
amount 100000 had already been
subscribed Subscriptions were re-
ceived by the chairman so fast that
there is no doubt but that the quota
was reached today. The total list Of
subscribers will be published in The
Item at an early date.
The meeting was by far the most
enthusiastic ever held in Sumter on
the subject of cotton The subscrip-
.tions ranged from 500 to $4,000.
with most of them around the ST.
a00 mark.
GTRIKE AT VIII.