The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1919-05-17
Senator Smith Delivers Address
At New Orleans
Convention
FARMERS AND BUSINESS
MEN MUST STAND FIRM
Other Well Known Public Men
Also Make Speeches on Stu
alton.

New Orleans, May 14.-Emancipa-
ton of the South from what was
termed the financial domination OF
the North was the prevailing note OF
speakers heard by Representatives OF
cotton interests from the entire South
ern cotton belt assem- bled here today
to consider the formation OF sloG,-
600, 600 cotton exports corporation and
the organization of a permanent cot
ton association.
Federal, State and municipal Of
ficials were unanimous in the eeliet
that it is high time the Southland
asserted its independence Addresses
were made by Senator E. D. Smith OF
South Carolina, Representative j. z.
Hefiin of Alabama, Governor Pleas
ant of Louisiana and Mayor Martin
Behrn,an Of New Orleans. Govern
OF Pleasant presided.
1t was announced tonight that
draft Of the proposed charter OF the
exports corporation probably will be
submitted to the conference late Ito
morrow. 1t was said the draft as ap-
proved by Gov. W. P. G. Harding OF
the federal reserve board the sub
stance of which already has been
made public, will be but littte chang
ed.
A statement by Senator Smith that
the fight the South is waginS is like
the great battles on the western front
in which he urged cotton men to
"buck the line" was met with storm
of applause by the 400 delegates.
THE boys Of Dixie broke the Hin
denburg line" he declared, and we
have met here to break another line.
You can break that line and roll back
the obstacles that have held back
the South as our gallant soldiers
rolled. the Hun hordes oserssas-
we stand today surrounded by ci::-
2unstances that never existed beYcfe
FOR at least half a century. For SO
years we lived under a cloud. we
we're robbed cf capital and credit
after the War Between the. States.
put they could not rob US Of the spir-
it that always has characterized the
white man of the South. Let US say
this is the army of emancipation. Give
the farmer a chance, so that he can
finance his own crop. When you have
lone that you will have emancipated
the South and not until them
Senator Smith outlined what he
said was & long fight he waged in the
United States senate for protection Of
he cotton growers Of the South. He
pictured what he said has been the
poverty and distress in the rural
South and urged his hearers mot to
destroy the market place but to drive
out by direct legislation all prostitu-
tors of such places"
Tho man who will not join this
eew army we are forming is Stacker
% the South" exclaimed Senator
Smith.
Declaring that high grade cotton Of
the South can not be produced any
where else in the world the senator
concluded with a plea for the support
of the measures which Will be placed
before the conference.
Representative Hetlin was greeted
with a generous display Of enthus-
i:lsm when he declared that ''in
fight between the spinners and grow
erS. the growers were bound to win
if they were properly organized" He
warned the delegates that it would
be wise to keep a sharp watch to
make sure shares in the proposed ex-
ports corporation do not ultimately
find a resting place in the great
financial interests OF the North
Watch your shareholders. he
urged. If these interests obtain con-
troll they can use it as a club. but If
we control it we have our own club