The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1919-03-05
EVERY FARMER WILL
BE ASKED TO sign
Pledges to be Placed i'm
Their Hands
MEETING FRIDAY
LARGELY ATTENDED

he ASKED TO Put Pledges In the
Hands Of Every Farmer in the Coun-
ty. Enthusiastic Meeting in the Court
House Friday.
me meeting held in the Court House
FRIDAY, in the interest Of the campaign
lor cotton reduction, was largely at-
tended by representative farmers Of tbo
county and number of business men
or thls city and Clinton. Mr.. w l.
"raS' chairman Of the cotton reduction
committee Of the county, was elected
ehalrinan or this meeting and Alison
Lee named secretary and treasuro,.
me proclamation of Gov. Cooper. un-
uci "hlch the meeting was called. was
leao Dy the secretary as was tho COT
lon reduction pledge. Later discussion
ol the pledge brought out the fact that
'"c cehtral committee at Columbia had
ADVISED the revision Of the pledge IN
allow normal amount of ferti,izor ~
DC used instead of fifty per cent rc-
ducllon. 1t was also pointed out that
nose desiring to sign somc o.hor
p''"se 'iah mat specifically set forth
ny me central committee could ind;-
calc 'hcir desire on the back of tho
piedSe blank. w. p. Harris, of Ow-
lhSs, II. B. Workman, of Clinton ana
H. D "allace, of the Shiloh section,
were elected committee of three to
appoint subcommittee in each scboo,
oiS'rlct TO place the pledges in tbe
'hands of the farmers, to arronpo po,
public meetings in the school district,
ana 10 take up with landowners the
question OF changing the customary
rent contract so that portion OF ront
co"id DE paid in other products than
cotton. AT a later meeting of tbo con,
ihl'lee on the same day, it was docidod
10 appoint the school district trustcos
as pledge committees and these hovo
oo'h called to meet in Laurcns Satur-
DAY TO advise whether or NOT thov vii,
serve ana to actively launch the cam
paign.
an air OF hesitation and unccrtojntv
perVadcd the asscmbagc when II 6rci
gathered, but before the moo,inp u.o,
over 1t appeared that the unanimous
sentiment was in favor Of adhcrine
strictly to the Dcdge. There was t,,l,
OF social ostracism and even moro OK
IRENE treatment for those who rofnsod
10 sign me pledges and abide by them,
Dnl the sentiment Of the meeting was
generally conservative. Mr.. J T.
Jacobs, or Clinton. was invited in n
special motion to address tho formor,
ana he held the attention of the moot
ing for quarter Of an hour in an ad-
dress which dealt with the fundamonto,
conditions underlying the present cot
TON situation. Mr. Jacobs spoke frank
~ OF financial conditions. stating tbo,
'i'c pahkS or the country are heavily
handicapped by government demands
ana mat consequently the farmer must
depend more upon his own resources
man in the past in financing himself
me demand for cotton he said has
Dccn cut off both by impovcrishmcnt
or the world and by the terms Of tho
aflniStlcc. Countries that formerly took
9d,ooO,0OO bales OF American cotton
cannot get it now because Of the block
adc and lack OF shipping. Until this Is
femcdicd, he said, the farmers must
hold their cotton if they wish better
price and must reduce their present
crop If they did not want TO create
surplus and thereby dcpress the mar
ket The moment purchasers know
mat the south has planted a normal
crop they will stay out OF the markc,
and let 1t sag, whereas il thew bc,iovc
mat the south will reduce they will
commence to bid for the present cron
IN order to take care Of present and
iuture needs. 1t will be ten years be-
rore normal consumption OF cotton vii,
DC resumed. said Mr.. Jacobs, and this
must be taken into consideration IN
formulating this years as well as ncxt
years plans. AS q means Of oyorcom-
ing this situation, he urged the plant
ing OF food crops Make meat, pots
toes, corn and other food products at
homo, he urged, thereby reducing farm
operating expense and leaving cotton
as surplus crop. Somebody is go
ing to get hurt on cotton" he warned
his hearers and advised them TO let Il