The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1919-08-08
Enthusiastic Meeting of Farm
erS and Business Men Held
in Columbia Wednesday.
ATTENDANCE WAS LARGE
Between Six Hundred and Seven
Hundred Representative Citi-
zenS From All Over State
We're Present.

An enthusiastic meeting of farmers
and business men was held in Colum-
bia Wednesday when the plan and
scope of the South Carolina Cotton
association to the American Cotton
association was fully discussed. Be-
tween 600 and 700 representative
citizens from all sections of the state
were in attendance. The chief adj
dresses were made by United States
Senator h. ID. Smith. A. h. Elmore.
of Spokane, Wash, representing the
wheat growers organization of the
Far Northwest, Governor Cooper and
j. Skottowe Wannamaker, president
Of the association. Brief talks were
also made by A. A. Protsman, field
organizer for the association. and b.
Frank Mcleod, also member of the
state organization.
Within the next few weeks state
wide campaign for membership is to
be conducted in every county. Farm
ers who join will be assessed 2t cents
per bale on the basis Of the 1917
crop. AS the membership is for three
years 10 cents a bale will be collected
for the two succeeding years. Meet
ings are to be held in each county
when strong addresses are to be
made. setting forth the program of
the association. Provision is also made
for membership of professional and
business men and bankers.
Must Have Funds.
Throughout the meeting it was en-
phasized that the organization would
be futile without adequate financial
backing. Mr.. Elmore explained that
the wheat and fruit growers had COM
bincd in the West and had assessed
themselves SO an acre. The faith
the farmers had in their orga Aviation
would be tested by the measure Of
| generosity with which they come OF
its financial needs.
No action was taken as to fixing a
minimum price, although somewhat
strenuous effort was made by T.. w
Dabbs to have the organization go
on record as estimating so cents Il
pound as reasonable price. A meet
ing of all the state associations in
the cotton belt is to be held about
September / at which time one of the
chief objects will be to agree upon
minimum figure.
What was possibly the most far
reaching effort of the day was the
resolution calling on each county to
buy all cotton that would be rushed
to the market early in the fail before
minimum price had been set Lang
ID. jennings. of Sumter. led the fight
| for the adoption of this resolution.
arguing that there was always a large
block OF cotton which was sold at tho
opening OF the season, which cotton
was sufficient to meet the immediate
would thus prevent control of the
market by the growers. Mr. Jennings
made an eloquent plea for the resolu-
ton, saying that no one would stand
to lose a dollar and that each county
was financially able to take care Of
the cotton hurried to the market. The
resolution was adopted
Another resolution was adopted
calling on the president OF the State
Bankers association and the presi-
dents OF the chambers of commerce
of Columbia and Charleston to call a
meeting OF bankers and business men
Of the state with the purpose of
forming a trade acceptance corpora
ton in South Carolina Such cor,
Doration was formed few days ago
in Georgia with a capital OF 81. .000.-
600. 1t is estimated that capital
stock Of from $750,0 to $1,000
600 would be necessary for the South
Carolina branch.
Governor Optimistic.
Governor Cooper was the first
speaker. He was wholly optimistic as
to the outlook for the cotton growers.
The brightest days were just ahead.
The success OF the organization de-
pended upon the support which the
farmers gave 1t. Moral support was
Continued on Page Eight.)