The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1919-08-09
State Convention in Columbia
Attended By Seven
Hundred
FAVOR HOLDING e
FOR FAIR PRICE
Acreage Will Be Regulated to
Meet Law Of Supply and De-
mand

An enthusiastic meeting of farmers
and business men was held in CoIun-
bia yesterday when the plan and scope
OF the South Carolina Cotton Associa-
ton and the relation Of the assocla-
ton to the American Cotton Associa-
ton was fully discussed. Between 600
and zoo representative citizens from
all sections Of the state were in at
tendance The chief addresses were
made by United States Senator e. ..
Smith, A. E Eimore, Of Spokane,
Wash, representing the wheat grow
ers organiza ton of the Far North
west: Governor Cooper and J. Skot-5
! lowe Wannamaker, president Of the
association. Brief talks were also
made by A. A. Protzman, field organ
izer for the association, and B. Frank
Mcleod, also member of the state or
ganiZation.
Within the next few weeks state
wide campaign for Membership; issto
! be conducted in every county. Farm
ers who join will be assessed 25 cents
per bale on the basis Of the 1917. crop.
AS the membership is for three years,
/! 10 cents bale will be collected for
the two succeeding years. Meetings
are to be held in each county when
strong addresses are to be made set
i ting forth the program Of the asso-
ciation. Provision is also made for
membership Of professional and BUS
mess men and bankers.
Throughout the meeting yesterday
it was emphasized that the organiZa-
ton would be futile without adequate
financial backing. Mr.. Einore ex-
planned that the wheat and fruits grow
ers had combined in the West and
| had assessed themselves $40 an acre.
The faith the farmers had IN their
! organization would be tested by the
measure CT generosity with which
/ they came to its financial needs.
No action was taken yesterday as to
fixing a minimum price, although
somewhat strenuous effort was made
by e. w. Dabbs to have the organi-
zation go on record as estimating SO
cents a pound as a reasonable price.
/ A meeting of all the state associations
! in the cotton belt is to be held about
September I, at which time one Of the
chief objects will be to agree upon a
minimum figure.
What was possibly tho most
reaching effort of the day was the
resolution calling on each county to
bug al cotton that would be rushed
to the market early in the fall before
minimum price had been set. Lang
/ D. Jennings, of Sumter, led the first
So 40, 1ojc
guing that there was always a large
block Of cotton which was sold at the
opening of the season, which cotton
was sufficient to meet the immediate
needs Of the manufacturers, and would
thus prevent control of the market by
! the growers. Mr.. Jennings made an
eloquent plea for the resolution, say
| ing that on one would stand to lose
dollar and that each county was f..
nanc:ally able to take care Of the cot
ton hurried to the market. The reso-
! luton was adopted.
Another resolution was adopted
calling on the president Of the State
! Bankers Associa ton and the presi-
dents of the chambers Of commerce
of Columbia and Charleston to cali a
meeting Of the bankers and business
men Of the state with the purpose of
forming a trade acceptance corpora
ton in South Carolina. Such a cor
poration was formed a few days ago
in Georgia with a capital CT $1,000
600. 1t is estimated that q capital
stock of from s750,OoO to s1.000,000
would be necessary for the South