Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1919-10-07
STATE WAREHOUSE SYSTEM.
It Should be Made Really Worth While
~ fo-fhe Earyoere

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It Should be Made Really Worth While
to the Farmers.
In letter to the News and Courier
Jennings K. Owens, member Of the
house of representatives from Marl-
boro, discusses the state warehouse
system as follows: ~
There Is no, economic question Of
more importance to each and every
citizen OF, South Carolina than that of
the marketing of cotton. Our every
interest is vitality dependent upon this
one problem. The educational work,
the church work, the home life, the
material welfare and the financial in
dependence Of our people depend upon
the correct solution Of this question.
LAS citizen, realize 1t is not only
a public question; 1t is personal one.
AS a member of the general assem-
bly,, / have felt that it was my duty
to study this subject. / do not pre-
tend that I have reached the point
where I would pose as an authority
on any phase of the cotton question,
but I have attempted to analyze the
various theories and propositions
which have been advanced and I have
reached apconclusion. That conclu-
SION Is that; the best permanent solu-
ton is q well developed and efficient
state warehouse system. 1t seems to
me that the letters Of Mr.. John L.
McIaurin to Mr.. Mack King and Mr..
J.. S. Wannamaker are unanswerable.
Therefore. 1t is'my intention at the
next session of the legislature to offer
certain amendments to the present act.
The law recently enacted in North
Carolina Is practically the bill drafted
by Mr.. E. w. Dabbs and Mr.. ]. L. Nc
Laurln at the request of the Farmers
Union. 1t imposes tax Of twenty
five cents bale on every bale Of
cotton, so as TO furnish fund for
the development of the system. The
legislature only. appropriated $4,000
fer the original establishment Of the
system IN sond& &parolina, and for some
this system was with
held, and for several months Mr.. Nc
Laurin personally had to advance the
necessary funds. w.
THE, commissioner of warehouses
now has power to negotiate sales Of
cotton. Under the present rate Of for
eign exchange, however, 1t would make
the cost of cotton to mills in Germany
more than one dollar a pound. This
is more effective blockade than was
maintained during the war by the
combined navies of the Allies, for Ger
many then did get some cotton from
neutral countries. All the writer's and
authorities on. the subject say that
we need potash in the south. Some
think that our partial crop failures
are due to the exhaustion of potash.
1t would seem that 1t would be COM
paratively small and certainly very
ordinary business proposition for cot
ton to be loaded in Charleston, or at
any other southern seaport, the bill
of lading for Bremen or other foreign
port could be banked here when the
cotton bill of lading, the kainit could
be reloaded with kainit, the bill of
lading for kainit substituted for the
cotton bill of lading, the kainit could
be sold before arrival and distributed
right from the ship, with bill of lad
ing attached, and as the money came
in applied to the advance from the
bank. 1t would not be necessary for
the Incorporation of any bank with
a large capital. Millions wrapped up
in this way would be useless. 1t is
true today, as it has been in all the
past, the Lord helps those who help
the mselves The machinery for the
solution Of this problem is all latent,
wrapped there in the state warehouse
system. 1t only needs little patch
ing and an engineer in charge who
knows how to keep the machinery run
ming.
THE state Of South Carolina could
deal direct with a European country
and market this cotton and secure
desirable products in exchange. 1 do
not believe 1t is necessary to sit down
and wait on Washington, or anyone
else. AS stated above, with the prop
er amendments to the present ware
house bill and with capable, COM
retent man in charge who understands
something of the financial problems,
it will give to South Carolina absolute
independence in the matter of the mar
keting of the cotton crop"
"A deadly poison to the boil weeVii'
the insect which has cost southern
cotton planters s1OO,Ooo,OoO annually
has been discovered in the form or dry
powdered calcium arsenate by the bu-
roam of entomology of the department