The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1919-02-19

| Mr.. F. NJ. Shope, business manager
of The Times, was over here one day
last week in the interest Of his paper,
! and while here and in conversation
with him "Uncle Nub" had MANY
commendable things to say about
Summerton and our people, and also
made arrangements with him to run
Summerton page in The Times. 1t
would be his pleasure to give the read
ers something worth while each week
but to do this he must have the CO.
operation Of those who are pulling for
greater and better town and COM
munity, so when anything happens or
when you have anything you think
will be of interest to the public let
it come along, it will be welcome and
appreciated at all times.
Last week our text was on the cot
ton holding movement but for f@ar
we were taking up too much space we
did not go as far as we had intended
and we propose to again say some
thing along the same line While we
are not conceited enough to pose as
wisdom for our farmers and certainly
we DO not expect to advance the price
of cotton, but if we can throw out
some thought or suggestion that will
be worth one iota to any farmer we
would not think our efforts in vain.
So we shall endeavor to go a step
farther in this communication as the
cotton holding movement is still be-
ing pushed and our leading farmers
are holding conventions at different
points trying to reach some plan
whereby the price may be advanced
and are pleading with the farmers to
hold for thirty-fve cents. While there
may arise many disadvantages with
some we firmly believe that if there
ever was time that the farmers
should solidly unite it is now and let
the strong help the weak. AS it looks
to us that there is something radical
~ wrong in the price of cotton or
either in the manufactured goods.
Somebody is making too much profit
on this cotton and manufactured
goods are passing through the hands
OF too many spectators. For instance
we went in store here the other
night and asked the price of shirt.
The price was $1.50, and it weighed
8 ounces. Now let Us surmise that
b has bale Of cotton weighing 500
pounds, he sells it at the present price
which is about 20 cents which would
pay him $4,000 and to be absolute
IN our estimate we will let one-half
of this bale of cotton go as waste and
freight to the manufacturer and re-
tail merchant, leaving $50 pounds to
be made up in shirts which would
make 500 shirts which at $15O each
would be $4,000. Let us suppose
that the manufacture costs $50 of this
amount there will still be, after tax
ing out the hundred dollars for the
bale of cotton and $50 for the manu-
facturer, 100000 left. Who gets
that?
|
tremc one. You may take threat or
most any other manufactured cotton
goods and it will show about the same
profits between the producer and the
retail merchant or home consumer,
and however true this may be and
however much the remedy for cor
rcction is needed and however glad
the cotton farmer would be to see
these things accomplished. Our opin-
ion is that it will never happen until
an iron clad organization is perfect
ed by the farmer, and more good stuff
is produced, and more live stock of
every kind and description is raised
at home and only enough cotton to
supply the demands. Then instead
of farmer coming to town and run
ming up and down the streets hunting
cotton buyer let the!buyer hunt the
cotton. farmer as the packers and mar
ket men hunt the stock raiser today.
The sooner this dream comes true the
greater prosperity we are going to
enjoy, and we firmly believe the first
step to bring about the above results
is the movement now under foot to
reduce the cotton acreage and ferti-
liZer used.
When these rules and regulations
are framed and adopted, which they
no doubt will be before planting time,
don't let any one man get it in his