The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1919-04-05
COTTON FARMERS
in SESSION
Tabulate Returns From Every
County in The
State
WILL ISSUE FULL
REPORT TO-DAY

VIII Mark New Epoch in
South Carolina
Columbia, April 2.-The following
statement was issued this Afternoon!
by the South Carolina Cotton Asso-
citation:
The central committee Of the South
Carolina Cotton Association has been
i'm session all day and will probably
work a great part of The night. With
the assistance OF experts they VIII
tabmulaie The returns from not only
every county in South Carolina, bat
from the entire cotton belt, and Will
issue tomorrow one OF the most ina-
portant reports, ever issued IN the
South on cotton acreage reduction.
fertilizer reduction and labor condl-
tons, this report being more accu-
rate than the report issued by The
United States Department Of Agri-
culture. The result Of the work Of
the association has demonstrated the
fact by house-to-hodse canvass in
the various counties Of the belt that
the acreage report as issued by the
United. States Department OF Asricul-
ture is in many cases incorrect. The
entire committee is giving untlringly
OF their time and efforts and are
making personal sacrifices to make
this great work success. They re-
ceived today telegranos from officials
of every State in the cotton belt. The
reports are the most complete ever
perfected in the South. The entire
committee are delighted with the re-
suit which they state will prevent
bankruptcy and disasterito the, South
finally bring prosperity and inde-
pendence,
J. Skottowe Wannamaker chair
man of the South Carolina Cotton
Association issued the following state
ment:
To convince any one that cotton
acreage reduction is part OF uiass.:
dom for 1919, need only recall the
conditions existing at the beginning
of the world war when the business
men of America were urging and beg
ging to buy q bale at 10 cents, in or
der to save the farmers Of the South
from actually suffering financial
disaster A five hundred pound bale
of cotton, basis middling. at the com
mencement Of the world war finally
went to $50 per bale. or cents q.
pound, and buyer was hard to find.
In 1918 a bale Of middling cotton
went to 35 cents per pound, or $175,
which waa an increase of $14o per
bale. Middling cotton today brings
% cents per pound, or s125 per bale.
loss of $50. since the fall Of 1917.
but al increase OF $95 per bale. as
compared with the commencement OF
the world war. # we plant large
crop we will face the same conditions
agai that we faced ct the COM
1nencement Of the war. Cotton will
so begging at cents TO 8 cents per
pound. The condition Of the South
will be far worse than il was at the
commencement Of the world war. The
most disastrous financial crash that
has ever visited the country will Eisi,
the South.
We are Just IN receipt OF the follow
ing telegram from Texas. one Of II"
most active associations IN the entire
belt:
Peace is not in sight. but it was
discovered >n!y week ago that the
market is still affected with Barney,
taruch. 1t was thought this burden
was Off the market when he left
Washington 1t turns out he went to
Europe and to Paris and gained the
ear Of the president and suggested 10
him that he appoint commission
headed by Mr. RedGeld and allocate
all American raw material to the ma
lions Of the world as they (1he COM
mission) might see fit. How does
this sound to the oil mills and CO..
ton men Of the South, with oil and
cotton eagerly sought by hungry
and naked world, but which for the
lack of transportation is deterioratni;
in value every day? The delay IN
providing ships and allowing ship
ments of cotton, cotton oil, cake
and linters is little short Of Grimm
al. The cotton planters Of the Sotuh.
in particular, the cotton seed crush
ers and dealers and cotton buyers
and brokers have had to suffer every
possible hardship due to Ignorance
and design not only in our own
country but IL other countries. Whef-
ever our government has touched cot
ton Or cotton seed products with
ering blight has followed. 1t there
fore becomes imperative that an er3-
phatic protest he made by the co.--on
and cotton oil interests Of the South
at once agains; any further S;r.cso:''>
or handicaps 10 The cotton anG cot
ton oil trade, whether by the propos-
ed Redfeld commission or otherwis'
Just let US have free and unrestricted
business is all we want. We are no.
looking for the governments 20 becor1'
a. wet nurse for u.s. as ii has become
for the w'2eat growers. Governor
Allen, Of Kansas, please take notic.'.
II the manufacturing and money i'll
terests of the East are wrapping Their
anaconda coil about the aaricultuie
Of the country and seeking TO stran-
x1,o froo -, ri, of inc Of opricUfNI--