The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1920-12-22
COTTON REDUCTION
DAY is SET APART
Governor Cooper PrOclaims Mon.
day, January 3, as Date

Columbia, Dec. 15.-Governor
Cooper today set aside Monday, Jan
uary 3, as Cotton Acreage Reduction
Day. in South Carolina. In doing
so he issued a statement, in which he
declared that it is incumbent upon
the cotton states to take intelligent
cognizance of the situation with ref
erence to raw cotton and see to it that
the market does not remain glutted
throughout another season"
In calling upon South Carolinians to
devote their best thought on January
) to meeting the situation which at
present they find themselves, in, the
governor was complying with a re-
quest made by the South Carolina Di-
vision Of the American Cotton asso-
citation. Similar action has been taken
by the governors OF other cotton grow
ing states of the nation.
The proclamation issued by the GOV
ernor follows:
THE South Carolina division Of the
American Cotton association has re-
quested that l designate the first Mon
day in January as Cotton Acreage Re-
duction Day in South Carolina. l
gladly comply with this request For
the time being the markets Of the
world are no. absorbing raw cotton,
and one cannot tell how long it will
be before the staple will again bring
4 profitable price TO the grower. 1t
is certain that a large supply of cot
ton Will be carried over from the
present crop; if in 1921 there is add
cd Il
yield the price will be distressingly
low 1t is, therefore, as matter
of economic self-presel lvatiOn, incum
bent upon the cotton states 10 take
Intelligent cogniZance of the situa-
ton in reference TO raw cotton ana
see TO it that the market does not
remain glutted throughout another
season.
Our escape from the unhappy pre-
dicament in which we now find our
selves lies in the production OF greater
quantities of food and feed crops.
Mere reduction of cotton acreage by
itself is not a thorough solution; it is
but half Of the process necessary to
liberate us from the one-crop bond
age.
III tbc lISIll VI the SITUATION, as
suggested above, | proclaim the first
Monday in January, 1921, as Cotton
Acreage Reduction Day for this state,
and l urge that upon that day all
South Carolinians devote their best
thought TO the situation. and resolve
to meet it, and to prevent u replica
OF it by united intelligent action.
Therefore, l have hcreunto set my
hand and seal this fifteenth day of
December in the year of our Lord
one thousand, nine hundred and twen-
ty.
(Signcd) Il. A. Cooper
Governor"
Officials OF the South Carolina divi-
sion Of the American Cotton associa-
ton are planning TO launch the most
determined cotton acreage reduction
campaign ever conducted in the state.
They are setting out to secure a re-
duction of 90 per cent in the acreage
This is the reduction figure that has
been set for the entire south, and ev-
cry state i'm the bolt is going to be
asked to reduce that much.
AS indicative of the sentiment or
the farmers of South Carolina, the
farmers of York county on Tuesday
adopted resolutions asking the banks
not TO lend any farmer who refuses to
cut his acreage so per cent any money
for the next twelve months. 1t is ex-
pected that the banks of the whole
south will adopt this policy.
President r. c. Hamer of the South
Carolina division of the American Cot
ton association, said tonight that
meetings would be held in every
| county in the state on Monday, Jan
| uary s. 1t is planned. he said to
make this a. memorable day in the
| history of the state.