The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1920-12-17


We have a prohibition law. You can
get whiskey for legitimate use. We
have cotton exchange law. You
can trade legitimately in cotton. You
can't get whiskey for illegitinlate
purposes. You can gamble in cotton
as you always could. Before you
get your whiskey you must get a
certificate that it is for legitimate
purposes. Before you trade in cot
ton should you not have to get Ger
tifcate that it is not for gambling
purposes? The fact that either could
be used for legitimate purposes is
the cause of their existence today,
but to, force the legitimacy OF one
and overlook the legitimacy Of the
other is all wrong. Get a certificate
for both or neither or cut out the
gambling and prohibition laws. VIII
some senator or congressman explain
this or prove it is not so? When l
lived in New York when man want
ed to call another a fool or tell him
he had no sense, he said, .You are a
farmer. Take that cotton or hay out
of your whiskers." It riled me then,
and now after over 20 years have
passed when high toned, hard work
ing. honorable farmer comes in and
says: "Mr. RodGey, I made 16 bales
of cotton. and when I pay my fertili-
ger bill and running expenses, / won't
have anything left to buy my chill
dren any clothes or shoes" 1t riles
me now.
Couldn't most any man tell a crowd
exactly what they want to hear and
get "Hip! Hip! Hoorah?" Tell them
the truth if they don't want to hear
it and you get son, cut it out" VIII
the cotton farmer improve, until he
becomes less gullible, until he has
sense enough to look out for tricks,
lies and fattery, until the 'friend OF
the farmer" is looked on as second
ary to the 'sfriend Of yourself?" Isn't
insurance on cotton in the country
about the highest rate ever? Isn't
the rate for money up at the top?
Isn't he paying the same rate for
storage that he did when cotton was
ever 40 cents? Oh, know these old
friends. Before the Confederate war
wasn't he considered the real thing?
Now isn't he considered the real
sucker? After the Confederate war
and slaves were free, hasn't the
Southern cotton farmer been he
slave practically ever since? Were
they not rated at so much per head
aszcattle and that SO much money will
permit them to exist Many live in.
the same old houses as their grand
fathers with probably some, patches
about in spots. With their steam
heab sewerage, water Gand Lights,
they certainly have lofs.Sof Injuries:
and aconveniences. How would some
Of you like to spend about seven
nights in the ayerageafarm- house
this winter? Many have lost their;
farms entirely and they are owned
bystown or city men who put others
in their places, even more ignorant,
with only one thought, "Get my rent,
no matter about the land" Haven't
his doctor advisers been treating him
for typhoid fever, a long lingering
illness, when in reality he had ap-t
;pendicitis. and many died from it
when an operation removing the dis
eased appendix would have cured
him?
Keep on calling it cranp colo and
see if it won't kill You. The other
day I saw an elephant pass my VIM
Cow. subdued, hacked, humbled, with
a little man and short stick by his
side controlling him. I could not help
from comparing him with the South
ern cotton farmer. If he only knew
his strength he could knock the little
man with his short stick into king
dom come. God Almighty blessed the
Southern cotton farmer with practi-
caily the monopoly of a necessary
product, and if he only knew his
strength, he could knock the little
men with their short sticks into
kingdom come, but he too is hacked,
humbied, subdued and the little men
with their short sticks control him.
He has had 40 different things told
him as to why he got a good price
for his cotton the past few wears