Fort Mill times. [volume] (Fort Mill, S.C.) 1892-current, 1920-07-29

and Mr.. Mills. said that he had not
come to Fort Mill to soft soap the
farmer. who Is a poor business man."
he said. He referred to the condi-
tons that obtained for the cotton
farmer shortly after the outbreak of
the World war in 1914 and said that
IT the South again experienced SINH
lar conditions II would be the South's
own fault. THE farmer knows all
about producing cotton. but has little
information about marketing it, I do
not want the farmer to receive a fair
price for his coton. but I want him to
get the value OF II. When cotton
mills in New England. and some even
In the South. are able to pay divi-
dends of from 100 to 800 per cent.
that is evidence that the farmer is not
getting the price for his cotton that
he is entitled to-" He said the shirt
he was wearing cost him IS and that
there was about so cents worth OF
cotton in 1t. "1f ! were attorney gen
eral OF the United States" he said. II
think 1 could find some important
work to do in this connection '.Who
got the $3.50 difference?" he inquired
SiXty-thre per cent. OF the farmers of
South Carolina are tenants-a bad
condition for the State. Recently on
trip through his home country. Lex
ington. he counted six farm houses In
which some years ago well-to-do fam
lilies lived. These families had quit
the farm for n reason, ne said, and
that reason was that there was moth
ing attractive about farm life. He
deplored the nationwide tendency to
move from the country to town and
said 1t could be halted by the farmers
making their places more homelike
and installing for the benefit of the
women and girls OF the family. If
for no other reason, some modern
conveniences to be found in the city
homes Not 10 per cent. OF the
farm homes in South Carolina have
In them running water or n modern
lighting system and the average farm
woman works 13 hours day." he
said. He urged the farmers to make
life easier for their wives and daugh-
ters by improving living conditions
at their homes.
1T took South Carolina 36 years."
Mr.. Lever said. 'to regain the wealth
she lost by the four years of war be-
tween the States. With the return OF
prosperous times II is the duty Of the
farmers to provide good schools for
their children. Why. the government
sets aside one-third more compensa-
tion for the charwoman that cleans
my office in Washington than is paid
the average country school teacher I'm
South Carolina" he said. He urged
the farmers to buy automobiles, say
ing that they made for more attrac-
tive farm life and enabled their wives
to get away from many of their bur
dens and the grinding isolation of
country conditions.
Mr.. Lever closed his speech by
urging the farmers to join the cot
ION association and support the move
ment. which was in their interest. lie
said that the State should cooperate
in the warehouse movement by issuing
bonds.
Following Mr. Lever. DR.. Johnson
made an interesting talk in which he
referred to the liberality of the York
county banks in lending the farmers
money on their cotton and of the fed
eral government in aiding the farmers
by letting them have money at low
er rate OF interest than the govern
ment can now borrow money DR..
Johnson feared that II the Republic
cans win I'm the election this fall the
farm oan actt will be repealed.