The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1921-03-09
REDUCTION OR RUIN
Anything More Than a Half Crop
of Cotton Means Bankruptcy
to the South
BY ~. i Reardnn.

1
That for the next sixty dovs evor,
oahk' Iarmer, merchant. land owner
chamber OF commerce, manufactures
ana men Of every line OF business
ought to get busy talking cotton acre.
age reduction and the planting of corn.
sweet potatoes. vegetables, sorghum
cane. and every possible kind of "live
at nome crops, raising hogs, poultry
peer and dairy cattle, lin order to save
south carolina" as several Of the most
s"ccessiui bankers and other business
men and leading farmers nut IL in
the Columbia conference lat Wednes.
oay seems TO be the best advice that
can De possibly offered. Governor
Cooper thought ''it would be criminal
10 try to produce a normal crop of
cotton
/ me Commercial Secretaries Assn
ciati"n OF South Carolina was urged
10 line up the commercial orranizo-
lions in rapidly warning the banks
supply merchants. and land owners
that Is all who extend credit to farm
ers' tnat unless il can be positively
proved within the next sixty days that
not more than fifty per cent acreage
and not more than fifty per cent pro-
duction Of cotton will be planted ana
harvested during 1921 that the fail
ure 10 prove these two important
points spells possible and proba bic
rum Tor the South. Heretofore con-
ser'ative bankers and other business
men said openly and above board
we can't paint the picture too dark"
TO convince our farmers and bankers
and credit merchants and our land
owners that cotton acreage must be
reduced to at least fifty per cent of
last years acreage. There Is hone for
better times in the near future if the
southern cotton farmer will only act
Ike n sensible citizen and cooperate
with his fellow citizens I'm other lines
or industry and business.
throughout the meeting there was
oxhibited the one central idea, "im
mediate, active, continuous, and earn
est cooperation between city, town,
and country districts to cut cotton
acreage and reduce cotton production
to the lowest possible amount to get
better prices for the big surplus now
carried over. and to maintain the
OASIS or credit on southern borrowing
securities Everybody can preach
this doctrine, clerks. book keepers.
laborers. professional men and women.
everybody can help out.
1t was pointed out plainly this is
every mans business-the business of
every merchant. wholesale or retail.
big or little, Of every farmer, big or
little. OF every banker and of every
bank and OF every bank board OF d.
rectors. to get out and work to see
that the Memphis plan for reducing
cotton acreage and production Is put
over the top" within the next thirty
or sixty days. and to be able to prove
these two results OF our efforts.
The decision Of this conference to
call the bankers of South Carolina
Into immediate conference was
brought about on motion of w. w.
Long, director of extension Of Glenn
son College. and shows the gravity Of
the agricultural situation and the
danger to every line of business anu
to all men and women In the State
AS before stated. 1--WE are not without
hore." but we are facing n condition
which looks dark indeed. Bu. there
is q great deal that can be done to-
wards making times better IL we will
all pull together and not lose confi-
dence and hope. Cooperation is the
collaborating the cotton acreage
Is the main issue right now--gettlng
the markets for diversified farm pro-
ducts Is largely question volume Of
farm products produced In place Of
cotton. IL the farmers have the other
farm products in abundancc--suffici-
ent to warrant buyers coming here or
taking products i'm cooperative car
load lots there will be an abundant
market.
Now Is the time for eve'y hank.
merchant, farmer. manufactures, and
other business establishments to main
tain every possible kind Of organiza-
tion and cooperation throughout
every county. city, and town--the
people must be informed, induced.
and II necessary forced. to cooperate
and the farmers will have to cut cot
ton acreage and plant more food and
feedstuffs IL there is airy possible way
I'm this emergency for tEe banks and
the credit merchants to force the
farmers who do not willingly co.ope-
rate into doing the right thing at the
right time. This was the sentiment of
numbers Of the most successful. con-
servative, cool headed, but public
| spirited men from all over South Car
olina at the Columbia conference.
| Ont Cotton ACrcagc One.IIalf