The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1921-10-10
vii from wrecking the agricultural
prosperity of the State. ..

prosperity of the State.
1t is fortunate thing for US all
that in an emergency like the present
South Carolina has an organized force
of trained men ready to take the ini-
tiative. In 1917 when the great and
eminently successful drive was made
for larger food and feed crops, urged
by the national government as a war
measure, those who followed that
movement most closely were con-
vinced that its varying success de-
pended in large measure on the quail
tiles displayed by the county demon
stration agents in the different coun-
ties. Where there was live and en-
ergetic county demonstration agent,
[a man@who knew his business, who
knew; how to stir. enthusiasm, who
fhad the confidence Of the people, the
campaign prospered. Where the coun-
ty agent was lacking in the qualities
named the campaign generally drag
|ged no matter how eloquent the
speakers who were imported to arouse
public interest.
The emergency which is on us now
is a far greater emergency than
that which existed in 1917 for it is
no exaggeration to say that there are
thousands Of farmers in South Caro-
lima at the present time who face
ruin and who are utterly bewildered.
They do not know where to turn for
counsel. they do not know what to do
they are dazed and helpless and un-
less wise leadership comes to their
rescue they are ripe for panic. That
leadership must be supplied and it
must be brought, to them directly, at
least in many communities. Advice
offered to them at long range will
not do them much good. They do, not
trust it even if it reaches them. They
question whether those who offer it
know their particular plight. What
they require and must have is per-
sonal encouragement and personal
advice. !. s3t :.
This is especially true in some of
the low country counties. There are
numbers Of counties in South Caro-
| lima where in every neighborhood
may be found some informed and
progressive. farmer from whom his
1 neighbors may: gather Information
and whose knowledge and experience
benefit all those about him. In the
low country such farmers, unfortu-
nately, are far scattered, and at the
present time it is a fact that in many
counties many of the largest and most
!. successful planters are in quand.
/ 'ary as to what to do the coming year.
Take Berkeley County, for example,
In 1918 Berkeley made nearly IT.
900 bales of cotton. This year the
! entire cotton crop of the county will
be under thousand bales and may
not reach 600. Berkeley County has a
population of 22,50s people. A large
part of this population, especially the
negroes, have been supported by cot
ton. What are they to do now? On
Berkeley County plantations today,
at what normally is the busiest sea-
son Of the year, the negro women
will be found sitting idly in front of
their houses. They are idle not be-
cause they want to be idle but be-
cause there is nothing for them to
work at. Unless work can be proyid-
ed for them how are they to live? #
These are the questions which
press for answer and to be answered
effectively they will have to be
answered by men who know and who
can go on the ground and tell the
people what they can do and how to
go about doing it. The meeting which
is to be- held in Columbia this week
for the. purpose of considering an
;; !nti-boH weevil program will not ae-
complish much of value unless it
works out plans for carrying the
campaign against the boil weevil to
the people in their home communi-
ties if not on Their farms. If the
Clemson extension service can be
strengthened so as to provide the Or
ganization to make this campaign,