The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1921-10-12
FavOrs National
Pay-Up Campaign
Farmers Urged to Sell at
Least Part Of Held Cotton
News anu Courier).


A business man of Charleston
sends The News and Courier the
following article from a Georgia
newspaper and wants to know II
campaign OF the kind which it pro-
poses can not be gotten under way.
He thinks that if it could it would
be big thing for this state and
would help nearly everybody. The
article, which was written for the
Jackson Progress-Augus, is as fol-
lows:
"Of all the suggestions made to
bring about the restoration Of nor
nal business conditions none is
more timely than that Of a national
pay-up campaign. Such a move
ment if put into effect throughout
the country, would help business
and relieve conditions wonderfully.
It would be the electric spark
needed to fire the fabric of the ma
tons business life.
THE wheels are locked. They
have been locked for months. No
body has paid anybody else. Cred
it has been extended to the limit.
The country has done all the bust
ness on paper that it can afford to
do. Some ready cash is needed to
unlock the wheels and start the
procession to moving.
The south learned a bitter les
son these past y months. While
Texas and the states west of the
Mississippi river sold their cotton,
the eastern belt held. The price
fell from 40 cents to 10 cents. The
banks loaned money to their ca
pacity. They even strained them
selves to accommodate the farmers
who wanted to hold cotton. Even
now the banks are loaded with
cotton paper. The merchants are
CARRYING thousands and millions Of
unpaid claims on their books.
Nobody who cares anything
about his reputation can afford to
give advice about holding or SELL
ing cotton. Naturally, in the face
of a short crop. the growers want
all they can get for the staple.
On the other hand, remembering
the lessons of the past season, it
seems to be the part Of common
sense to sell at least part Of the
cotton crop and pay up some Of
the old debts.
"Once a debt paying campaign is
started it Will have far-reaching
effect IN all lines of business. Like
stone thrown in pond, the
waves Will reach the furthermost
shores of business. Buying will re-
suit. The wheels Will be started
to moving Better business will re-
suit. Everybody will feel the slim
ulating effect The depression will
be lifted and we Will be on the road
to normal conditions.
The Charleston business man
supplements the foregoing as fol-
lows:
There is no doubt about it. the
two things needed to put business
on it's feet n this territory. are first.
Il debt paying campaign. and sec
ond. buying movement. But these
two forces to work, and everybody
will soon be happy and smiling and
business will be we'll on the road
TO normal.
"One thousand dollars turned
loose in any city in the cotton belt
would settle many debts. From
sunrise to sunset. the money would
travel performing the useful mis-
sion Of making easy many who are
now hard pressed. y half million
dollars would settle still more
debts and would so far towards
solving the question of providils.
work for the unemployed. The
100000 or more bales of cotton
which is estimated as being held
in South Carolina. together with
the new crop estimated for this
state at $50. 600 represents on to-
days market total OF about $143,-
600. 900. The seed from this year $
crop Will add thousands more to
this total When this cotton is sold
it Will wipe out many old scores.
Business falls before the charge