The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1922-07-15

plant tool OF the demaSoSue. IO-
day ne is coming into his own for
the people realize now as never, be-
fore if there is to be any race bet
terment of permanent value there
must be a betteTment of the mass
es. "a great. nation is not the
.outgrowth OF a few men Of genius
but the superlative worth Of a
great common people. ."
The Present Potential Agricultural
Power Of South Carolina.
The potertial agricultural power
Of South Carolina is. greater today
than any time in its history. I
know this is "a startling statement;
of course, I appreciate the serious
ness Of the present situation. =.
Let me sum up briefly my rea-
sons for stating that the potential
agricultural power of the state is
greater today than any time in it's
history:
1st. There has. never been q
time in the history of the world
when there was such Store of
practica, and useful information
for the guidance of the farmer as
today. 80. =; s
End. There was never a time in
recent history when there was a
greater sympathy and more gem
eraI und of the farmers
problems by the general public than
today: So.
srd. There was never as much
favorable legislation enacted Of q
financial and economic character ID
thesinterest OF agriculture as there
is today.
!, 4tn. 9here is no soil that VIII
respond to intelligent treatment
more readily than The soil of South
Carolina. @ -
5tfl. There is no country that
can produce as many soil build
ing crops assouth Carolina and the
adjacent states. .s,...'.ss5..
6sh. There is no country that
can produce a greater number of
nitrogenous crops for forage than
South Carolina
7&h. There is no country thai
can produce a greater number OF
money crops than South Carolina;
namely, cotton. tobacco, peanuts,
soy beans, sweet potatoes, and prac-
ticaliy all the truck crops in the
lower counties.
Ssh. There is no country that
can produce pork and dairy pro-
ducts more economically than
South Carolina owing to our abii-
ity to produce such variety OF
forage crops.
9Th. There is no country that
can produce more pr Q Fl a b y
peaches, grapes, and small berries
than South Carolina.
10. And last, but by no means
least, now that the farmers have
at last determined to put the bus
mess end of farming which is
largely the marketing Of farm pro-
ducts on a business basis, by or
ganiziIg farmers cooperative COM
modify marketing associations.
I admit it is one thing to pos
sess the potential power and anotf1-
er thing to develop and use 1t in
teIligentiy. But I have sublime
faith in the fiber, the stability, and
the ultimate common sense Of our
people. for the agricultural record
they have made within the last
twenty-five years justifies this faith.
twenty-five years ago the average
yield of corn per acre was II bush
els. Today it is 19. The average
yield of oats per acre was 1S busfr>
els, today it is. "a bushels. The
average yield of wheat was 5 bush
els, today il is - bushels. The av-
erage yield of cotton per acre was
1877 pounds of lint, today it is 247
pounds. The average yield of all
the great staple crops of South
Carolina has increased within the
last twenty-five years, expressed in
percentages IS percent. nearly
doubled. And we have just scratch
ed upon the surface. the next de-
cade will see further increase OF
100 percent.
But just think, gentlemen, what
infinite labor it has taken to secure
these results. For it must be re-
membered that southern agriculture
25 years ago consisted simply in a
series of. motions inherited from
Adam, and the time merchant and
factor were the only agencies the
farmer corld turn to for financial
aid. and they. demanded their
pounds of flesh expressed in the
usurous rates of interest ranging
from so to $50 percent.
- Year after year he produced
and year after year he offered his
products below the cost of produc-
.tion.
am as firmly convinced as 1 am
Of anything that in a few years our
agriculture will be readjusted. Our
present antiquated system Of tax
alton modernized. a great and ef-
ficsent school system established.
A modern policy of highway de-
vesopment adopted. When these
great movements are accomplish
ed our civilization will be of such
a character that the philosophy OF
DR.. Van Dyke will be appreciated
and become part Of the daily life
of our people. This philosopher
so briefly and charmingly eX-
pressed:
-Four things a man must learn 10
do
If you are to keep your record
true: