The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1922-11-11
Regulating by Law
Paper. Suggests Compulsory
Fight on Weevil
(The Lanrens Advertiser)

(The Iaurens Advertiser).
Several weeks ago The Advertis-
er suggested that to get an efficient
plan to combat the boil
weevil it appeared advisable to
have the legislature enact a law
that cotton stalks be
plewed up in the fall of the year.
The Advertiser realized that this
was a radical suggestion, not apt
to receive serious consideration at
first, and that the. plan might have
obvious defects which would be
recognized by those more init
mately connected with farming,
Yet, as drastic as the suggestion
might appear, the seriousness of
the problem confronting the farm
ers seems to us to justify some Leg
.sIs+tve measure Of relief. In this
we find agreement in the Abbeville
f9fess and Banner, this paper, how
ever, suggesting that the same
measures be applied to poisoning
as we suggested being applied to
piowing CT stalks.
Following a reprint Of an editor
ial from Cotton News, stressing the
importance of the cotton crop to
the south, The Press and Banner
spoke as follows Friday: s
The man who has observed and
who thinks must come TO the con-
clusion:
First: That cotton is and will con-
tinue to be the money crop Of this
section. This does not mean that
other crops are not to be planted.
AS has been said so often before
we must produce those things
necessary to make the farm self
supporting. Here and. there crops
other than cotton will be grown
from which money may be obtain
ed. But after all, as it is in south
west Georgia, in Alabama. in Mis-
sissippi and in. other states, cotton
will remain king in South Carolina.
1t must be grown as the one
great money crop Of the south.
Second: In order to grow cot
ton successfully it is going to be
necessary to make consistent
fight against the boil weeyil. Just
now the only known remedy against
the destruction he brings is calcium
arsenate. Cotton must be poison
ed with this; poison. or no crop
will 4be grown certainly not with
profit
Third: One or two men, in the
community can not grow cotton
successfully even with calcium ar
senate if their, neighbors raise on
adjoining lands, swarms of boil Wee
wis which at. the period Of migra-
ton go into fields everywhere and
destroy the crops being grown. No
amount Of poisoning by individ-
uals is going to save the country
from the losses resulting from the
attempt to grow cotton without
universal poisoning for the weevil.
Fourth: We had as well come
to it,. because we must come to it,
the growing of cotton must be reg
;uIated The railroads are requir-
ed. to take precautions to- guard the
public against losses from. dangers
incident to the business they carry
on; sawyers are not allowed to pois-
on. streams against fish; fertilizer
factories must respond in damages
for losses .occasioaed by the. pois-
oned gases from their factories. No
man can keep: an open well on his
premises or "a pond where it is at
tractive to children, without guard
ing, these things and u rendering
them as nearly as possible harm
less. And nobody should be al
lowed in any community, to harbor
a bull dog or other kind OF ami
maj, which must surely destroy
property or threaten the public
safety. When then should a man
be. allowed to neglect his farm, to
plant cotton and. not poison it and
thus. make his fields a breeding
place for boil weevils. which at a
given period invade the fields of
the men who do. make a fight
against the menace, and there de-
stroy the results of the labor Of
the industrious and Of thoughtful
men. >.
The general assembly. will con-
vene in January. There will be
time then to provide by law rea-
sonable regulations for the grow
ing Of cotton in this state. SO as to
make it profitable to the grower,
and SO as to. protect. the indus
trious and do away with the man
who furnishes a harboring place
for the worst enemy the farming
interests of this country have yet
come in contact with. Wia the
members of the general assembly
have the courage TO meet the sit
uation?
HAGoOD NEWS
ANN UIEWc