The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1902-12-23

largely attended. The wiscst men who
grow and handle the weed should ex-
change views and try to agree upon a
plan to save themselves from the certain
hcaVy losses that will come to them if
they make no attempt to thwart the high
handed plans which the trust has de-
termined to carry into execution. A
prominent tobacco man said yesterday
that, even If agreement upon the best
Plan could not be reached at the Fri
day meeting, 1t would do good to let the
trust know that their cool taking of SO ID
per cent out of the pockets Of farmers
and dealers could not be carried out
without a protest. He added: The
News and Observers vigorous and ringing
editorial on Sunday morning has already
done good, and forced the trust to make
a slight increase in the price of tobacco.
The Rocky Mount meeting if it shows that
North Carolina tobacco growers and deal
crs are IN earnest, will do good"
BY request of this paper, Col. J. Bryan
Grimes, the first president of the State
Tobacco Growers Association, CON
tributes a thoughtful and sensible article
and pointing out measures that he thinks
ought to be adopted by the farmers.
These suggestions are commended to
the consideration of the convention. Col.
| Crir,oS ic n nrao3ica1 an5 S,JoocccfnI to
bacco grower, d sensible and honest man,
and whatever he recommends is entitled
20 the greatest weight.
Col. Grimes recommends that the farm
If the tobacco farmers Of only twenty
five counties would secure a perfect or
ganization to prevent the arbitrary re-
duction of the price of their product, they
would do much to hold up the price. If,
cooperating with them, small capitalists
in the tobacco section in every strong
tobacco town would invest a few
thousand dollars in manufacturing cigars
and smoking tobacco and conduct a small
business, appealing first to home con-
sumption Tor antitrust SCouS, tHdC Wouiu
! also help in the fight that must be waged
If the tobacco farmers are not reduced
| to vassals of the tobacco trust. The
success of the Wells Whitehead Tobacco
concerns ought to encourage others to
make like efforts.
Colonel Grimes also takes up the manu-
~facture of fertilizer as one that ought to
be considered by farmers. 1t is a profit
able business, the cost of machinery IS
not great, every weli-managed fertilizer
company, small or large, has made money
The establishment of factories in the
leading sections should be encouraged. II
is as Colonel Grimes says probably the
most inviting field for investment in cul
State today Much of the material is II
the hands of the farmers and they ough1
TO utilize it and save at home large sums
now paid to the giant companies Tor thf
fortilize-s they are compelled to use
Col Grimes gives some figures showing
the need of a change in the ingredients Il
fertilizers which he says would effect {
large saving to the farmers or the State
This meeting at Rocky Mount concern:
the people of the towns and cities IN IN
tobacco section almost as much as 1t doe
the growers of the weed, and the lnde
nendent buyers, dealers, Warehousemel
and manufacturers as we'll as the farm
ers should be present. Colonel GrlHe'
saws with manifest truth that they can
rot afford to lose this opportunity 10 coh
suit together concerning these mater
that SO vitality concern their "elidIe'