The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-11-11
Tobacco Growers Protest.


ern Planter is an article by the editor
Food for Thought for Southern Tobacco
Growers. In tho October issue OF the
same paper Is an article by Mr. f. O.
Kerns. president of the Bright Tobacco
Association. replying TO this editorial and
answering fully every point taken by the
editor Of the Planter, and showing plainly
the unreasonableness OF this paper I'm
mediately following the article OF Mr.
kerns in the October Planter IS "A long
editorial endeavoring To justify the ground
taken In the August paper which makes
bad matters worse. Mr.. Kerns winds up
his article by saying the attitude Of the
Planter towards the Tobacco Growers
Associatton-the most practical and com
mon sense Organiza ton the farmers OF the
state have ever entered into-lOOks queer
10 him. and II looks queer TO every other
farmer who has any thought about MIN.
Vow, do not desire 70 get into con-
troVersy with the editor OF the greatest
agricultural paper IN the country He is
100 big a man for as TO tackle: but We
do not understand him. We do not want
TO misjudge him; We want 10 know ex-
acty whore he stands.
The Planter goes on to argue that there
are enough Independent dealers suu left
To make healthy competition on the to-
pacco market Every intelligent farmer
knows that this is not true. and every
honest warehouseman win tell you the
same thing The few Independents left
exist at the mercy OF the trust as M
kerns properly states. IA would apnaar
too bad not 70 have any independent deal
ers but whenever one gets in the way
OF the trust his days are soon numbered
some who claim TO be independent deal
ers are agents for one branch or other
OF the tobacco trust, and those who ara
not so associated are on the best Of terms
with the trust. This is a day Of cooper
alton, and no class OF people on earth
have learned this lesson better than the
tobacco dealers. IL Is to their interest
10 cooperate, and every other class OF
people have found Il out. except some
tlick-headed farmer. and this class / am
glad To say. Is growing less every year.
II cooperation In selling has benefited the
cotton planters o. the South and the
TRUCK planters OF the eastern part Of this
state. and the dark tobacco growers Of
Kentucky and Tennessee. we cant see
why il viii not help the tobacco growers
OF virginia II Il paws to use intelligence
In tho cultivation and fortiiizing and in
the handling and curing Of "A crop %
tobacco Why VAL Il not pay 10 use some
common sense IN the way II ia marketed ? .
The Planter fears that. II the associa-
ton shall succeed. the farmers are
surn fools that prices VIII DO placed %
h1h that all orders for Virginia tobacco
viii De filed By other countries and We
VIII Zip the goose that 49, the golden
-gg. The truth is that under the pres
'nt system ~ selling al public auction ln
SOFT winter order. the tobacco dealers of
the country can buy our tobacco AZ one
price as well as another They are ah-o-
llteiy masters Of the situation. and tho
reason they DO not take Il at less money
Us tnat they do not want al. rip the goose
iAaf lays the golden cgg" for them II
Germany and Canada can make the same
GRADES ~ tobacco az Virginia AT less
money than Nc are receiving FOR Il. they
.'h go ahead. anr VIC viii turn our at
tention 20 something else Tho Southern
fanter intimatcs that the price % our
tobacco Is high enough but the troubI.
j. We do not MAKE enough per acre. but
am siad 70 say that "a great many dark
''"i'co growers make from fifteen 20
'lant""n hundred pounds per acre T-rfor-
,unateiy. however. there is less con.neff.
tor in this grade OF leaf tobacco than
any other j. requires rlch land inteui-
gent cultivation and costly barns 10
handle properly fine Austrian and Italian
t''i'co' nut any negro or tria.ug white
farmer can make Jugs. and there is not
H!uch dlHerence ia tho price between the
Two The Planter goes on 10 cite a num-
ner OF independent dealers IN Richmond.
nVt we have never been able 10 fra them
20 our advantage II has been the expe-
nence OF farmers that whenever tobacco
mas been taken in On the Blackstone
mona that one shipment has been a
plenty. We have not one word 10 saw
against The agents of the American To-
"acco company. nor the Reggie buyers nor
the men who run the tobacco warehouses
"ry are as clever as any people IN the
state. out the present system OF selling
l'oacro is all wrong. and the practical
FARMERS 81 the State are becor,ire, ,treT
OF putting their main croo-tbe prod.rt
or thelr best land. and not only thew Ia,
DOT but the labor Of their wives and
'nidren-to BE- sold az public auction
WIN d farce OF competition. II our to-
paccO can be properly graded pt,t q, safa
Keeping order and placed on the market
When there is demand for IL. as the
association proposes 10 do and avofs no
terrible gluts. which are a harv.st -.
mo buyers but death 70 the farmers no
P1tSon can estimate the advantages to be
gained over the present wav Of seliing
me demand for tobacco is Increasing
every year; the manufactured product Is
advancing all the time but Virgin}o
Whlch makes the finest types ~ dartr a,,,t
bright tobacco, Is making less every v.ar
We nave the lands and buildings and
experience 10 make tobacco which the
"o'id wants, but the prices We are re-
'elVing are not IN proportion to the pres
ont price Of labor The trust want -
TOBACCO; can and viii pay profitable nricos
u We VIII place ourselves In a positiop
70 force them TO DO So and not until tben.
II organization and cooperation VIII helm
every otner class. why will IT not help the
TOBACCO growers. We naturally exnected
the Southern Planter, which is an adyo,-
cate or progressive farming. and a great
paper IN some respects 10 aid ever,
movement OF the farmers to better their
conditlon but We are sorry to say that
Oiiis paper mas done more to discourage
the association than any other naner In
the state The members 81 the Tobacco
association are forced to this conclusion
mat the Southern Planter is either an
any OF the American Tobacco COMPANY
OF ~ utterly ignorant OF the cost Of pro-
uucllon and the onc-sided way of sellin,
TOBACCO. and in the future we hore II
VIII coniine its editorials 70 coWpcas-fts
hoooy-and let the Tobacco Association
alone W."
The Dark Tobacco Growers Association
~ IN no sense d speculative concern and
never cXpecfI he