The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1908-11-03
Facts About Burley Tobacco
Society.

In ds much as the country has been
flooded with false and misleading state
ments in regard to the Burley Tobacco
Society, its purpose, its management
and its prospects, we believe IL an op-
perfume tine to correct these state
ments and inform our members. In
the first place why this real interest in
the welfare of the grower, on the part
of the newspapers, warehouSemen,
spectators and trust buyers, an inter-
est which is newborn and had no exist
ence when the prices were low, when
the farmer was down-trodden and the
trust held undisputed sway in the to-
bacco trade. This interest, and these
misstatements and criticisms come
from few honest people who believe
the organization responsible for law
lessness. and who have not looked deep
enough into the situation to find iOut
that the law Iessness is caused by pre-
vious lawIessness On the part OF the
trust, and is the blind effort of few
unreasoning men who seek to remedy
one wrong with another, and who
strike back because they themselves
are hurt. With this exception, these
false statements come from venal
sources, from,men who for a consider
alton. or for private interest seek to
overthrow this organization of farm
ers.
A great cutlery has been made about
extravagant salaries; it is sufficient
answer TO state that though over four
million dollars have been distributed to
the growers not one cent of salary has
been paid to any member Of the Dis
trict Board, the Executive Committee,
or the President himself And when
salaries are voted and paid they will
be so reasonable that no fair-minded
grower will grudge one cent of them
to the men who have done the work,
planned the business and stood the at
tacko and criticism of those who wish
ed the failure of the movement.
OF the ten per cent. reserve, eight
per cent. is deposited in the various
counties where it will do the growers
the most good and at no distant day the
greater part by far will be distributed
to the individual growers.
1t has been stated that too much has
been charged for handling tobacco-in
only a few instance has more been
charged for this service than is the
usual charge for same. And in these
instances there were other benefits to
the grower which more than counter
balanced this extra charge, and in no
case has there been any profit to the
Burley Tobacco Society or its manag-
ers from such charged. In most cases
brought forward to prove this it has
been clearly shown that the grower
entered voluntarily into a private con-
tract to pay these fees when he was
free to have made other and better
contracts or have the work done him.
self
From some source it has been claim
ed that the tobacco has lost too much
in weight-mistakeS are liable to occur
in any business but it is a queer fact
that such losses are reported more fire.
quently OH tobacco stored and sampled
in the old established warehouses of
the cities than on tobacco stored in the
equity warehouses in the counties this
disproves the charge or insinuation of
Encouragement or graft on the part
of the Society.
The trust has used every means to dis
rupt our Society. 1t has paid the in
dependent grower more money for the
1906 and 1907 crops than they ever
dreamed of getting it has tempted our
own members to violate their contract
by offering unheard of prices; it is
offering still higher prices for the 1908
crop. 1t has substituted inferior tobac-
cos and sought TO starve US out. 1t has
refused to buy any considerable amount
of our tobacco at our prices, and has
made no bona fide effort to buy at any
price, butLin the face of all this we
present a solid front. The Burley To-
bacco Society still exists and is doing
business at Winchester and our pros
poets are brighter than ever. We have
orders for 1907 tobacco, which if filled,
will consume nearly all of that crop.
The crop of 1908 was cut out beyond
our most sanguine expectations and the
great drouth has still further diminish
ed the available supply.
4 Let every farmer and every county
hurry in their samples so that the 1907
crop can be priced and both crops sold.
Above all, let every farmer discour-
age Incorporate talk and most intern