Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1908-06-11

Ohb VI NNoAiNoo oiN Pc
whole of the tobacco crop was thus
of necessity given over to the trust.
The whole black patch as it is called,
was divided into districts and one
purchaser over each district made it
easy for the trust to set the price
and force the farmer to take it. This
was a great wrong. 1t is no sur
prise that the farmers met organiza-
ton with organization and pooled
their interests and presented to the
one purchaser one seller. This new
order of things brought better
prices. The farmer was thus put
in position to demand and obtain
better prices, to which he was in
every way entitled.
The rich fruitage that came to the
tobacco raiser is told in the cancella-
ton of mortgages throughout the
tobacco belt. The association for
the past few years through this CO.
operative plan has controlled pos
sibly rs per cent. Of the entire crop.
The remaining rs per cent. was pur-
chased by independent buyers. At
this point came the friction. 1t is
claimed by those of us who have
stood by the association that those
who remained out obtained the ad-
vance prices made possible by the
pool, and at the same time bore no
part of the burden of being compell-
ed to wait to receive his money. 1t
seems TO me, that each and every
tobacco raiser should have joined
and placed his tobacco in the COM
mon pool and have undergone what
ever of hardship was necessary for
the common good. This principle
appeals to me most strongly and
should in my opinion have guided
the action of all our people engaged
| in common pursuit. Your speak
er has given largely of his time and
energy in his home county to bring
about such an ideal condition, and it
is but just to say that without force,
duress, compulsion or violence APP
proximately 80 per cent. of the crop
there had been pooled. In the opin-
ion of the speaker q have great re-
spect for those who differ a happy
condition of affairs would have re-
suited had 100 per cent. stood Shout
der to shoulder and thus pledged
their crops and continued year after
year to demand and receive a fair
price for this, the money product Of
this country-such result without
force or violence would mark the
ideal state as it seems to me.
In this country ideal conditions
are seldom ever reached. We may
approach thereunto, but in most ev-
cry phase of human endeavor it can
scarcely be realized. The ideal of
the minister would be that every
son and daughter of Adam should be
a devoted follower of the meek and
lowly Nazarene. To him who is thus
welded to his Lord and Master it
gets to be a sacred passion that all
should so live; yet he searches in vain
in Holy Writ for authority to coerce.
The gospel of love is his only weap-
on. Day in and day out he preach
es the unsearchable riches of Christ.
Men are moved by his eloquence of
love, and with glad hearts taste the
sweets of new life and join the as.
ISOLATION of the skies and swear al
legiance to the King of Kings and
Lord Of Lords. Other men do not
receive the word. They turn deaf
ear to the wooings of the Spirit and
lose a rich inheritance in the beyond.
Shall he be turned from his down
ward course by force? Not so, ev-
en- to save him from hell, for the
very act would do violence to the
saving power provided for those who
will receive it.
The Gospel call is, Whosoever will;
the association call must be the
same. Like the Gospel call it is
perfectly legitimate and right, both
in the sight of God and man, to press
invitation, but by force and violence
never. Intimidation, threats and
violence may seem a quick remedy.
Indeed, for time it will bring more
startling results. but it must in time
fall of its own weight, for "he who