Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1908-01-22

In Of the faes parts Of Kentucky and Tennessee
lies strip OF land, composed Of thirty countless known
as the Black Patch the dark tobacco district derV-
ing its from its chief product tobacco produced IN
dark brown grade not duplicated elsewhere on the globe
This tobacco is much in demand by dealers in torelgh
countries -Engand, France, Australia Germany SPAN
Portugal and ltaywho for several years kept buyers ID
the tobacco district and in competition entered into there
BY assured the farmer living price for his product the
result OF his toll Tor is Job to- cultivate tobacco
! But there came a change. Tobacco buyers sud-
denly eraced from the scene. The idea Of trusts
and monopoies then coming into great fashion
over the land and the who purchased this tobacco
tor foreign export not slow to catch the spirit They
forthwith organized trust OF their The dark tobac-
co district divided into sections, with one agent to
take the production OF his district without encroachmen
from his neighbor who had charge Of affairs in adj
joining one, The price soon went down. What was the
use OF paying more when you could get for less!
he farmer had recourse he might take his choice
to be sure, sell hold but the approaching maturity Of
y to cIoose the lesser Of the two evil Ne sold, at an
average Of four cents pound; 1t cost ctual produc-
ton tive cents, and brought delivered II Europe net
profit Of never less than S150 pound! Quit raising
tobacco he could the soil would not produce anything
else in sufficient qualities TO sustain him. Leave the
country he could not railroads have way OF demanding
cash for transportation Of body and baggage The latter
he had in scant supply the former included in his
chattles
thing must be done Congress was appealed to- 1t was
busy
The lane which has turning is long After
ten years OF opposition body of convened at the
little OF Guthrie near the Kentucky Tennessee
boundary ine and in the former state on September a.
in the year 1904 One thousand men present formed the
Dark Tobacco Planters Protective Association and pledg
ed themselves to hold their staple for living prices The
was contagious and other similar organizations
sprang into exstance until their total membership control
led 80 per cent of all the ocacco raised Fair prices
demanded and for while apparently willingly
gwen, but such rich plum not to be snatched by
the action Of handful Of ignorant planters without
stubborn fight Prices which Otherwise would have been
considered enormous offered individual farmers
who had pledged themselves sell bodyn an endeavor
rend asunder the solid and determined phaax Of dis
gusted planters. The offers refused.
But the opposition not to be overcome 50 easily
1t meant to have that tobacco any know the
reason why This organization Of farmers, which had
sprung up overnight with its numerous factories and
warehouses, must be rent asunder.
A band OF unknown mscreants visited negro planters
Of tobacco and threatened them. Dsseminators Of pub
city lost time in charging the visit the Dark Tobacco
Association, which denied and proved false Next
came scraping Of plant beds The association member
ship charged with this. and in the disproval it
brought light that persons had ruined their plants
that outside public sentiment mgh be thrown against the
Planters Association
Then came the Night Riders Of Kentucky and Tennes.
see.