The Paducah evening sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1906-1929, 1909-01-04
Association Methods Causti-
cally Treated in His Speech.
Former Grader Makes Alleged Expos
ure Of Secret letters Sent Out
BY Ewing.
SPEECH AT THE COURT HOUSE

1 ing anu MS dlleStu dTDltfdTy tctlOn
in ordering tobacco held by the asso-
citation regarded that the prices might
be made to conform with the wishes
Iof the buyers for the Italian govern
iment and the American Tobacco CON-
pany. was the principal charge made
by Tom Myles in his speech at the
court house Saturday which was
heard by about $50 farmers of Nc
Cracker county.
Mr.. Myles, who was formerly a
member of the board of graders. pre-
faced his remarks by saying that he
was not sore on the organization,
that he was stin for It, and that his
purpose was 60, enllghten the menu
beers that they might rid themselves,
IL possible. of the present manage
ment at Guthrie which has brought.
about a considerable calamity by their
irregularities. Mr.. Myles vehemently
denied the accusation that he was re-
ceiving 5000 for each speech deliv-
erred.
The speaker dwelt largely upon
the regarding of the farmers hold
ings to such an extent that the men,
bers had lost a million and half dol
lars and that the regarding process
was going on every day with no end
in sight. Mr.. Myles said in the out
set that the Office of the grader was
only to say to which grade type
belonged, and that when that was
done, the board OF directors fixed the
schedule to be charged Tor each grade
In explaining why his services as a
grader were dispensed with, Mr..
Myles said that II was because he
wrote letter to the board OF direc-
tors of the organization protesting
against the action OF the other two
members of the board regarding a
large per cent of the leaf tobacco
held as Tugs and fixing a price for
the same that was below the original
schedule for trash. He refused to be
IA party to such deal and was kicked
tout. In reply to a published state
ment of Felix Ewing that the reason
he was deposed as grader was that
was ~ litQuCntlf Itldt
his work was unsatisfactory. Mr..
Myles denied that he had ever been
intoxicated when performing his
work as a grader, but declared that
lhe knew more about tobacco drunk
than the other members of the board
did sober, that there we're a dozen
/ factory hands in Paducah more COM
petent to serve as grader than the
man who succeeded him. In further
commenting on his drinking habits,
Mr. Myles said that he sometimes
sobered up, but that the one who
charged him with intoxication, was
whole drunk half the time and half
drunk all the time.
1 A Serious Charge.
/ The most serious charge made by
the speaker was that w. Il. Frazier,
assistant general manager. who was
appointed by Felix Ewing. had told
Scalvini, the Italian commissioner. TO
go to the salesrooms and pick out
what types he wanted, and say what
he would give for them, and that he
would have the board OF graders to
meet and fix the price accordingly.
That was done and sale of 1900
lhogsheads of tobacco was made at an
average price OF less than IS when.
the lowest price fixed for any grade
of Italian tobacco was s11.5O.
The charge was also made that af-'
ter lot OF tobacco had been regarded
at Mayfieid, Assistant Manager Fraz-
Ter gave an order that no buy"
should be shown the lot until Nat.
Dortch, an American Tobacco COM
pany buyer could see IL.
I'm reply TO a statement made by
Joe washington at Paducah Deem
Der II that the average price paid
1.-THE farmer was s1L50. Mr.. Myles
said the average had been less than
|ss per 100 pounds.
As to only damaged tobacco being
regarded, as had been said by Mr. Ew-
ing and other officials, Mr.. Myles
read from a secret membership let
ter, signed by Mr. Ewing. in which
liz was admitted that "perfectly sound
and sweet tobacco had been regrad-
ed" but that It would be ruinous to
the association to let that fact become.
known to the members. Those mem
|bers whose holdings had been regrad-
ed or held longer than others would
be reimbursed 6 or 8 per cent from
the general association fund, but the
county chairman was admonished to-
keep this secret as at would cause
sensation and make trouble among
the members"
Mr.. Myles defied Felix Ewing or
ANY one to refute the statement that
the Italian buyer had fixed his own
|price on tobacco and that two-thirds
OF the leaf held August 1 had not
been regarded AS Jugs, common hugs
and low Tugs. The speaker said that
the prices the farmers are now re-
Iceiving nets 5 u cents for leaf tobac-
co and 3 1-3 cents for their Tugs.
Again referring TO the charge that
Inc had been turned out because Of
|his drinking habits, Mr.. Myles said
THAI he was employed for three years