The Semi-weekly leader. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1905-1941, 1909-02-10

res Union was held at the court
house Friday evening, the 5th inst.
There were present quite a number
of the growers, Messrs. j. w. Nc
Grath and w. H. Seavey, and sew
eral visitors, viz: ex-State Presi-
dent of the Farmers Industrial and
Educational Union, ]. Morgan
Bass, who is a prominent and sue
cessfuI truck grower at Hazlehurst,
Mr.. R. c. Kennedy, of Philadel-
phia, Pa, representing the firm of
Chas. B. Justice, the wrapt tomato
man. and Mr.. Alvin Wellhouse, of
Atlanta, Ca, the man who furnish
es the paper to wrap the tomatoes,
and Mr.. Foster, a large truck
grower from Gallman, Miss.
Mr.. W. H. Seavey reported fav-
orable progress toward securing a
shed and loading facilities from the
Railroad Co. The committee, con-
sisting of Messrs. w. H. Seavey,
j. W. McGrath, M. B. Moore and
]. L. Atwood, appointed to decide
on plan for the marketing of the
truck products from Brookhaven
this year, reported with the follow
ing recommendations: That R. E..
Fleming be made the exclusive
shipping or sales agent; that every
thing in the way of truck products
be marketed by Mr.. Fleming on a
commission basis, with the under
standing that he keep thoroughly
posted on the markets, and devote
all the time and attention necessary
to handle the business to the best
possible advantage; that he keep
accurate accounts of the growers
products. and keep his books and
papers open to the inspection of
the officers of the Truck Growers
Union. They also recommend that
the growers abide by Mr.. Fleming S
instructions as to when to gather,
when to wrap or not wrap the to-
matoes, as to asserting or grading,
with reference to size and stage of
ripeness, and to abide by his grad
ing before loading in cars. They
recommend that all work together
in peace and harmony with view
and purpose of putting up nothing
but the best of goods and getting
the best of prices; so as to make it
known in every market that
BROOKHAVEN stamped on a
package means the goods are up to
the standard in quality.
This report and recommendations
from the committee, after some
discussion, were voted upon and
adopted by the Union.
Then speech was made by that
model farmer, ]. Morgan Bass,
whose sound reasoning is practical
ly applied on his truck farm and
exemplified in his comfortable
home, nice farm, and many con-
veniences; and in his being able to
educate his children in the best col
leges of our country. He is one
farmer who can cite you to what
trucking and diversified farming
and doing his own thinking will do.
His opening remark was that
Brookhaven is beginning the truck
business on the best basis, or most
correct principles of any place in
the State. He heartily approves
the plan of having one man to have
the disposition of the entire crop.
He reasons that with but one man
to market, he can enforce correct
grading and packing, and prevent
inferior goods being shipped. If
several solicitors or spectators are
on hand, each contending and beg
ging to handle your goods, it de-
moralizes the growers, and if one
refuses to handle on account of in
ferior quality, the other will
handle it, and in that way the
grower is encouraged to put up in
ferior goods. But if only one man
is allowed to handle the goods, the
grower knows he will have to take
his stuff back home if it is not put
up and graded properly, and he is
very likely to see that it is up to
the standard. Mr.. Bass thinks that
most of the rascality in the truck
business begins at the packing
shed. He wants us to remember
when we are wrapping our toma-
toes that when the man at the other
end of the line goes to buy a basket
of tomatoes, he is just as careful
to see that they are sound and fit
to eat as we are if we are buying a
dozen apples here.
He congratulates Brookhaven on
having merchants who are willing
to furnish the growers and lend
them every assistance in the grow
ing Of truck and who propose that
the grower shall have the full BEN
eft Of the price that his products
will bring. Ii the merchants were
to speculate in the products, then,
necessarily, the price brought
would be divided between the spec
ulator and the grower; and we could
not hope for results, other than
those existing at some trucking
points In our State, where the spec
uIators have grown very wealthy
and have mortgages on three
fourths Of the property in the
trucking district. while the grow
ers have not Jared So we'll. Many
Of them are now begging for q
little fertilizer and supplies to
make another crop. Mr.. Bass en-