The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1909-09-21

the Association" have sold 80 per
cent of the 1908 crop-about 2,OO0,-
900 pounds to the American Tobacco
Company, at satisfactory prices. We
ask him to give us figures that we
may p this better method he
has discovered, with former systems.
Tell us, Mr.. Adams, what you term
satisfactory prices. Did you sell any
of the 1908 crop for $50 per hundred?
Did you sell any for $40?
Have you sold any filters for $40?
Have you sold any cutters for $25?
Give us a direct answer; no evasion.
II you can show you are in a position
to get the producer more money for
his product 1T can do your ~aSSOcia-
ton no harm to give publicity to tEy
fact. Again, I wish to call your at
tention to sales made on the Danville
warehouse floors by some Of your
personal friends, and then ask you
if the present method is the best. In
July, Il think" 1884, Mr.. David Nash
of Ingram, Va, sold on the Danville
market. on the Cable warehouse foor,
at auction, two tWO-hOrse loads of to-
bacco, all grades, just as it was
grown, for 1888, an average of $50
per hundred. Mr.. Scott Boyd of Hall
fax county, Virginia. sold or the same
f1Oor his entire load for an average
of SIS. These men are known to Mr..
Adams, and the figures can be veri-
fed by reference TO the books Of Z.
F. AGREE & Bro, proprietors Of Cable
warehouse at that time. Mr.. Adams
knows it was nothing out of the
ordinary for producers of tobacco
to average $40, all grades.
Mr.. A. S. Shields. of Spring Garden,
Va, has sold tobacco on the Danville
market for an average of $40, SO has
Jnho MARTHA Chatham Va Tnhr ~
CLANCY, Kentuck, Va; Tap Mcdowell,
Roddens, Va; Joseph Mcdowell,
Mineola, Va. besides hundreds Of
others in Virginia, not to mention the
host Of farmers from Alamance, Cas-
we'll, Orange, Person and Durham
counties in North Carolina. Mr..
Brice Warren, of Corbett, N. c., has
often told me referring to this
period" he considered prices low if
he averaged less than $50, now he is
all smiles if he gets an average Of Is
cents the above prices prevailed be-
fore Mr.. Adams friends came into
existence. Has your association SOLD
any obacco to the American Tobacco
Company for like prices? If SO how
can you say the present method. the
best devised? [ agree with Mr.
Adams in it being the best. but best
for who? Certainly nOt the producer
nor our section of the country. MIR
| Adams is sadly at fault, or
he has taken a strange position, be-
fore the people in whose interest he
claims to be so deeply interested, when
he says the present method is the best
for the producer. You will have much
trouble, Mr.. Adams, in convincing
those who remember former systems
the present the best, unless 1t be
for the organizers of the M. p. AS
sociation."
The A. T. people are at present of
fering as an excuse for low prices fol
leaf on the eastern markets, over
hand, from two to four years supply
Of raw material, If this is true, the
fallacy Of the M. P. Association is
more apparent, as the plan offered by
them through Mr.. Adams. has a tend
ency to encourage production. TIC
carry their idea out to it's logical con-
| cIusion, the way to reduce a surplus,
is to increase the surplus, pile it up.
If we will stick together. and make
the surplus large enough. we can
force the A. T.. people to take it at
q fair price. This is the logic Of the
leader of the farmers association.
Is it any wonder they founder about
demoralized, ready to take on to any
thing promising relief. when .heir
leaders preach such stuff.
But does Mr.. Adams really believe
this plan the best? Does he honest
" think. the producer will get better
nrices. by the continued production
Of a perishable product. when there is
already a surplus of three years sup
NV on hand. We will not reflect on
his intelligence by accusing him OF