St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1910-10-29
MEETING Of
RICE GROWERS
A Movement Made to Or
ganiZe General Agency.
Louisiana. Mississippi and
Texas Men Participate.
Complaint that Middle Man
Eats Up the Profits.
Antitrust Law May Put
Difficulties i'm the Way.
Farmers Will BE Asked to
Sign an Agreement.

! Beaumont, Tex, o t. 24.-There
was a meeting of the rice farmers,
millers, canal men and others in
trested in rice srowing this after
| noon. The entire rice belt of Louisi-
| ana and Texas was represented.
| About fifty of the leading rice farm
ers of Jefferson county were present
| and steps were taken toward the
organization of general selling
agency to handle all rough rice
grown in Texas, Louisiana, Missis-
sippi and Arkansas.
A vote was taken by which the rice
men declared in favor of the central
selling agency plan, and the execu-
tive committee appointed at the mass
meeting in Crowley few days ago
with the addition of thre farmers
from Jefferson county, was detiled
to formulate a definite plan for sub
mission to the individual far 1ers. I
This committee held a meeting af-
ter the main meeting adjourned. and
met again tonight; and will remain
in Beaumont until the plan has been
formed. 1t is believed that the rice
farmers have at last reached rock
bottom and realize that organization
is necessary to give the rice market
stability and insure the growing of
rice a profit. The middle man or
broker, who stands between the
grower and the consumer, was de-
clared to be the only person in the
rice industry who is making money,
and he is reaping rich reward.
This, it was argued, was shown by
the fact that while the consumer
pays uniform and high price for
rice, ranging from figure less than
the actual cost of production to a
point where it becomes highly pro-
fitable. If the consumer was bene-
fitted by the low prices, said w. P.
H. McFaddin at the meeting, it would
not be such grevious matter, but
as it is, the consumer is paying the
same price now as he had paid when
rice sold for 81 per bag. and much
of the rice is now selling for less
than 50 per bag.
Tom Garner, one of the leading
growers of Jefferson county, said that
it was absolutely necessary that some
action be taken, as 80 per cent of the
rice farmers are in distress and must
either sell their rice at the prevail
ing low figures, or default in the
payment of their debts.
The question as to whether an alb
solutely binding agreement to market
all the rough rice through the same
agency at a fixed and arbitrary price
would be in violation of the Texas
antitrust law arose, but it was an
nounced that the antitrust law did
not reach farmers or the producer.
When the committees plan is
worked out each farmer will be ask
ed to sign the agreement, and he
will be required to promise the cor
poration to penalize himself If he
violates the agreement. There were
present from points other than this
county Frank Randolph and w. E.
Lawson, of Crowley; George W.
Courtney and DR.. A. C. Wilkins, of
jennings; w. P. Gabert, of Welsh;
H. c. Drew, of Lake Charles; DR..
W. w. Dusoon, of Ell Campo; Mr..
Allaire, of Anahuac, Cham bers coun-
ty; DR.. E. H. Brown, S. D. Burt, Geo.
W. Bancroft and e. L. Reed, of Or
ange.
Two years ago the rice farmers
entered into general agreement to
hold their rice for certain price. The
was not a sccess, but it
reflected the continual drift of the
rice farmer toward cooperation.
On the executive committee which
is forming the plan there are repre-
sentatives from every section of the
rice growing section.