United labor bulletin., 1910-11-17

, a bank trust company, one brokerage
company, and 10 cotton warehouses. 1t
has numerous county business agents
who have saved a great deal of money
to the farmers of the state. This is not
ably the case of fertilizers, upon which
they saved union farmers 100000 dur
ing 1909.
Tennessee owns 2S cotton warehouses
with many gins and seed houses, and
has sold cotton in large quantities direct
from warehouses to mills
1t owns and operates seven peanut
warehouses;, one peanut recleaner plant
at Johnsonville, which alone cost $10,-
900; Is union stores, number of river
landings, canning factories, tobacco fac
tories and one chair factory, which turns
out 500 finished chairs each day. 1t
owns and conducts banks. The officers
of the state union secured from the Bank
ers' association of Tennessee, the recog.
milton OF all Farmers union warehouse
cotton receipts as satisfactory collateral
| for loans, at rate of per cent. per an
num- when the recognized rate was
| per cent. and 10 per cent. With Ar
kansas, Missouri and Mississippi, 1t estab-
lished successful cotton company at
Memphis, through which it negotiated
one loan of ($2.400,D0O) two million and
four hundred thousand dollars.
Young county costing $4,000, paid for
by farmers, both landlord and tenant, at
$40 share, pays an annual dividend OF
| 80 per cent. 1t has 321 cotton ware
houses. some grain warehouses, an oil
mill and an electric light plant and flour
ing mills.
| The membership has recently built
more smoke houses than were ever
known in the history of Texas. and are
literally putting into practice live at
home and eat at the same place." The
union has reduced the mortgage indebt
edness of the state SO per cent in six
years, and have arrangements with banks
by which they get more and cheaper
money on cotton, grain and cattle than
heretofore.
They are building clearing houses to
| handle the produce of the farms. both In
selling and buying, as well as keeping
the farmers posted in regard to markets
| To great extent, the business men OF
the state work in harmony with the
union.
Texas organized cotton seed move
ment that concentrated the seed bust
ness and raised the price to the grower
1t also began the movement for greater
consumption of cotton in the place OF
jute, with the result tnat the national
government packers wholesalers and re
finers in many instances agreed to use
cotton sacking.
The union has a central cotton selling
agency at Galveston, with their own
classer in charge. to whom cotton can
be consigned for sale and money Dor
rowed on same. Cotton is also stored
in local warehouses, where it remains
until sold
Virginia is greatly interested in intro
ducing diversification and improved cul
tural methods.
1t owns fertilizer and mixing plants
and carries on extensive cooperative
buying.
Washington has Is elevators and 13t
warehouses. under the management oi
one chief selling agent, to whom dis
trict agents report. This system has
brought the grower from cents to IL
cents per bushel above current market
prices for his wheat
Systematizing the warehouses and
elevators is in contemplation. The
union has reduced prices of bags from
IL cents to 51s, and b. cooperating in
telligently with the railroads have re
duced freight on bags 35 per cent. and
on grain IL per cent All union enter
prises are on successful and paying
basis