The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1915-11-26
aARK GROWERS TO
give UP POOLING
How Better Prices We're Secure d
for Weed in Western Ken
lucky and Tennessee.

announcement fTludy tndt tne Iiaht-
ers' Protective Association, of Ken
lucky and Tennessee had definitely
decided TO retire from business for
the coming year. and possibly for
good, marked the passing of one of
tte most spectacular and active farm
srs' orga nizations which ever had to
80 With the several movements look
ing to the pooling of crops and there
rs forcing higher prices to be paid.
Organized i'm the fall of 1904 for
She avowed purpose of controlling
ghe dark tobacco crops grown in the
two States the association rapidly
grew in membership and attained i'm
posing propositions so that ii became
a potent factor in the handling Of
tho crop.
The campaign for this organiza-
ton came as the climax of three or
four years continuously low prices
IN tobacco and the charge that the
i3rge concerns which annually bought
the bulk of the crop, had perfected
a thorough combination by which the
tobacco producing territory was par
seled out and no buyer would invade
gnother's district. In this way, it
vas claimed. competition was throt-
tied and the farmers and to sell at
ste prices offered them or not sell at
A.
II was situation when feeling
ran nigh and the proposition to form
an association for the purpose of
meeting organization with the organ
isati0n met with immediate accep-
lance. Meetings were held frequent
~, many times with a barbecue as a
drawing card. and it was nothing
sRusuaI for thousands to attend.
Some of the foremost public men
II the day champoined the farmers
cause and welcomed the opportunity
10 make speeches in behalf of the
proposed association. Among these
we're A. o. Stanley, recently elected
Governor of Kentucky, but who at
that time was serving as Congress
man; Senator Ollie NJ. James, who
also was a Congressman. at that time.
also rendered valuable service in this
regard. as did former Congressman
John Wesley Gaines, of Tennessee:
The Hon. Joel Fort. of Tennessee, and
many others. equally prominent and
as able in debate as well as a number
oF lesser lights.
IL wasn't so very long until night
riders the masked and armed and
perfectly drilled bands and night ma
RAIDERS, who did all sorts of deviltry,
from scraping tobacco plant beds to
whipping individuals numerically.
and even of raidinG towns and burn
ing tobacco warehouses of the hated
trust" began to add new touch
10 the situation. These night riders
Always claimed to be acting in the in
terest OF the association i'll the warn
rug taey would leave. but they were !
just as emphatically repudiated by |
the association members. officials and |
speakers. Yet they continued their |
high-handed work for about three |
years, adding one of the most lurid |
chapters 70 the history of the Two
States which has ever been written.
The association continued to grow
in numbers. and for several years
il anQuestiOnably controlled the big
aad of the tobacco crops produced.
Az high as 10000 hogsheads, or two
thirds of the crop, has been handled
Ivy the association in a single year
when it was at its prime.
And from the day its permanent
organization became assured, the
prices on tobacco began to rise. And
they continued to rise year by year
Intil tobacco, from being a losing
venture became again the profitable
product it was supposed to be.
iht thoooStdtiou
md supporters insisted that this was
due to the organization.
and in winding up the organizations
affairs for the coming market year.
NE claim Is made that prices were
aised by the pooling plan from an
sverage of $3.50 per hundred pounds {
10 at least 50 per hundred.
Yet, like many organizations of
,sme plan and intent. the association |
tsd lis troubles. With its continued
success and when its commissions =
mounted each year to handsome {
ans, fat salaries were paid to mum 7
yer OF officers and ii was only natural
nat the cry should be raised that ex-
was being practiced at
he expense Of the members. At
ines this disgruntIed faction became S
o strong that it seemed they never Il
led cOmnIptciy hut IL did have the "