The interior journal. [volume] (Stanford, Ky.) 1912-1984, 1915-02-12
URGES ORGANIZATION TO
SECURE BETTER PRICES
Tobacco Growers To Have Big Meet
ing in Lexington and Local Men
are Asked to Cooperate.

Burley tobacco growers of Lex
ington and the neighboring counties
who are endeavoring to organize in
some way so as to secure better
prices for their weed next season,
are endeavoring to secure represen-
tation from counties in this section
of the state at the meeting which
will be held in Lexington March 2.
Lucien Beckner, of Winchester, who
has been appointed secretary OF the
temporary organization, is sending
out letters to the tobacco growers
acquainting them with the plans and
calling for a meeting. Bradley Will
son. of Owensboro, has come to Lex
ington, representing an organization
of the dark tobacco growers. He de-
clares that the price of Burnley to-
bacco is kept down by the so-called
tobacco combine" by using much of
the dark tobacco at cheaper price,
in the manufacture of certain
brands where Burnley formerly has
been used, and that by playing Off
one section of the state against the
other. in this way the selling price
of both staples is kept below what it
should be. He expressed the belief
that mutual understanding and COOP
Grafton of the Consolidated Tobacco
Growers Association of Western
Kentucky with the Burley Associa-
ton of the Burley district, with the
view of forming a Statewide organ
ization for the regulation of the
price of both kinds of tobacco, is
what is needed and what should be
the object of the movement under
consideration.
The letter which growers in this
section are receiving from Secretary
Beckner, is as follows:
MIR. Beckner's Letter to Growers.
Lexington, KY, Feb. 9, 1915
To the Growers Of the Burley Dis
trict:-
The condition of the Burley mar
ket shows US that unless we can or
ganize we can hope for nothing from
tobacco in the future. Can we do it?
1t all depends on how intelligent we
are and how we can go about it. We
can do many things organized that
we cannot do otherwise, and we
need so badly to do so many things
in our effort to better our condi-
tons, that it seems ridiculous to have
to argue the question of organization
with intelligent men.
There are amongst US who argue
against it; many of them are sin
cere in their opposition, having new
er had the chance to see the effect
of a well managed farmers selling
association, or are filled with an old
fashioned idea that they are able to
manage their own affairs without the
help from their neighbors. If the
trust were to become foolish enough
to take to that notion and let us
farmers do the organizing, we could
turn the tables on them, and make
the money come to Kentucky instead
of going to New York and to the
pockets of the trust magnates.
Some men, however, are insincere
in their opposition to the organiza-
tion.' Some private interest prevents
them seeing the matter from the
growers standpoint, and no matter
how small the private interest may
be they let it govern them entirely.
Oftentimes they have misjudged
their interests, which lie rather with
the success of their section than in
any mOmentary advantage they can
gain by platform of what is good
for everybody is good for me" and
then go to work to build up our peo-
pie and our state.
The loss to the Burley district by
reason of the prices we are getting
is about S16,000,000 and the Whole
amount of our sales this season will
not be over $14, 100000. Robbed of
over half of our crop, and all be-
j X i
not your part of tat S16,000.000
feel good in YOUR pocket? If or
gained you might have gotten more
than twice as much for your tobacco.
Which is better, being a ''free man.
and getting or cents or helping
to make an organization that can
get you II TO Is cents?
If you believe the organization is
better, get busy; have a call put in
your county paper for a meeting on
Saturday or court day. Don't wait
for some one else to do it. Ask
your best speakers to help, and make
a county organization and elect dele
gates to the convention at Lexington
on March 2, which will make a con-
stitution and bylaws and perfect
plans for doing the work. Don't
wall W De luFlCSu. IL 10 YOUR DuSl-
ness to come without an invitation
If you want Kentucky better anC
her people happier; if you want
prosperity to come again to the Ole
Kentucky Home, and have the ole
woman> and the kiddies getting what
you have worked for instead of see
ing it taken away to make some one
happy who has not WORKED for it
join the organization right away.
Yours for the cause.
LUCIEN BECKNER,
Secretary