The central record. (Lancaster, Ky.) 18??-current, 1915-08-05

son. who was the biggest, stronges
and most domineering He strained
) and struggled and finally gave II up
The rest all tried to break IT, but witt
the same result The old man the
ordered the bundle to be united and T.
his own feeble old hands broke eac.
separate stick. lie said. my children
this was merely to show you that il
you are all bound together (as were
these sticks) by the ties OF unselfish
ness, brotherly love and intelligent CO
operation and consideration OF one for
another in managing this fine prop
erty. can pass on with an easy mind
for | know the disintegrating forces on
the outside can not break you. Breth.
rem, so II is with us. To succeed in
the accomplishment of this great plan
We must tie ourselves together.
I remind myself somewhat of the
newly-elected Congressman who was
very ambitious to make his mark and
win his spurs. He thought the best
way to do 1t was 20 attract the at
tention to himself of his chief by
making forceful and striking speech.
Uncle Joe Cannon was then the pre-
siding officer OF the House, and he
asked the old gentleman. afterwards.
what he thought OF his effort. The
old fellow replied: well. young man.
you said many things that we're new
and many things that were true; but
| the things that we're new we're not
true, and the things that we're true
we're not new" So, my friends, in
discussing this vexed and complex
subject. | do It with great hesitation,
not to say reluctance. feel that ADLER
men. who we're more financially inter
ested than myself have labored and
given their strength and grown heart
sick over il.
must tell you that for myself, see
ing no prospects for better prices be-
yond six or seven cents. | have de-
cided to raise no tobacco next year
My acreage this season will not ex-
coed seven or eight acres But my
interest in the welfare of my friends
and neighbors and all the growers in
the hurley belt compels me to meet
with you to-day to exchange ideas and
TO lay before you what ideas | have
acquired in thinking over the situa-
ton.
1t is obvious and >safe to assume
that big percentage of the growers
have some faith and hope in the eff
cheney of organization, or else we
would not be here. 1t seems to me
that we have made appreciable prog
ress through the disappointing years
Of apparent failure. At least the
ground has been broken and we should
be able to secure some new light on
the dark and tangled problem from
the mistakes OF the past.
| think that our first step should be
to provide ways and means OF placing
a good sum Of money In the treasury
Of our association for organization
purposes. AS you know. battles in
these modern times are never under
taken on an empty treasury. 1t is
obvious to my mind that the organiza-
ton can not be effective or secure sat
isfactory results for the growers in
the way of better prices unless it has
stability and permanence in the con-
tinued and uninterrupted and unremit-
ting efforts OF It's officers. They must |
be continually on the job. Victory can |
not be attained IL the officers OF the |
organization are spasmodic, no matter |
how much zeal and enthusiasm you |
inject into It periodically. every now
and then. The price Of success in bust |
ness. like that Of liberty. is eternal
Now, my friends. to pu: the idea
plainly and concretely, II seems to me
that IL must be clear to you, that you
must recognize the necessity by this
time OF having a few men, a commit
tee, acting as your agents, OF your
OWN selection, to manage for you the
OF your own product. This
small committee should be composed
Jf men of the highest character and
Of purpose. 1t goes without
saying that they must be successful
business men and recognized experts
and handlers of tobacco. You must
realize that IL is not humanity possible
10 secure the full time OF these train
ed and able men without compensa-
ton. | do not doubt that there are
men who would serve from motives
Of philanthropy. II they could afford
TO indulge themselves, but they can
not and Il is not to be expected
II you are really in earnest about
organizing and cooperating and wish
10 secure for yourselves firstclass
business ability to sell your products,
the money to pay for that service
could be easily raised by agreeing to
assess yourselves, say 1-1O OF one per
cent on the sale OF your crop | I'M
ierstand that 100000 pounds were
raised last season. Suppose, for argu-
ment, your agents, your executive
could secure an average
Tor you OF ~ cents, that would mean
s250O0,000. One-tenth of l per cent
would be $4,000 for your treasury.
On crop Of ten acres OF 1000 pounds
10 the acre, at ten cents a pound, il
would mean to the grower $1,000. He
would assess himself one-tenth OF
per cent, or 81. Do you not think any
nan would cheerfully pay 81 to make
Dr. save $500. the difference between
T-cent tobacco and 10-cent tobacco?
Now what would be the duties OF
your president and his executive
star? Every pound OF the tobacco OF
he organization should pass through
heir hands They would first estab-
ish standard or recognized fixed
grades OF tobacco. Having the abb