Dresden enterprise and Sharon tribune. (Dresden, Tenn.) 1907-1997, 1915-10-08
FAIR WARNING TO TOBACCO
GROWERS FROM
ASSOCIATION Headquarters
Office Of the General Manager
of the Planters Protective AS

GAINESVILLE, Tenn, September %, 1919
The time is at hand when decisive
action on the part of tobacco growers
themselves with reference to the fut-
ure of the Tobacco Association must
be taken. Action on their behalf by
anybody else would Lot suffice this
season.
The prospect for having sufficient
amount of tobacco pledged to make
safe beneficial sales agency, is alarm
ing.
The Board Of Directors in session
this day adopted resolution that the
membership books be closed on Octo-
29rd as referring to the 1915 crop Of
tobacco, and unless $4,000 acres be
pledged by that date in the several
counties heretofore represented in the
Association all pledges will be can
celled.
A proverb among solicitors now is
that unless q far greater number of
| growers IAdu die ludulIOoI SO-oPSh 'N'S
with us in sustaining the Association
and improving the price of tobacco,
we will necessarily cooperate with
them in its destruction. 1t is painful
to note that some of the best prizers
and warehousemen, heretofore pillars
Of Association success, are discussing
plans either of buying tobacco on or
der or operating loose floors.
It would be impossible to contract
for the services Of the more desirable
prizers and warehousemen under such
indefinite conditions. Moreover, rent
contracts for tobacco houses date from
October l and they must on this &C.
count have definite purpose.
Some tobacco experts in the service
Of the Association are men whose time
and talents have already been sought,
and such men cannot afford to ignore
congenial business prospect nor that
their years employment be conditional
(upon the whfms or fancies of men who
say, we should have an Association
but do not sign the pledge to make
one possible.
1t is scarcely conceivable that the
grower of tobacco fails to realize thai
the more desirable price for tobacco
was made possible by the establish
ment of the Associations storage
. houses, which afforded time and tn
: services Of experienced statesmen 7
find the most desirable place to dis
pose of tobacco instead Of being oblie
: ed to sell practically the same wee
everybody else sells to the same ma
and at the same price, with no regar
. to its classification.
l. II the Associations system Of war
n housing, insuring and lending none
; when the owner of tobacco desires 1t
3 removed, is no longer possibility, an
v the grower is thrown back upon tn
8 old system Of selling at whatever pric
D. It is the pleasure Of buyers to ofte
u have growers any reason whatever Il
l. expecting results which are satisfa
- tory?
10 Does It seem even remotely possib
le that an enlightened citizenship wou
:, sacrifice this best, last, and only pos:
II BILE opportunity for self-preservatioI
A And vet the dissolution Of the Associ
n ton is not only possible, 1t Is INN
a nent.
II the Association has greatly e
HANGED the market price OF tobacc
4 which fact is incontrovertible, and II
3 offers reasonable promise Of still fl
II Their doing so, which is equally certa
A provided there is an enlarged memb'
ship, and growers hesitate about pied
\ ing because some neighbor, friend
+ acquaintance is on the outside, such
titude would be suggestive OF "biti
off ones nose to spite ones face"
u We of course appreciate a feeli
N OF resentment against a man who
u cold blood encourages the maintenan
of the Association by others tn
self, and to the extent that it provid
q standard price to enable him to S
II out quickly and advantageously.
@ Unless the membership is trem
dously increased over recent seaso
the management will not atten
sales. It will not attempt someth
Is 50 extremely difficult and unsafe as
be improbable of accomplishment,
W. more especially because there is
ue' longer a grower in the Dark Toba
9aF District SO unfamiliar with facts as
e0'- he incapable of deciding whether
un- wants the Association to survive OF
am dissolve. If he wants it to survive,
lo9 desire must be made known by sign
ny the pledge, If he wants it to disso
lVe his desire will be effectively m
w known by his continued silence
var There is not on this occasion a
aus mote probability of the members
books being re-opened after they
e. ca formally closed.
ere If growers want an Assocla
ooo they can find their District VI
toto man and sign his pledge II
an is no disposition to paint the prob
ha disaster to the the country in the e
Vel. of the collapse Of the Association
and more lurid colors than we believe
Ari be evident. We do not desire
brighten or to persuade any
IT.. against his will. But on the o
Nine Lna +bora ia no disposition to t