The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1915-12-17
PROTEST MADE
AGAINST PRICES
GROWERS SAY THE TOBACCO
BUYERS HAVE COMBINED
AGAINST THEM.
MEETINGS ARE HELD
Tobacco Men Say That Weed Is Not
Being Delivered i'm Good
Condition.

General dissatisfaction is being
expressed in the ranks of the tobac-
CO growers of the Green river dis
trict. The prices being paid by the
buyers on the loose leaf floors are
not meeting the ideas of the farmers
by several dollars the hundred.
There are always two sides to ev-
cry proposition and the buyers give
their side of the situation in a diff
ferent light. 1t is claimed by the
buyers that the tobacco growers are
not classifying their product and they
are not giving it the proper atten-
ton. 1t is claimed also that the grow
ers in order to get the advantage of
a little more weight are adding too
much water to thes tuff to bring in
case for handling. The latter fact,
1t is asserted, is causing the loss Of a
right smart in value to the farm
ers.
In the southern end o; the county
a few days ago mass meeting of
farmers was held to protest against
the low prices being paid. At Curds-
Vile Friday night there was another
mass meeting of the growers of that
neighborhood, who entered vigor-
Gus protest against the manner of
selling tobacco over the loose leaf
floor, and at the alleged combination
of the buyers, charging it to be in
restraint of trade. They called the
attention of the circuit court officials
and the Congressman to their charge.
Resolutions were passed at this
meeting expressing the views of the
growers of that section. They are
as follows:
"At public meeting of the tobac-
CO growers of Curdsville, KY, and
the surrounding territory, held at
Curdsville, December 10, 1915, by
quite a number of the tobacco grow
ers for the purpose of discussing the
tobacco situation, which seems to be
the most prominent question of the
day, there was everal of said tobacco
growers who made talks on the sub
ject. The following resolutions were
then adopted unanimously:
Organization is Favored.
Whereas, the buyers and ware
housmen have formed an organiza-
ton, which places the seller at the
mercy of the buyer-one buyer may
buy for five or more concerns, there
by destroying al competition.
1--WE believe this to be in restraint
of trade and hereby call the atten-
ton of the commemorative ator-
ney and congressman to the same:
And whereas, the tobacco grower
was led to believe that when the
loose leaf tobacco warehouses were
established that god prices would
prove to be beneficial to the growers,
and with this understanding they all
allowed their tobacco organizations
to go out of business, and whereas,
we find the lose leaf plan to be I'M
satisfactory to the growers at great
distance from greensboro.
"We also find 1t to be expen-
1--WE also find it to be to expen-
sive, never knowing what our tobac-
co will bring when we start from
home;
1T is our desire that the tobacco
merchants come to our barns and
buy our tobacco by contract, as they
have done in the past, and we urge
every tobacco grower to hold his to-
bacco until this result can be at
tanned;
"And we also request that the diff
ferent outpoints throughout the dis
trict be opened for the receipt of oui
tobacco instead of having to haul II
fifteen to twenty miles to the mar
ket.
The foregoing instrument OF writ
ing was unanimously adopted by the
growers present. j. /. Coomes was
elected chairman and w. G. Owen
treasurer and secretary. ]. !. Coomei
and r. II. Layson were chosen as
committee. Adjourned to meet De
cember 16. at l p. m.
~. 1. CoOMEs.
70 "R. H. LAWSON. Committee"