Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1916-09-23

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lterests which exist today and to have
suffered very heavily thereby
| Before we had returned from
Washington, the newspapers had pub
lished accounts OF Germany herself
placing an embargo on imports OF to-
bacco.
/, Is II difficult for you to comprehend
what few weeks can bring forth?
The Association cannot much longer
survive ain imperative state OF two
years duration. awaiting the pleasure
OF growers, after such demonstra-
ton as two years OF low prices with
out organization has furnished.
II must get up steam and do bust
ness or retire from the market
All prices for tobacco we're enor-
mously enhanced by its existence,
whether barn-door, loose-floor, hogs
head sale or what not
Buying interests have realized the
best way to defeat advanced prices
for tobacco has been TO defeat organ
ization. which has for purpose the
protection OF prices. The best way to
defeat the Association has been to
adroitly make II appear outside prices
we're as good
In addition the -loose-floor man Is
citizen endeavoring to make money,
and as a rule he does IL as legitimate
ly as any other class of citizen or busi-
ness
He is not public guardian for the
grower. He Is the guardian OF his own
interests and his own household with
a purpose OF making money for them.
II IT is your pleasure to avail of his
facilities and his services. he places
them at your disposal, although not at
extortionate prices to the individual
and at splendid profit to himself. be-
cause II the loose-floor instead Of the
Association is the medium of sale the
volume of business enables the bust
ness to yield enormous profits.
He advertises his business far and
near, and at the present time, which Is
to say the few weeks intervening In
which growers must elect to support
an organization or throw down the
bars and ignore the purpose of buying
interests to buy low. The value OF
advertising their business and cultivat-
ing sr!-:t. OF greatest optimism with
reference to ready sales among grow
ers is as ten to one at any other time.
The pilgrimage to Washington, to
my mind. was tempest in teapot"
and savored strongly of letting the
grower down gently and gradually in
his expectation as TO good prices by
shifting responsibility. and evidencing
no concern about prices thereafter.
An unrestricted outlet has no appre'
ciable effect on prices when our pa
irons are Reggie Countries, and like the
American Tobacco Co, as strongly en-
trenched.
Still the tremendous enthusiasm OF
certain interests appears on the sur
face to be boundless and il is evident
they desire you to share it whether
or not you have the same inspiration.
Such men are known as boosters"
and an important thing for the grow
er to comprehend is that their boost
ing is for themselves and their own
business and their own town rather
than for the grower and his home.
Fellow tobacco growers, do you re-
call that while certain men early in
the present season were broadcasting
optimistic advice with reference to the
sale of a large crop of tobacco, Asso-
citation officials, awaiting the pleasure
of growers, making no campaign for
enlistment, were advising them there
was no reason for feeling secure as to
the price.
II appears that events of tho past
few weeks taken in connection with
sound reason have amply sustained
such advice and that it should and
will give the Association tremendous
impetus.
Muddying the water up stream so
as to obscure the real situation, and
Men manufacturing a brand of active
enthusiastic hopefulness to tide over
such period as would make it too late
to reorganize the Association, would
be splendid diplomacy, but not for the
grower of tobacco.
No doubt thousands of dollars could
be so made, but by whom? Why, by
men in handling charges
and commissions, and by the great
buying interests which will pay no
more for tobacco than they must. and
which will be enabled to buy 1t very
low unless there is an efficient organ
ization to protect prices quickly.
Who will make such an organization |
unless the grower appreciates such |
necessity? is 1t customary, is 1t hui
man nature that anyone else would or |
should!
| would ask the grower what is the |
difference between buying interests |
when there is no organ zaiionl open |
ing the season with very low prices !
and so continuing until fou--fifths is |
sold, then advancing the price and |
thereby working up a spirit of hope
fulness, or opening the saason very
high and closing il as low as they |
think most effective and beneficial to |
them?
Do you recall the story of the In
dian hunting with the pale face" who |
said In division Of the game. | will |
take the turkey and you take the buzz
gard or you take the buzzard and I |
will take the turkey? Have you ever
known buying interests to open the |
market or establish the prices for a |