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

surd to assume that II would.
But even II good price were to
prevail this season there Is no posi-
bic reason TO take u for granted. II
costs no more to sell through the As
ISOLATION than on the loose-floor, and
better average price has always been
evidenced. This Is the insurance
which twelve seasons have demon
sfrated.
The Association could not survive
by being operative one season ane
imperative alternate seasons. ri g
II there is objection on aceounVdf
delayed sales occasioned by withhold.
ing tobacco from market until rea-
sonable price was in evidence, give II
the patronage which the loose-floors
enjoyed last season and see II the re-
suits will not be highly satisfactory to
the growing class.
But II is extremely wrong for any set
OF men who live off the profits of a
business which the grower supplie1 70
deceive or cajole him as to tho.X<&-
situation confronting him until . .
too late for him to protect himselY =
Surely nobody has forgotteny ~
practically all tobacco buyers Nc
signatures Indicating they expected to
be on the market at the regular time
at satisfactory prices, and In less than
three months were buying tobacco
from growers below cost OF produc-
ton.
The effect of this is. simply that
when buying interests can find or
make opportunity to buy tobacco low,
they are certain to avail OF II, and
without an organization they have lit
tie trouble making the opportunity.
Organization Is the sole and only
protection.
II any man can suggest insurance
that good prices will prevail compare
BILE to the insurance which organiza-
tion has proven. for the years when IT
was in formal operation, | should be
glad to know of 1t.
The success of the Association, and
the benefit to all growers has been by
financing members to withhold tobac-
CO from market to create demand
and thereby a price.
This hes bean accomplished nv
means of the storage house, which was
under contract with the Association.
the non-association man to dissuade
him from going into the Association,
which must have appeared at least as
good as Association prices, or all
would have gone into the Association
the next season.
Thus the buying interests were
shown that growers had an alternative,
that instead of accepting one offer
from one buyer for one season he
could be financed through the Asso-
citation, and hold for an advanced
price, which never failed to material
lie
But when the Association, with plhns
as systematic as a military organiza-
ton, its storage house, its financial
assistance, its scientific classification,
and its selling price in the hands of
an expert is removed from the scene,
the grower has no alternative to turn
to in his extremity. and the buying in
terests have not the least oppositioYk.
to their plans to buy at their OWN
prices
What will be the outcome?
There is but one answer to this prop
osition; 1t is disaster.
No country, corporation. firm or indi-
vidual pays more than is necessary
for purchases.
1t is utterly impossible for good
prices to prevail permanently, and re-
liably, without business-like prepare
ton and protection therefor, although
there might be unforeseen or sporadic
cases.
II is equally impossible that such
preparation and protection be given
the sale of tobacco except the grower
makes it. If every grower depends
upon some other grower there will be
no organization. Nursing a crouch be-
cause some other grower has not done
a neighborly part may at times be
unavoidable, but IL will neither adj
vance nor protect the price of tobacco.
Nursing increased coin in the pocket
beats nursing a crouch so bad that the
Association should be earnestly en-.
couraged and the crouch forgotten.
The future of the tobacco growing
industry is up to the grower" and
right now. There is no time to lose
from the great work necessary
Beware of insignificant advances of
money TO TIE YOU UP. This is the
most insidious of all deception.
=
There is no patience with a disposi-
ton to dawlde. dawdle, dawlde, while
saying an Association is necessary and
seeing 1t drift to its doom. Any fifty
men in any county who will take front
rank can give such county the neces-
sary momentum to organize efficient
ly and satisfactorily in view of the
fact that there is no opposition to the
Association on the part Of growers
They want ii, but Il appears in some
instances they want others to sustain
II for their benefit.
The daily papers of Sept. IL con-
tain news items to the effect that the
English Minister of War Trade, Lord
Robert Cecil. states the order in coan
ell will be observed. Therefore a con-
test is certain. With the usual time
consumed in negotiations. even though
both countries were disposed to COM