The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1917-08-01

.
The meeting Of farmers to be held
as the Tobacco Warehouse ON Friday
90 consider TIM organisation of Cot
ton Growers selling Association af-
lords IN opportunity for the farmers
~ Ms section to DO something for
<hslr own bettermsnt and the i'm
provsmsnt OF marketing conditions In
! suatsr. The proposition 10 put up to
the producers Of cotton by the Mark
etins Bureau Of the National Depart
msnt Of Agriculture In practical and
boslnsss-liks manner and u IL for
them 70 cay whether or not they will
meet theg overnment on half way
Sreund and DO their part to help the
governmsnt help the farmers to OBJ
tain maximum prices for the products
tlsat they have TO sell. All that the
eovsrnmsnt ian do under existing
seeditions y b, furnish the plans and
peovtds expert supervision and ad-
vsee. TAs farmers Themselves must or
oaniDs the agency and by cooperation
Institute = system Of collective selIsng,
- that they may b able to cell at
vhelesels direct TO the consumers Of
@>e(r predsets thtrsby obtainins the
pnyH Aarhe1 peIees ana cuttins
WV 40 ~ ~ ~ 4. " 4, u, . ". d
~ 11f ~, ~ y ~ y u : nuar- uN.l
tsoec)atioa ana employ I seil-
~ eosat a work IN cooperation with
~ govssnment cotton grader. they
vilI - sbls 70 ssll their cotton in lots
g oae hundred balss or more OF .
standard grade direct 70 the mills or
to exporters. tbe result Of which will
- that he farmers viii receive the
fuli market price OF the cotton. The
proht that the local buyer and the
o>hsr middlemen now receive for
handling the cotton will be eliminated.
and the producers will be the gamers.
The cost Of operating a selling asso.
citation win not begin to approximate
ths total Of the commissioners and
handling charges that the buyers now
tax up against the cotton that they
buy. and the difference will 20 into
the pockets Of the growers of cotton.
But the maintenance Of selling asso-
citation win cost money. and unless the
cotton farmers are prepared to enter
into tho undertaking on a business
: like basis anti with the determination
to carry u through on that basis. put
tins up the necessary funds to make
!. u business organization. they had
just az well not even consider the
matter at all. IL they are to have q
sciiing agency they must realize at the
outset that II Ia their organixat ton and
that they will have to pay the cost OF
operation and give 1t the necessary su-
pervision to make II efficient and pro-
ntsbie. A selling agency will not run
Itself nor are business men In other
lines OF trade going to run Il for the
farmers. IL is not to the interest OF
the men who are now engaged In buy
Ing and selling cotton that tho farmers
oerate their own selling agency IN
co-operntion with a government cot
ton grader. II the farmers succeed In
organising and maintaining an efIi-
Client selling agency. II will practically
Put out OF business large number
OF the local cotton buyers. for the
prof1ts that the local buyers now make
on handling cotton will go to tho
farmers and loca, buyer canno,
eompete with an association that rep.
rescnts the producers and control.
the sale of large part OF the croy
produced In the county. 1t is up Il
the farmers to help themselves In thi,
matter Of Improving the cotton mark
ct and unless they are willing to or
eanize md cooperate to control tn,
marketing Of their chief mouey crop
conditions will remain as they are a
present IL is fact that may as we!
be recognized that the cotton croy
must bc made to finance its own sell
Ing costs. II In doing Il now and tn,
cost In heavy. although those who d,
rot look beneath the surface may no
see u. maintaining farmers
ceiling agency tho costs will bc fixed