The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1919-03-08
ARE YOU PAYING YOUR FARE
OR DO YOU RIDE FREE?

OR DO YOU RIDE FREE?
The following article in the
February number of the Rice
Journal from the pen of Ben L.
Brooks, answers fully in great
detail the questions so often ask
ed by rice men:
THE advantages of co-opera-
ton, organization, teamwork
call it what you will-are SO
plainly APPARENT that it seems a
waste of time to comment on
! them. And yet there are rice
farmers who do not appreciate
the value of their organization,
and some of them, not having
made a study of conditions and
all sides of the matter, are sincere
in their belief that they can get
along without an organization.
We do not refer to those who,
knowing that the Southern Rice
Growers Association is the sal
walton of the rice farming indus
try and fully and fully realizing
the benefits it has been able to
beStow upon individual farmers
in the way of better prices, lower
freight rates, ETC., still prefer to
ride free and let the other fellow
pay the fare. We have no argu-
men with this class of rice farm
ers. They are deriving equal
benefits with their neighbors who
belong to the organization. Due
to the efforts of the Association,
they receive more for their rice
than they ever did or could with
out it. They know it, but they
are willing to take these benefits
and let the other fellow keep up
the organization. They save six
and a half cents sack. Perhaps
that is sufficient to salve their
sense of fairness. They can 60
along at that gait and kid them
selves into thinking that they
don't believe in the Association
anyway. But they really know
better. They just don't want to
pay the price. They ride free
We have no argument against
those people. They are found in
all lines of industry. 1t is more
a matter of principal than en-
lightenment with them. You
can't change a mans principals
by argument.
But there are others engaged in
the rice industry who's lack OF
loyalty to the association is mere
ly the result of not having had
the proposition presented to him
in the right way. And the blind
are not in near as bad a fix as
those who have eyes and won't
see. So with this class of rice
farmers there is some hope. They
are honest and sincere and want
TODD their share. They will hold
up their end. All they need is to
be convinced. Now, let's see
what they think of the following
facts:
''FIRST-DoeS organization gel
anything that cannot be obtained
by individuals? Generally speak.
ing the advantages of organized
effort are so obvious everyone is
bound to agree that the greatest
work, the biggest reforms, the
most equitable legislation, the 81.
gantic industrial successes are
achieved through organization
So it is unnecessary to dwell or
the past history of the Southern
Rice Growers Association. Its
record speaks more eloquently
for what it has accomplished
than could any words. The first
year that Blue Rose rice was put
on the market it was through the
efforts of the officials of the
Southern Rice Growers Associa.
tionthat the farmers received
1915 per barrel for it. 1t was
worth more than Japan rice that
had previously constituted the
rice crop. Japan was selling al
1926. Without an organization
the farmers would have sold their
Blue Rose at the same price. They
would then, as they would now
take just what was offered, with
out an organization to look after
their interests. But that is an
cient history, you say. Very
we'll, let us get a little nearer
down to date.
"SECOND-How does the pres
emf price of rice compare with the
prices received prior to the organ
ization of the Southern Rice
Growers Associations. In the ole
days rice was sold as low as 500
per barrel. Today it is bringing
IT.25. But some growers main
tain that this is not the result o.
the Associations work, but of thu