Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1919-06-26

The meeting of the tobacco growers held in
the Court House on Saturday last, was unusual
ly well attended, and from the interest displayed
it is evident that the farmers realize that if an
open, competitive market is to be maintained
the growers themselves will have to be very
important factor not only in the growing but in
the selling Of their crop.
After Dr.. L. B. Johnson, chairman, and
John B. Key, secretary, had explained the pur-
pose Of the meeting and outlined what had been
done towards starting an organization in the
other Southern Maryland counties, market con-
ditions were fully discussed. especially the fail
ure of the w. II. Winstead Co., to enter the
market as buyer for the 1918 crop. This
elected statement from James c. Greenwell,
local buyer for the Winstead Co., who said
that his company had not bought this year be-
cause it still had on hand about 5000 hogs
heads Of the 1917 crop (the heavy. common
grades) for which it had been unable to find a
market. He further stated that Winstead &
Co. would buy from the farmers if the latter
would sell the best or lighter grades without
compelling the company to take the entire crop.
He further expressed the entire sympathy Of his
company with the movement Of the growers to
organize and that it would be perfectly willing
to buy from such an organization provided il
could get the grades of tobacco required to fill
existing contracts. Mr. Greenwell insisted that
his company. having on hand big surplus Of
the 1917 crop, was naturally interested In main
tanning good price and would profit by it just
as the growers would. 1t was altogether very
frank statement Of the situation as regards the
Winstead Co.. and furnished another argument
for the necessity of some pool among the grow
ers that would enable them to have voice In
the pricing of the product of their labor. That
Winstead & Co. are unable to find sale for
5000 hogsheads. even though offered at a re-
duced price to the usual buyers of the Mary
land product, would indicate that there is collu-
sion or manipulation that calls for concerted &C
ton on the part Of the growers.
After remarks by DR.. w. B. Burch, Thomas
Bond and w. G. Reeder, the meeting voted a
fund of 5000, guaranteed by districts, to finance
the movement, and the chairman appointed
John B. Key. Thomas Bond and John II.
Chambers delegates to convention of repre-
sentatives from the tobacco growing counties,
called for La Plata on Tuesday, June "a.
At the La Plata meeting delegates were
present from all the counties except Anne
Arundel and a permanent Tobacco Growers
Association was formed with Thomas Parran,
of Calvert county, president, and John B. Key,
Of St. Mary's. secretary. An executive com
mittee, consisting of A. T. Robertson, of Prince
Georges; F. Brooke Matthews, of Charles; Dr..
D,,...u T~llo-1 e Col,~va. L. Il
from Anne Arundel. was selected as govern
ing body. This committee Immediately en-
gagged George H. Stephenson, Of Charles county,
formerly president of the District of Columbia
Farm Loan Bank, as executive secretary, who
will devote himself to the work of thoroughly
organizing the growers. Mr.. Stephenson is ad.
mirably fitted for this important duty and the
farmers are fortunate in being able to secure the
services of such valuable man.