The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1919-06-20
Tobacco Growers to Hold Meeting


to the meeting of the tobacco growers
at the Court House here today at two
o'clock. The importance Of this meet
ing cannot be too greatly emphasized,
and we urge our tobacco growers to at
tend.
The object of the meeting is for the
purpose of taking formal action looking
to the formation of Tobacco Growers
Association thr oughout Southern Mary
land.
The Times Crescent, of La Plata, has
very ably discussed the matter and we
make the FOLLOW wing extracts from re-
cent article:
1--WE realize that the task of etfecting
such an organizat ion is difficult. In
point of fact, those who buy Mary
land tobacco, and number of com
mission merchants Fin Baltimare city,
who are in closer touch with these buy
ers than our farmers, bank on the fail
ure of the latter to organize, and treat
8 serious condition which confronts our
people with placid Indifference. There
is Leaf Tobacco Assoc iation in Balti-
more city, organic ed principally for
the purpose of insist ing 'upon tobacco
being shipped in small packages, (which
was Quick to seize con ditions incident
to the war, as a reas on for advancing
the price of selling The smaller hogs
head. But aside from these siguif-
cant(i) results, the Leaf Tobacco Asso
citation has done nothing more than
publish annually the amount OF tobacco
coming to the Baltimore market, and
tell the farmer, in substance. that he
should continue to grow the product,
even though he lose money in the ar
duous pastime."
IAN organization is practical. We
mean an organization backed, sif needs
be, by sufficient capital to maintain HY-
ing prices andsfair profits for those who
grow tobacco. An organization which
will Illustrate any manipulation of
prices on the market, such as is appar
ent at the present time. A manipua-
ton in which some of the buyers OF
Maryland tobacco, and at least one OF
the commission houses seemingly have
All understanding. To illustrate, the
price for the product last year ranged
from 20 to- so cents, while with the same
conditions as to the price OF labor, fertl-
lzer and the general costs of production
to the farmer today. prices for Maryland
tobacco are ranging from 10 to 50 cents
with every evidence of further decline
in the market, and with lower aver.
age of cents than that which prevailed
two months ago. TIL is true, in the
face of the fact that there is far great
er demand for Maryland tobacco today
consumed in this co untry to q greater
oxtent thaS ever before. with the sams
foreign demand as mas heretofore ex-
listed. The French Government alone
buys from $4,000 10 $4,000 hogsheads OF
Maryland tobacco. Holland is a good
buyer, while in recent years tho Amer
lean Tobacco Company and the r. J
REYNOLDS Company have become gooc
customers for the product. The latte
company which uses about 6,000 hogs
heads of Maryland tobacco, as d b!en(
with Turkish tobacco, co sting $1.00 pc
pound, is doubtless glad to purchas
the Maryland product around 50 cent
AID vet, so far as adyices are obtain
able, the W. Fl. Wlnstead Company
which has been awarded the R J. Rey
nolds' contract, with all its Southern
MARYLAND warehouses empty, will
farmers ready and willing to sell their
producpat fair and just prices. apparen t
ly does not want to buy tobacco a
any price at the present time.
"When the W. Fl. Winstead Co
came to Southern Maryland and bull
its warehouses here, the market ad
vanced in responee to honest competi
ton. The company was directly res
ponsible for more than a half milo
dollars being distributed among tobacc
growers ii Southern Maryland las
year. 1t bought what tobacco it wante
on the open market. 1t met legitimat
competition successfully. 1t is bette
established here today than 1t was
year ogo; it holds good contracts an
Mr.. Winstead, its head, enjoys til
esteem and confidence Of our farmers.
Continuing, the Times-Cresccnt say
loves whatever success it has affair
ed to the toiling farmers of Charlie
county. IL is needless to add that
would be false to its traditions did
not again sound note of warning 4
to the disaster ahead, and pledge ane
it's support toward any moVemel
which will avert an attempt 10 lowe
prices for Maryland tobacco at q tin
when the demand for, the product
greater than ever before in recent hi
tory. Farmers, wake up, and atten
this meeting"