The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1920-07-16
COTTON CLASSER FOR
GRENADA DISCUSSED
And Government Bonded Warehouse
Is Considered by Farmers.

Representatives of American Cotton
Association Present-Cotton
Bought Below Value.
Owing to the rain and weather con-
ditions, the farmers meeting called
by County Demonstration Heath, at
the court house last Satm day morn
ing for the purpose of discussing the
|advisability of hiring cotton grader
for the county, was not well attend
ed. Mr.. Patterson from the A. q
M. College was present and made an
address on the good to be derived
from getting a cotton classer and he
endeavored to show that the farmers
had been losing because of not being
able to properly grade their cotton.
He insisted that the farmer was the
only business man in the world who
let the purchaser fix the standard and
value of what he was selling. He
sought to emphasize the value of a
grader to the farmer especially in
connection with cotton that has any
staple or body. He said that market
prices were given in Grenada on snort
cotton and that it was but natural
for the cotton buyer to make price
at all times as if he were buying
only short staple. He said that a
grader could be had for $4,000 or $3,--
500 per year which could be raised
bv assessing every farmer small
amount on each bale of cotton. How
ever. he stated that the salary of the
grader would have to be guaranteed
in advance. Mr.. Patterson stated that
with a grader much would be saved
to the farmer in samples; that now
cotton was too heavily sampled and
he said that last year the value or
"city cotton, or the, value Of cot
ton baled from samples alone, was
$40, O,OOO.OO-all Of which came out
of the farmer and was a tribute he
insisted that the farmer should not
be required to pay to the present
method of handling and buying cot
ton.
Representative of the American
Cotton Association were present and
Mr.. r. w. Mattox was called upon
to make some statemfa2ts about the
plans and purposes If the American
Cotton Association, and thiss ~
few pointed phrases.
endorsed much OF what
son had stated, he said, q
to show the necessity of
ment bonded warehouse and
meant in dollars and cents
farmers. Mr.. Mattox told W
farmers in North Carolina,
Carolina and Georgia were do
&L~o,r~b md xxy1f tho
can Cotton Association. be s2ld
with a government bonded waref0use
the farmers cotton receipt was good
nywhere-Boston, Memphis or in any
other market or city. He said that
the grader in connection with the
bonded warehouse put the farmer
where he would not be dependent up
On the man who bought his cotton
to class it, and, in making this state
ment, he said he did not mean to re-
feet on cotton buyers, that it was but
natural and in keeping with The ordl-
nary business procedure for cotton
buyers to buy as cheap as possible and
! to sell what they bought for ali they
could get for it. Mr.. Mattox stated
that representatives of the American
| Cotton Association would this week
interview the farmers and merchants
of the county relative to taking stock
in the American Cotton Association
and establishing government bonded
warehouse. With the grader and gov
! ernment bonded warehouse, he said,
under the federal law, that cotton
buyers could be compelled to make
public heir cotton sales.
| Mr.. j. T. Thomas was then called
upon and he gave his endorsement to
the government bonded warehouse
movement and stated that he knew
that staple cotton was frequently
bought at short cotton prices and
named the purchase of quite a large
number of bales bought in Grenada
several years ago which was staple
and upon which the cotton buyer
made 10 cents per pound. Mr.. Thom-
as stated that with "a government
bonded warehouse and grader, he
felt sure that this could be obviated
and that several times what would be-
invested in the grader and bonded
warehouse would be saved to the mer--
chants and farmers of Grenada
county. s
Unquestionably very great many
people have long thought that there
has been lack of spirit or life in
the Grenada cotton market for years.
and if what Mr.. Thomas says and the.
other gentlemen who addressed this
meeting be true, the remedy is fE
sight to at least correct a part Of
the evils complained of. It remains
to be seen what will be done with
the government bonded warehouse
proposition and the grader for cot
ton. 1t is understood that Mr.. Thomas
agreed to become one Of the stock
holders in the American Cotton As
sociation for the purpose of organ
izing in Grenada county.
MEETING OF COUNTY
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE