The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1920-11-30
CANTRIIL WARNS TOBACCO
GROWERS OF STATE

/ GkUWEkS OF STATE
/ LEXINGTON. KY, Nov. 29.---That
the tobacco growers Of Kentucky will
j get three times as much money for
! the two hundred million pounds of
! good tobacco they have raised this
i year as they will get for the entire
crop Of three million pounds, if they
fail to keep the low grades off the
market, was the statement of Con-
gressman J. Campbell Cantrill, him
self a large land owner and tobacco
raiser, on the eve of his departure
for Washington to prepare for the
coming session in CongresS, a
Mr. Cantrill has been in Kentucky
for the past two weeks, and he has
devoted some time to personal in
vestigation Of the reports that the
tobacco crop is much lighter than
last years, with the result that he
has come to the conclusion, he said,
| that not more than three million
pounds had been grown this year, and
of this third is of low grade.
Mr.. Cantrill urged the necessity of
organization of all the growers, not
only in the Burley Tobacco Growers
Association, of which j. w. Newman
is the head, but in the Farmers
Union, local unions of which are in
nearly every county. Mr.. Cantrill said
| it was the duty and would be greatly
| to the benefit of the farmers to
strengthen their local organizations
by joining these farmers unions, as
well as uniting in a general organiza-
ton, such as the new association.
"When I came to Kentucky two
weeks ago." said the Congressman,
| ~ will admit that I was not greatly
encouraged over the outlook for
prices this fall, but after careful
and painstaking investigation, which
has included my own tobacco in
Scott county and some of my neigh
] bors in practically all the big coun-
ties of Central Kentucky, am con-
WINGED that the yield this year in
weight will not exceed the ability of
! the market to handle, unless the low
grades should be dumped on the
market, in which case the entire price
fabric will totter. For that reason,
it is necessary for the growers to or
ganize to keep this low grade tobac-
CO off the market. The manufacture
ers and buyers for European trade
are overstocked with that tobacco.
lit actually will not pay for the ex-
tpense of stripping and hauling it, if
loffered in connection with the bet
ter leaf, and can only have the effect
Of demoralizing the. entire market
The growers will suffer no loss, but
rather gain largely by holding these
low grades at home.
Europe usually takes this tobacco
off our hands, but just now Europe
is not able to pay the interest on hel
debts, and since there is no demand
from that source and American man.
: ufacturers are overstocked with that
class of leaf, it would not pay tc
strip and haul that kind of tobacco te
market. 1t would be no sacrifice tt
the grower to hold it off the market
and redry it. If it is held off the
market, and held generally, thai
t means that not over two hundred
million pounds will be marketed anC
that the growers will get good price
for it, for the manufacturers will MOI
hesitate to buy at good prices if thai
amount of tobacco is offered, fo1
that amount will be needed by them
eff Kentucky has to return attany
time in the future to the old schedule
of prices, it will mean the loss oil
their farms.to many of the grower.
and the loss of many of the comfort!
: that our children in the hurley bel
J have enjoyed for the past eight OF
. ten years of good prices. / want tt
J urge all the farmers to get together
and stick together for the benefit Of
themselves and for the benefit of all
They had just as well throw their low
|, grade leaf on the ground as to bring
it to market. The profit will be about
the same. The only way to make
such movement to hold off these
, low grades success is to organize
and for all who are interested in the
tobacco growers, business men and
the press included, to impress upon
the growers the Importance of hold
ing back their low grades until the
good tobacco is marketed if not en-
tirely so far as this years market is
concerned. -,
'The farmers who do market this
low grade leaf are not only their own
enemies but enemies of their. neigh
bors and the tobacco industry. All
they can do by marketing it is to
break down the market, which will
J be the inevitable result of their of.
, fering it. No concerted action to with.
hold this cheap tobacco is possible
without thorough organization. II
this organization is effected and il
the growers will follow the advice OF
their friends good prices will be paid
for what tobacco of the 1920 crop is
marketed"