Richmond daily register. (Richmond, Madison County, Ky.) 1917-1978, 1921-08-23
TOBACCO SELLING
Plan .GAlNS Dali
Ex-Ce1gressmans Kehoe iExpects
Necessary IS Per Cent To Be :
Signed. Up. in FewsWeeks


at Versailles, said that. the move
ment to have this years hurley
crop handled by the Burley To
bacco Marketing Association wa:
making progress and that he haC
no doubt that within a few-weeks
enough of this years crop would
be contracted to. the association
to amount to the Is, per cent fixed
as the minimum for the success
of cooperative marketing plan.
Il have spoken to thousands OF
growers within the last few
idavs," said Mr.. kehoe, ''have
talked with bankers. business and
professional men, and have. yet to
find single one who does not
-concede the justice. wisdom and
necessity of the undertaking.
All the meetings have been
largely attended, the growers
show that they have been giving
serious consideration to the Sub
leet, and all seem to realize that
the future prosperity of then
business depends upon the success
of this undertaking. Il have ner-
cr been connected with ain,
movement in my life that has met
with such generous and earnest
support. The sentiment fer it Is
virtually unanimous and it is. rs
my opinion. only "a question OF a
few more weeks until this sent
ment will be crystalized into sig
natures upon the contracts. We
will sign millions of pounds this
week and the work will go on I'M
til the full 75~per cent of the crop
and more have been signed up.
Its success seems assured, as |
see it."
What particular feature of the
plan seems most to. appeal to the
people, in your opinion ?" Mr.. Ke-
hoe was asked. 4
No particular feature" he re-
Piled. 1T seems satisfactory in
its entirety. The farmers in this
district know that not one in a
hundred of them has a chance to
make dollar this year unless
they get it out of their tobacco.
In fact, | have been told by huns
dreds of them that they will not
make enough clear to pay their
taxes. Everything they, have
this far sold shows a loss and, cn
account of being in competition
with the rest of the world with
eevrything they have to sell. and
realizing that general business
conditions do not promise any
early readjustment, they know
that the profitable sale,-af their
tobacco is the only hope of many
of them to avoid bankruptcy.
"A farm In this district, mol
matter how well managed, will
prove a liability instead of an as
set this and many years to come
unless we succeed in perfecting
this organization, / fear. The
bankers realize that their depos-
its are sure to decrease unless to-
bacco brings a good price. and the
merchants realize that it will be
impossible for them to collect ac-
counts or enlarge their business
unless the farmer realizes profit
on their tobacco. SO there is moth
ing strange in the fact that the
sentiment of the district is virtu-
ally unanimous on this subject.
All are equally and vitality con-
Cerned."
What makes you think the
growers will get profit for their
tobacco if contracted to the mar
keting association ?" Mr.. Kehoe
was asked.
Tobacco" he said. SIS the only
thing that has been able to with
stand the. depressed business con-
ditions of the world at large. 1t
is not being sold to consumers at |
a cent-less than it was sold during
and following the high priced
period of the war. Burnley to-
bacco products, the consumption
of which is constantly increasing,
are selling to- consumers today at
very profitable. prices to the man
ufaeturers. They are able to OBJ
tain the same prices for these
products as when they paid on an
average of .3S i1-2 cents pound
for the tobacco, and there is moth
4
continue to be the condition sol
far as the, manufactured products
are concerned.
sThe consumption of these pro-
ducts is, on the increase, while ev-
erybedy knows that the produc-
ton will be. considerably reduced
this year. In view of the history
of the business it is useless for
the. growers, to- expect. a, fair price