The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1921-05-18
CONCERNING THE
COOPERATIVE MARKETING

Clemson College, May 16-To an
individual grower the pooling of his
crop OF cotton under the cooperative
marketing plan means swapping the
specific bales grown by him for pro-
portlonal interests I'm much larger
lots of cotton. The number Of lots in
which he owns an interest will be de-
tcrmlned by the number of different
KINDS or grades of cotton produced
by him. For example, if the grow
ers belonging to the association pro-
duce ten thousand bales of good mid
ding and one of the members, John
Doe, produces one hundred bales of
that ten thousand, then John Doe in
pooling trades in his hundred bales
and receives a one percent interest in
the entire pool of ten thousand bales.
The pools arc made up Of cotton be-
longing only to growers who are
members of the association. Pooling
gives each grower certain advantages
which are explained below.
Advantage of Pooling
Pooling gives the grower the
advantage of accurate grading.
Pooling gives the grower the
advantage to be gained from selling
cotton in large even-running lots. The
work of assembling cotton in such
lots is now done by middIemcn, but
The association would do it through
pooling at cost, thus cutting out one
or two middIemen.
Pooling gives the grower the
average price received for cotton, less
costs of operating the association,
This may be regarded by some as an
advantage and by others as a disad-
vantage, depending on whether the
particular grower fears that he will
sell his own cotton on the lowest mar
kct Of the year or is confident that he
VIII be able to pick the time of high
est prices. 1t must be generally con-
ceded, however, that growers cannot
determine beforehand the ,best time
to sell, and that by averaging the
price certain amount Of gamblinp
Is taken out of the selling operation.
Pooling makes It possible for
growers to market their cotton in an
orderly way over a longer period of
time and thus saves the losses incur
red IN dumping most Of the crop in
fcur months.
. Pooling enables the growers to
chminat" competition among them
selves IN the selling of the crop. This
means that competition will be limit
rd to the economical production Of the
crop and this is the only fair field for
competition among growers With
OUT pooling some growers, because of
their individual circumstances, will
always sell cotton for less than it has
cost them to produce it. This is
manlfcStly unfair to the industry as a
whole, and growers have known this
tor many years
Length of Pooling Period
II Il crop is a pcrishable, is pro-
duccd only once year, and is i'm fair
ly regular demand over period of
twelve months, the fair pooling period
would be one entire season. OF course
IN the case Of crops, such as truck,
TIC value Of which is fixed partly by
their carllncss, the pooling period
should be made shorter, periods as
short as one day being used in some
cases. The faircst pooling period for
cotton would be one year ANY short
cr period would leave the field open
for spccu lation, which in the long run
does not benefit the growers.
When pooled cotton is nut on the
market it is sold with the single idea
Of bcnefitting the pool az a whole, and
no advantage can be granted to one
grower over another in the same pool
All pay pro rata share Of the neccs-
S;-ry expenses and all receive the same
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