The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1921-02-24
THURSDAY, FEBRCARy 24.1e2l
Takes Issue With Mr.. Cothran

Mr.. r. D. Cothran, a prominent
tobacco man of Viginia has recently
given some very pointed views on the
important subject of grading tieing
and marketing tobacco in South Car
olina. Unfortunately and perhaps un-
wisely, according to the County Re-
cords opinion on the subject. Mr..
Cothran opposes the adoption Of the
grading and tieing system, which is
the system in all other tobacco pro-
ducing states, in South Carolina as
indicated by recent published comlmu-
nications over his signature. Mr.. NJ.
D. Nesmith secretary Of the Lake City
Tobacco Growers association, takes
issue with Mr.. Cothran in the follow
: ing communication to the Charleston
News & Courier, from which is re-
printed in The County Record:
"To the Editor of the News and
Courier; Under the caption Against
Tobacco Bill" in today's issue, Mr.. R.
D. Cothran, of Virginia, presents a
volume Of side-lights on the most in
teresting and very important subject
of the marketing, grading and tieing
of Tobacco in South Carolina. Mr..
Cothran's article and his arguments
make one wonder if he doesn't be-
long to that type of South Carolina
tobacco warehouseman who has prov
en- a curse and stumbling block to the
tobacco growers and their best inter-
cts; the kind that runs warehouse at
Manning for six weeks, then hikes it
out for Brookneal, Va, to finish up
the season, thereby finishing up his
farmer friends and fe:ihering his own
nest. Reading between the lines it
looks as if he belongs to this Tyre.
"Mr. Cothran is so much alarmed ov-
er this grading aad tieing proposition
that he wants it carried over and bal
loted upon, fearing that our constitu-
tional rights may be torn asundcr.
This question was ballotted upon by
the South Carolina Tobacco Growers
Association ct Florence and was
unanimously favored, the association
recommending to the general assem-
bly, the passing of suitable legislation
to accomplish this end. In August,
1920, the Lake City Tobacco Growers
Association did the same thing. Who
do you want to vote now, Mr.. Goth
ran-the warehousemen?
eve believe that 80 per cent. of the
tobacco growers in the belt favor
grading and tieing.
"Why do we want it !? 1t will cut the
crop. Mr.. Cothran says so. It will
have to bedone to conform to the
Speiro or California plan of coopera-
tive marketing, which was adopted by
the South Carolina Tobacco Growers
Association at Florence, S. c. 1t will
enable the small white grower to get
paid for his care and skill in growing
and handling his tobacco intelligently.
It will give US a system of slow and
careful marketing, and time to sucker
crop and care for our crop in the field.
We do not want to be forced to mar
ket our best money crop in six weeks.
We want time to prepare it in the
most satisfactory way to get the great
est profit out of it. We cannot do
this under the present method.
eve want market that will keep
open until December if necessary and
that will give US time to handle it
like the states of North Carolina and
Virginia. Our tobacco isn't fodder and
shucks; it has real market value
and cannot be handled in six weeks.
eve are not interested in ware
housemen of the Cothran type VINO
would force us to sell our tobacco in a
few weeks because the markets in Vir-
einia and North Carolina are about
open and he must needs 60 and run a
house up there. No wonder he cries
ont with a wailing voice as he sees
the goose that lays the golden eggs
about to be killed.
Mr.. Cothran possesses lot of hu-
man nature but we farmers want the
coin and if grading and tieing is good
for the old tobacco states it is good for
us. There is no good in a double
standard of handling and marketing