The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1921-03-13

as possible throughout the Year, Iiual
payment 10 be made TO the grower
when each annual pool is closed
s. The association is allowed TO sell
the cotton when and where il deems
fit, under such conditions as will best
serve the grower and the public.
9. The association recognizes crop
mortgages.
10. 1t is agreed that all contracts
between the association and growers
shall be substantially alike
Il. If a grower violates his contract
by selling cotton to outsiders he agrees
TO pay to the association cents u
pound damages on cotton sold, plus
expense Of collection. This feature has
been upheld many times by the courts
Of California;.
Aaron Spiaro counsel for IA farm
ers cooperative associations on the Pa.
cific coast. wrote the Oklahoma con
tract. Mr. Spiaro insists that this
binding contract is the cornerstone
of cooperation and he summarizes
his reasons as follows:
l. 1t insures the association a defi-
mite number of bales over a period of
years. and from this the actual volume
Of business can be estimated closely.
This stabilizes the association and per-
mits it TO operate TO better advantage
than would be possible otherwise.
>. II puts the associeuon in a
strategic position on the market. It
gives the farmer a representative on
the market, which he never has had
heretofore. A commission man is often
worse than no representative at ALL
and as often as not is secretly repre-
farmer.
3. IL eliminates competition in buy
ing, and the associations business
cannot be broken by spectators who
are willing to pay high prices and
lose money temporarily in order to ac-
complish that purpose.
A. 1t allows the association to put
all of its efforts on efficient sales.
manship, while the producer puts his
efforts on efficient production. The
man who is tempted by a cent a
pound cannot seriously injure an as.
sociation.
3. 1t provides q means Of securing
credit, so that crops may be moved
and first payments made before they
are actually sold The fact that the
association secures title TO the crops
money and make first payment at
that time The contract has thus
when delivered allowed II 10 borrow
solved the financial question in CO..
operation to a large extent, for bank
ers lend money readily on the basis
Of the contracts.
1t has not been an easy job TO or.
ganize the Oklahoma association. When
the plan was first adopted at mass
meeting here last June 1Oth-thirty-
two counties We're represented at that
meeting-there We're about six men
who believed the association could be
organized and made to go. For two
months the organization committee
could not raise enough funds TO pay
postage, and all of the bills Of all
kinds were stood for" or paid by one
member-one of the original six who
had faith. Everybody believed the
plan would work but very few be.
lieved the farmers would sign the
seven year contract. As time passed
the ASSOCIATION was endorsed by the
Oklahoma Bankers Association, the
Oklahoma Agricultural College, the
Oklahoma Extension Division. the State
Board Of Agriculture, the State Market
Commission, the State Farmers Union
and the State Grange. one by one a
number OF influential bankers were
lined up and they contributed--or loan
ed-small sums to help carry on the
organization work. Enough money
had been raised by November !. 1920,
to put organizers and speakers in the
field. And 1t has been easy sailing
ever since.
The association has no financial
worries. 1t has a good bank account
and owes nobody \ special ennis.
sary Of the Oklahoma association is
being sent to Europe this spring tu
open foreign markets-drect markets.
Bankers who were slow TO see the
proposition at first are now among
the enthusiastic supporters In great
many cases whore the farmer has no
cash money and can't pay the $40
membership Zee, the bank pays the
Zee for him and allows him to pay IL
back next fall without interest. Land
lords and merchants are cooperating
very generously. The only opposition
comes from some Of the old-line cot
I tou biVerg