Richmond daily register. (Richmond, Madison County, Ky.) 1917-1978, 1921-08-15
Better Tobacco Prices and
The Tobacco Association

The low prices which growers
received for tobacco last winter
should convince every farmer IN
Kentucky that something is need
ed to save the tobacco industry
1t is not surprising, therefore
that the bankers all over the blu
grass and hill sections Of tn,
state are actively in favor of the
cooperative marketing of the
Burley tobacco; and that such
large number of growers have al
ready signed the pledge. The
plan is SO sinple and clear, and its
application to the sale of tobacco
is obviously SO practical that
growers need only to understand
it to be eager to join.
The five year contract, the Z
per cent minimum, the election OF
directors according to districts !;
all districts representing equa
amounts of tobacco; and the prin-
ciple Of each member having only
one vote in the election of those
directors will give the organiza-
ton a business structure thai
should insure its success.
But the features Of the plan
which are most convincing are
the five year contract and the =
per cent minimum. The Ions
term contract will enable the di-
rectOrs to acquire the facilities
and equipment necessary to the
proper handling of the tobacco
as we'll as enable them to obtain
an effective working personne
and develop a proper sales policy
The IS per cent minimum vii
give the members of the associa
ton the security OF group actor
as against the helplessness of in
dividual action. AS it is now will
each grower selling his tobacco
individually, the weakness Of hi.
bargaining power, as compared
with that of the manufacture
will always force him to accep,
whatever price is offered hin
FOR it makes little difference wit
the manufacturer whether h
buys the tobacco Of a particuls
grower, he can always purchas
his supply from the $4,000 othe
growers of the district who al
eager to sell as evidenced by Il
long lines OF tobacco wagons tina
crowd the streets of every maj
ket town during the selling sea
son. Among those fifty thou
and are large number who ar
financially incapable of dom
other than Immediately acceptin
the price offered them, no matte
how low it happens to be.
This depressed price paid
those growers, who must sell i'm
mediately to meet their grocer,
bills and buy clothing, determin-
es to large extent the valu,
placed upon all tobacco in the dis.
trict. But with the union of thirty
Or forty thousand growers sell
ing together, the bargaining pow
er Of the weaker member is rails
ed to a level with that of the
stronger one; and the position OF
the larger grower is strengthened
materially.
The plan is reasonable, it is
| sound. it is necessary. One needs
only to understand it to be for it
The serious questions are these
Will the Is per cent minimum be
obtained by the 18th of next No
vember? Are the tobacco grow
ers going to act now or will they
wait until they have suffered
longer, and are forced into a
weaker and more serious hnan-
cial position before they take ac-
ton to better their marketing
condition?
We leave it to your good sense,
Mr.. Grower, whether you are go
ing to let slip by the opportunity
to stabilize the price of your to-
bacco, and protect the value OF
your land by signing the Grow
ers' Cooperative Contract"
We believe that as a sensible
man. you are going to sign.