The Mena weekly star., 1921-12-08
COTTON GROWERS
 WILL ORGANIZE
Under Plans Adopted by Farm Bureau It Is Believed Growers May Receive Increase of SiO to $15 per Bale
 Thru Econc mics in Marketing.

A meeting of the Polk County Farm Bureau was held Monday afternoon, beginning at 1 80 o'clock, at the court house. There was a splendid attend ance of farmers and quite a number of Mena business men, the Commercial Club having made a special effort to secure the presence of the latter.
 Promptly on time the gathering was called to order by President Peter Me William of Acorn, who, a<ter a brief talk in which he expressed a strong desire that the business men get an understanding of the proposed organ ization and work, that they might point out errors if such there be, and cooperate if plans were correct. He then introduced J. D. Coghlan of Ennis, Tex, a cotton grower, who has been secured to inform the cotton growers of Arkansas as to the pur- pose of the bureau in organizing them into an efficient marketing as- sociation, along lines similar to those working so effectively for the fruit growers of California.
 Early in his talk Mir. Coghlan spoke of the price it was necessary to pay for burial casket, the services of a doctor, for drugs and for var ious kinds of merchandise He then said that he had no quarrel with the undertaken, the doctor, the druggist nor the merchant, because each was entitled to fair remuneration for his services and his goods, but that what he and other cotton growers wanted was more fair share of what his cotton was worth, in order that he and fhnxy rz,srrt.f hn ok 4D fp1r these other things. He then stated that, as things now are, there were some fifteen agencies between the farmer and the spinner, and that from each bale of cotton grown each of these agencies took a smaii part of the value or price, and that he be- lieved, and he believed all fair men believed, that the grower is entitled to larger part of the value of his cotton--that a way should be found to reach the spindles of the cotton mill by more direct route, thus avoiding a very great waste and, he believed, saving to the farmer an amount of at least $10 to $15 on each bale produced He then pointed to the interest of the merchant, business and professional man in the move ment, how, with increased revenue for the farmer, he would buy more and better goods, and would have bet ter homes, better schools, be better citizens and all enjoy better commun- tiles
 The speaker believed that the need ed step to bring about these things was the adoption of the plans now approved by the Farm Bureau for marketing cotton, which, he declared, already are functioning successfully in both Oklahoma and Texas.
 In the latter state he pointed out how, by this plan, that state had re- ceived credit of $10,000,000 from the War Finance Board to finance the enterprise. Also 212 millions from Texas state banks, and more from the national banks. He then stressed the importance of the 5-year contract, stating that only on such basis could the organization establish stability sufficient to secure confidence and credit.
 Mir. Coghlan then went more into detail as to marketing. He stated that these contracts were valid and binding, and that when farmer had become a member he had to sell his cotton thru the organization, and could sell no other way. On placing the cotton in the warehouse the grow CT was advanced in Texas $25 on each bale. All was covered by insurance, this blanket insurance being but half the rate usually paid.
 The cost of membership in the Cot ton Marketing Organization is $10,- and half of this remains in the local bureau, $2 for organization work, the balance for the support of the enter prise in state and nation. Should other allied associations be formed, as, for instance, the organization of truck and fruit growers, as contem- piated. here, the one membership cov- It is proposed to sign up not less than 100000 bales in Arkansas by January 1, 1922, and Polk county's quota is 2,000 bales. The week be- ginning December 12 has been set apart for the supreme effort to put the work thru.
 A number of farmers signed the agreement at the close of the meet ing.