The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1921-01-16
TOBACCO PR| CES May
BRING RENEWAL Of OIL D.
TROUBLE N KEN NTU CKY.

oAHSlon. hy.s Jan. 15.-AthouSh
The movement Of 1921 for the forcing
CT tobacco prices 10 q higher level
in central Kentucky probably ie
more general than ever before. ac-
cordlng TO tobacco men, trouble over
tobacco prices is nothing Low. Eff
forts to 'cut out" the crop because
Of low prices. have taken place period
ically for the last Is years, resulting
in 1906 in what amounted TO virtual
ly war between growers who did
not plant and those who did.
In 1906 tobacco beds We're burned
farmers shipped and some instances
killed and a general reign of terror
was inaugurated State troops were
unable to cope with the situation and
the trouble died down only when Gov
Augustus f.. Wilson issued procla.
nation saying that the killing of .
might rider would be followed by
an immediate pardon for the slayer
There were no sales OF tobacco that
year in any of tho principal markets
OF the tobacco belt either in the Gig
arctic tobacco section of central Ken
lucky or the Black Belt" or dark
hurley region Of western Kentucky.
During the two years prior TO the
night rider trouble prices for to-
hacco had been at a low level. In
1906, 4,542,947 pounds were sold on
the Lexington breaks at an average
OF s7.4s per 100 pounds while 49,
1905 pounds were sold in 1907 for
n naverage of 5000.
Prices rose TO new high level
of s14.11 n hundred for 42,041 ,S77
pounds in 1909, but slumped again
in 1910. This caused the calling of
a convention in Lexington which
was attended. According to local
historians by growers from Ken
lucky, Ohio, and Indiana and at
which it was unanimously voted TO
cut out" the crop in 1911. There is
no indication however. that the
agreement was generally. followed
out. for records of the Lexington
Tobacco Warehousemen's Association
show that in the latter year 4S,49S,695
here at an average price Of slO.S3
per 100 pounds as compared with
an average OF $7.66 per hundred for
42,04l,S77 pounds in 1910.
The price Of tobacco reached an
average of s1294 per hundred for
4S,177,225 pounds on the local market
in 1912 and s12O5 per hundred for
4o,176,O75 in 1913 but dropped again
to 1927 in 1914 when 56.4l9,215
pounds, record for this market up
TO that time, were sold over the
breaks here. The next year only
35,39S,650 pounds were offered at
auction here and brought an aver
age OF sl0.53 per hundred.
With 1915 the upward trend OF
tobacco prices started. In 1916 A.
216,235 pounds We're sold here for
an average Of slS.27 q hundred and
in 1917, the average price paid for
41,219,910 pounds jumped $40 per
hundred to s2S.60. Another $40 in
crease occurred in 1918 when the local
warehousenen aucuoned 55,S26,S60
pounds for an average of S3S.39 per
hundred.
The largest amount of tobacco
that ever went over the floors OF
the Lexington warehouses was mark
eted in 1919 for the highest price
on record, 63.649,s65 pounds being
sold for an average Of s46.l7 per
100 pounds.
Indications of drop in price were
foreseen by tobacco men early inl
1920 and last July q meeting of
growers was held in Lexington to-
vote on the proposition to, abandon
the 1921 crop. It was stated that
labor costs were so high that in
order to maka the crop pay it !
would be necessary 10 do something
10 keep prices at q level with those
OF 1919. II was decided at the July
meeting, however, that a "cut OUT
would not be necessary and the
Burley Tobacco Growers Association |
wns formed in an endeavor 10 work
out the problems OF the growers
through cooperative methods John
w. Newman Of Versailles was elect !
I'd head Of the organization.
When the government estimate Of
the tobacco crop OF Kentucky was
made public December /, growers de-
clared that Il was too high, as the
leaf would not weigh more than two
thirds OF the usual amount. This
caused postponement OF the opening
OF tho markets throughout the white |
Burley or cigarette tobacco belt, while |
the growers association and state
and federal agricultural department
officials took a census Of the white
Burley crop. This report was given
out December 30 and showed a pr
duction of 23G 500 900 pounds Of the
cigarette leaf. Officials OF the Col
lege Of Agriculture, University Of
Kentucky. and field agents OF the
United States Department OF Agri- |
cul.lre, who had been making n !
study Of the cost Of producing and
marketing Kentucky tobacco, gave
out an estimate OF 1909 per acre MS
the cost OF producing and marketing |
the 1920 crop. The estimated pro-
duction per aero was fixed az s5s
pounds making the estimated cost /
$50 per hundred.