Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1921-02-25
FRIDAY. FEBRUARY rs. 1921
Mr.. GARDINER ON THE
TOBACCO SITUATION


sger OF the Maryland Tobacco Grow
ers's Association, talking of the tobac-
co situation, says he is satisfied with
present conditions, taking eli things
into consideration. He says: There
never was, after a big war, time that
we did not have a shakedown, and why
expect any exceptions now ? Things
are getting better; foreign conditions
are not satisfactory, but they are sure
ly adjusting themselves TO a more sat
isfactory basis. We have never had
failure or famine. The farmers are
getting organized and through their
organization will receive the many
benefits and advantages that are ma.
king the going easy. There is sutfi-
Gent demand for the small amount Of
Maryland tobacco, II marketed in an
orderly way, as the demand develops,
to bring fair price, and the splendid
cooperation OF the banks throughout
the tobacco-growing area Of Maryland
and one of the largest banks OF Balti-
more, together with the cooperation
of the wealthy and influential people OF
the StaIe, makes finances available to
carry this crop until this can be ae-
coInplished. y
When asked If there was any discord
between the commission men and the
buyers and the Association, Mr.. Car
diner, with some evidence of impa-
bience, said : '.ff you want to stand on
the corner and listen for gossip or lis
ten to everything you hear, you can
hear any thing and get into any kind Of
a scrap, but want to say that | am
trying to run the Maryland Tobacco
Growers Association for the many
benefits of its many members, and am
not trying TO run any commission bus
mess, nor have | any fight with them.
BY virtue Of the fact that there was a
commission form OF selling on this
market for many years, the commits
sion men who were and are still en-
gagged in same, are entitled 10 all they
can gy5b OUT % ~, anu 1 would ike 10
add that personally have never been
treated better in my life than by some
Of the men engaged in this business.
i am frank to say that the success of
the Association will automatically in
terfere with the commission business
on this market. II the farmers are so
blind that they cannot, or rather, will
not see the many benefits that will be
derived from organization and the
much good the Association has al
ready accomplished on this market,
will suggest to this element that | am
sure that the commission men will be
glad to have their patronage, and as
for the buyers, will you tell me, he
asked, ''can you give any reason on
the face Of the great Lord IS green globe
why we should have any discord with
the buyers and they should have any
with us 2 | am sick and tired of this
talk, and buyers that | have had the
pleasure OF meeting on this market are
all keen, alert, fair minded men-men
that any business man would consider
il pleasure and a privilege to know,
and have tried TO help the farmer far
more than some of the farmers are
trying to help themselves. OF course,
they try to buy tobacco as cheap as
they can. Do you blame them ? Dc
you know any farmer or any other
man who does not try to buy every
thing as cheaply as he can? The only
thing that puzzles me is that they don'l
buy it cheaper than they do. II the
farmers would make their product more
attractive, grow, pack, grade and
handle their tobacco the way they
should, and have plan and not a
hope, and run their own business and
not expect the buyers and commission
men, who either run their own or are
paid to run some one else's, to run the
farmers business, then they would
have no cause for complaint.
II want to say it sounds all right 10
criticise, but put the criticism in the
right place. The manufacturer, the
buyer, or the commission man is a
mighty poor business man II farmers
turn their business over to them nnre-
stricted and they do not manipulate It
70 their own interest. No other concern
in the world has done this, and guar
antee If any farming implement con-
Germ or fertilizer house in the world will
turn their product over to the farmers
to put their prices on same, and ma
nipulate ii as they please, subject to no
equitable restrictions, that the bust
ness will soon be where the farmer is
today, and that is hotter place than
Baltimore or any other place in Mary
land.
mo. the only fuss we have had is
with the man who up to this time seems
to think that he has had some special
business or personal reason why be
he has not Joined the Association
This man, however, is rapidly coming
in, as he has freed himself from such
ideas and obligations and knows when
he is on the right road, and the other
fellow in the farming industry, of
whom there quite few, who wants to
hide behind his organized brother and
prays that his neighbours organization
may succeed without him, so that he
can reap the benefits Of organization
and still remain nee and clear from
the work, responsibility and burden of
making this organization a success,
and won't come out in public and tell
any man why he won't join the only
thing today alive that will save US
from a return to the dark days OF ag
riculture, with which most of us are IA
miliar, and OF which need 70 make no
further comment.
''YOu asked me about the report that
the French will not be on the market
this year. / am surprised to hear this,
for unless il is a very recent decision,
/ do not think it Is true, for | had a
talk with Mr.. Henry Voelke, of Glass.
Voelke & Co., who represent the
French Government on this market,
not long ago, and he is certainly a
very frank and reliable man, and be
told me that az present he did not know
just when he would be on the market
this year, as 1t had not been deter
mined. Well, If true, this Is unfortu-
nate, as they are valuable buyers onl
this market. / can only add tits dou-
bly, unfortunate for the man outside OF
the Association, as he will have hard
time to get finances until he can dis
pose Of his crop, but the present out
look for the man in the Association,
with the banks, the people, the State
and the Government back of him, is
that he can be financed until the
French, the German, or the jew or
Gentle does get in position TO ham
die his product, which / am sure they
Will do as soon as they want ii, and
their finances viii justify it.
Further than this, / do not care to
say more, as / will leave it in the
hands Of the farmer, aud the big BUSH
ness men of the country, who are de-
pending on the farmer, for further COM
ment, as il is entirely up to them to