Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-02-28
Facts About Co-oberat've
Marketing for Cotton
v-HE Journal presents today the first of
series of fact-flled articles by Ralph


-HE Journal presents today the first of a
series of fact-filled articles by Ralph
Smith on the workings and records
of cooperative cotton marketing. Inc SUD-
iect is of great moment to Georgia, "hoae
stake in the world of cotton averages NIL
lion bales year and whose prosperity de-
ponds in large measure on more adequate
and more efficient methods of selling the
products of her soil. This manifest need IL
was that prompted The Journal some months
ago to join with the Country Bankers Asso-
citation in an endeavor looking toward peCIer
facilities for marketing food crops. Inc
further that inquiry was carried the clearer
it became that there could be no solution OF
the divers problems involved nor development
of the myriad opportunities without co-opera-
ton on the part of all concerned, particularly
the growers themselves and the bankers; II
was upon this basic principle that the move
ment, now so rich in goodly promise, pro-
ceeded.
If co-operation is profitable to food grow
ers, what of it's advantage to cotton farmers
and to the manifold interests that lean upon
their welfare? The question became point
edly practical one for this newspaper upon
receipt of letter from the manager Oh the
newly formed Georgia Cotton Growers Co.
operative Association, requesting Inc jour
nal 70 investigate the workings and results
of like associations in the Southwest, where
they have been functioning long enough to
give evidence of their true nature and then
to lay the findings before the public Thus
it was that Ralph Smith, whose inc1s1ve stud
les of foodcrop marketing in Georgia nave
been so helpful in plans to solve that proc-
lem, was detailed % ascertain and report the
facts about cooperative cotton marketing IN
the States where it is in actual operation.
His initial story, presented today, is from
the capital city of Oklahoma, where the CO.
operative system of marketing cotton was
fhn 1nad
Williams editor of the Farmer-Stockman,
highly valued agricultural paper of that re-
gion. He it was to whom Mr.. Smith address,
ed his first inquiry, stating that The Jour
NAILS sole interest in the matter was TO ma
the facts, whether favorable or adverse, to
the end that thinking farmers and business
men in Georgia might have fair and ade-
quate basis on which to form their own con-
illusions. The reply is worth requotlng. Salo
the Oklahoman: "The books of our assocla-
ton are open to your inspection or to the in
spection of anyone else Our employees are
at your service. Go as far as you like and
draw your own differences. We are pleased
with the progress we have male, and we feel
that any intelligent person will convince hlm-
self of the soundness of our movement II ne
will only investigate it in detail" He then
! outlined the objects and services of the Okla
homa Cotton Association, which now has a
membership of thirty-five thousand. 1t
is a marketing organization" said he, com
lords and tenants, operated directly by and
for the growers, through the best technical
cotton specialists that money can employ.
Especially did he emphasize that the assocla-
ton is mot fraternal ORDER not dues
collecting club" and that its enforcement
from things political is so complete that II
one Of it's officers should get into politics., he
straightway would "get out of the assocla-
ton So much for the motives of this bust
ness organization, chartered under State and
LoIa 1oIr 1at of g
Williams answers:
specifically we do the following
things for the association members:
81. Grade, class, staple and weigh
each bale, which places a true value on
the cotton in terms of quality.
''2. We warehouse and store cotton
wherever necessary, thus reducing the
tremendous loss from country damage.
"3 we sell the cotton in even running
lots each grade, class and staple within
its own pool Thus insuring a higher
price than can otherwise be obtained.
81. We sell on samples and warehouse
certificates, saving the heavy loss from
what is known as the city crop.
"5. We sell collectively and only when
the market demands it, in this way re-
ducing speculations.
"6. We sell cotton as directly as pos
sible, eliminating many wasteful and
costly operations.
II. we intend to attempt TO deIerm-
inc the cost of cotton production and will
assist in asking price that will satisfy
both the producer and consumer.
49, We intend to encourage and de-
velop the cooperative production of
uniform and standard varieties, which
will assist further in pool selling.
$50. We will advise with growers, on
production methods and problems"
These ends are all obviously desirable; the
crux of the question is, how successfully are
they attained? The answer will be self-evi
dent, we believe, when Mr.. Smiths series o.
articles, written from frst-hand and alto
gether disinterested observation, is complete
In tomorrow's Journal he will describe the
Oklahoma associations financing processes
and will adduce in this connection the judg
ment Of leading bankers thereabout who have
closely watched it's developments. In subse
quent articles ne ill tell of the methods Of
organizing the farmers and of their expert
ence in marketing through the association;
he will give his readers the benefit of wide
range of pertinent opinions both from agri
cultural and from business points of view h
will report the operations of the system II