The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1922-12-01
FORMING A COTTON
EXCHANGE

Tho story Of the origin and organization
t.bs r,.,l, arm Bureau Cotton Associa-
-" rad, Ike a myth. In the fall of 1910
w. y. ;5ea was looked upon as a beautiful
~ y. hit impractical in its execution.
D., Al that memorable meeting in Mont
an,sr,, the idea made sufficient impress
:, the minds of d few of the great
l,,l.r. of agricultural thought in the
r1,thern states. that they were not will
:,sto g;ye Up the thought of the benefits
r.. ,f.r upcrafion of such 4 plan might
~, f., ;le farmers of the South. Hence
,.b p,rn rs Carl Williams Of Oklahoma,
~ Poe and Dr. Kilgore Of North Caro-
ios and Oscar BIedsoe Of Mississippi.
..1ng with few others OF similar type.
'aot;uued the study OF the Sapiro plan.
/, AN. Oklahoma which put the plan to
81. fest OF overcoming the objections
.b;rb were raised on every hand to its
:,nnroctictbilitv. and it is now matter OF
b;stoT;, interest to know that all Of the
obsc,i ons that were raised by both the
,,isnd, and the enemies of the plan, have
rsen overcome: that the farmers would
Ian rEr contracts, and that the plan VAS
o", onlv not impractiCabc, but the very
,.,,urrs OF the plan which appeared to the
I..uind IS imprdCticahle, were the strong
features that meant the assured success of
rbe organization when put into operation.
since the Oklahoma farmers demonstrated
that they would sign the contracts no
time WI, lost bv the Texas Farm Bureau
Federation in bringing the plan to Texas.
Mr. SApiro made his first address in the
state al Dallas at the Fair grounds during
rbe Fair OF 1920 He made such a favor
able impression on all who were present
At that meeting that out Of it came the
demand ior the organization of cotton
marketing association under the auspices
Of the Texas Farm Bureau Federation
Accordingly, the president appointed an
crsanil4tion committee of twcnty-one of
tie leading cotton growers. educators,
economists. bankers and business men,
and 4 careful study was made of co-opera-
tN, marketing in general, and cotton
marketing in particular. Scores OF letters
were written to bankers, chambers of COM
mercc and growers in California, and the
Northwest, and without exception the
highest endorsement WAS given cooperative
marketing Is practiced III California. and
its benefits to the grower, banker and
business man and practically all who were
heard from, attributed the wonderful
prosperity OF California farmers to tie
success of the various cooperative market.
ing associations in that State. There Was
not one letter from anyone who did not
favor cooperative marketing, and the
stor:rs oI the success Of the prune growers, I
Iaisn ,rowcrs. citrus growers, egg pro-
durers. walnut growers, alfalfa growers,
etc. MI such rs TO fire the enthusiasm OF
the most conservative OF our organization
committee and staff.
The plan hat forms the basis of the
Texas Iarm Bureau Cotton AssoCial ion +
incorporates The accumulated experience
and successful operation of cooperative
marketing y>,ociations throughout the
world during The past fifty years, and it (
Is interesting 10 note that up until 1918
there Ms more or less experimenting in
tOrHs Vi marketing associations, but since
that lime the plan has become practically =
standard, and no organization based upon
the standard plan has failed since that
time
The task OF explaining the cotton con-
tract to the farmers OF l55 counties, and
tie subsequent house to house canvass OF
the cotton growers in those counties,
resulting in approximately 10000 men
turning over To their association the sale
Of their cotton for period OF FIVE years,
was not an easy one. Without the CO
oprrati0n Of the County Farm Bureaus,
{ uunty Agents, the press, and the bankers
and business men OF this State, Il task OF
such tremendousness could not have been
But as the farmers them
selves were brought to realize the oppor-
tunItl for having Il voice in The marketing
ui the product oil their year ; toll, so it was
also that the bankers and business men
were not slow to realize the benefits which
World come to them through the increased
Ia ing power oi the members of the
rganization.