The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1922-07-20
FARMERS DREAM
COMES TO PASS
IN SUCCESS OF TRI-STATE TO-
BACCO COOPERATIVE MAR
KETING ASSOCIATION.

The fervent hope, the distant dream
of Carolina and Virginia farmer:
has come to pass in two short years
The dream of an all embracing
organization to cover the majority Of
a leading Southern staple crop ano
to include the greater number of its
producers under single binding con-
tract is now an accomplished fact.
Cooperative commodity marketing
for tobacco in the Carolinas and Vir'
ginia has come to stay. The strength
and numbers of its organization are
increasing daily. More than thous'
and new members are now joining
the movement week by week.
By moderate estimate, Virginia
growers have signed with the asso'
citation 80 per cent. of their entire
crop. North Carolina growers have
q membership of IS per cent. within
the association and so per cent. OF
the tobacco of South Carolina is now
under contract with the Tri-State
organization.
With over $4,000 members repre-
senting 350,0OO,000 pounds of tobac'
co, it is estimated that 70 per cent
of the growers and the tobacco in
the three states are now will. the
Tobacco Growers Cooperative .Asso'
citation.
If only 60 per cent. of the tobacco
farmers were organized within the
Carolinas and Virginia with the same
advantage which the 10000 mem
bers of the Tobacco Growers Asso,
citation now enjoy, their advantages
as compared to the unorganized
minority would be impressive.
With 210 warehouses evenly dis
tributed throughout the belt, as com,
pared to less than half that number
for the unorganized growers who now
lack warehouse facilities in many
former markets, the members Of the
association have the advantage over
non~signers. Cooperative warehouse:
have supplanted auction floors il
many Virginia towns. In South
Carolina, Timmonsville, Florence
Kingstree and Aynor have recently
become 100 per cent. cooperative mar
kets, and only tobacco of the organ
lied growers will be received al
these centers. The large majority o.
warehouses in North Carolina an
now under the management o;
the organized growers, evenly dis
tributed throughout the state.
At the cooperative warehouses
members of the association can de
liver their tobacco, receive cash pay
ment in the form of a liberal ad
vance upon delivery, and return OF
the same day.
Members desiring more money a
the time of their first delivery vii
be able to secure it by loans upol
their participation receipts for th'
balance of their unsold tobacco hell
in storage by the association. A
compared to the unorganized grow
ers who travel far to reach the larg'
markets in the hope of fair prices
and lose many days from travel
glutted sales and other delays, th'
organized grower is at great ad
vantage, for he is assured of tn
same grading, the same prices, tn
same consideration on the smalles
or the largest market of the asso
citation.
While the unorganized grower of
fers his tobacco to the men who ar
paid to grade it and buy it for tn
benefit of the big companies, tn
member of the growers association
places his tobacco in the hands o
his own employees who are paid b.
him to grade and value it for hi
special benefit. Here again the OF
ganized tobacco grower has the ad
vantage over the helpless individua
who hopes for kindness or good luc
on some distant markets floor.
The majority of the growers in tn
three states which now have tn
worlds largest cooperative market
ing association, enjoy the advantag
of forty million dollars in loans t
assure the orderly and profitable sal
of their crop. Compared to the un
organized growers who are driven b
debts and mortgages to sell as rapid