Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-03-28
COOPERATIVE SELLING GIVEN
BOOST BY W. /. CLAYTON


terse and pointed statement,
that it confirms and strengthens
information gathered both in
Dallas and Oklahoma City about
four highly essential points
about the cooperative move
ment in both states, tO-wit:
l. The affairs of both asso-
Citations have been conducted
in a very business-like manner
and the handling of their cotton
has been managed by thorough
ly practical cotton men in their
organization"
2. The cooperative move
ment has been conceived and is
being administered by men of
the highest type of intelligence,
higher than any similar move
ment," Mr.. Clayton says.
3. The activities of the or
CARNATIONS will be kept out of
politics.
4. The cooperative selling, of
cotton is not a holding plan and
is not designed primarily to fix
prices or attempt to corner the
cotton market, but is concerned
primarily in TIE gradual, order
ly marketing of cotton and in
the elimination of waste in the
initial stages of the distributive
processes.
Mr.. Clayton is personally &C
Quainted with the saleS-manag-
ers of both the Texas and Okla
hOma Observation-Disclosures Trout
and Sparks-and he regards
each as an Al cotton man, cap
able and conscientious.
Praises Mcn in Charge
81 believe that in Messrs:
Sparks and Trout the Texas and
Oklahmoa associations lived up
fully to their promise to get the
very best cotton men possible
to handle the sales end of their
enterprises, said Mr.. Clayton.
There is no question about
Messrs. Sparks and Trout being
practical cotton men of long eX-
perience and recognized abil-
ity."
Mr.. Clayton, it is only fair to
add, does not share the views of
the officers of the cooperative
associations as to the magnitude
of the losses the farmer has to
take through the old-fashioned
distributive process. He thinks
the estimates too high, but he
comedies that the cooperative
method of selling is more eco
nOmical and far more desirable.
Il rather believe that the es-
Inmates of the loss to the grower
from So-called country damage
and the SO-called city crop are
too high" he said, although
recognize there is some loss, and
whatever saving the cooperative
method results in is a net saw
ing to the grower.
The big advantage of the CO.
operative method is that it af-
fOrds the exporters an oppor-
tunity to put larger lots of cot
ton in even running lots, and
that is worth a whole lot. Ger
tainly, it gives to the cotton
thus graded and stapled a pre-
ium. 1t is worth something to
the exporter or the spinner to
be able to supply their require
ments in wholesale quantities of
a standardized product. That is
automatic, and applies not only
TO cotton, but to other commodi-
ties of the farm"
Mr.. Clayton is aware that the
ultimate purpose Of the Co-Opera-
tive movement is to sell direct
ly to the spinner, and eliminate
the exporter as it has eliminated
the street buyer" and the "F.
o. B. man." But he is not con-
cerned over this design, al
though, if it succeeds, his bust
ness will be destroyed-the big
gest business of its kind in the
United States. He feels that his
personal fortune, in the last an
alySis, is dependent upon the
progress and prosperity of the
southern farmer, and he Is far
more anxious to contribute to the
general development of the
south than he is to play a lone
and selfish hand.
The ultimate success of the
cooperative movement depends,
let me emphasize, upon the effici-
ency with which these organi-
cations are handled and their
freedom from politics." he said.
IF it is properly and efficient
ly managed, there is no reason
why the association should not
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