Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-04-16

n
,opcra''Ne buying OF supplies by
'nc producers; and this remind, an
oid- timer Of similar agitation an,
partial and incomplete action oIonr
inc same II mes generation and lcss
ago. '''S
The Grange Movement
mere came along, more than a
generation ago. the Grange move
ment The farmers went into sm
sanitation called the Orange, simii,-
III some respects TO the present
rarincrs Educational and Co-Opera
i've Association OF America. ana
'ncr" were state. county and town
snip Changers everywhere ius, as
'""r" are now state. county and local
unions. IN the tobacco-Erowing sec
'l"ns OF Virginia. and, | suppose i,
the fruit and peanut and grain
growing sections also. the Orange
undertook 10 work out n different
system than that then prevailing OF
marketing the Grangers produce
OF course in tho interest OF the farm
or and To the end that the army OF
"middlcmcn' might he disbandcd or
greatly reduced
In one OF the leading tobacco mar
kets OF Virginia, with the workings
OF which ] was at the time very
familiar. an immense leaf tobacco
warehouse was erected to be man
aged by and In the interest of tho
tobacco growers OF that section. COM
DrisinE certain counties OF both EIr.
rinia and North Carolina.
Lacked Co-Opcrntion.
This enterprise was failure,
after two years experience. and
why? In tho FIRST place the farmers
did not cooperate They seemed to
he jealous OF each other and did not
pun together True a soodly num-
Der In each county in this territory
carried their tobacco to tho granr-
crs' warehouse. but two-thirds oe
them. at least. went to other houses.
Notwithstanding the fact that tho
charges for selling were a bit higher
at the other houses in that market
town
In the second place the Erangcrs
asa not get the right kind OF men to
run their business. The general
manager was as fine gentleman "a
ever came down the pike. but he was
not a business man. He could and
often did preside with dignity Mt
sessions OF the board OF stewards
the church; he could and often did
makc hne speeches at district anu
crossroads political Meetings but
IN managing the business OF his farm
he was failure. However "hucnce."
political and otherwise. brought him
To the front as n candidate for pcn-
eral m""ager OF the farmers bust
ness in town and he got the lob. He
gathered about him a force OF clerks.
hclpers. etc. OF the same lack OF
business talent Any reader can
guess the balance of the story. but
may add this. Bankers and other
tar-seeinE business men in that re-
Sion knew the genial general man.
aser and his force, and they saw tha
end at the beginning. Hence. the
business found no o Inside fina ncial
packing. The business" went down.
Farmers Alliance.
some years later the Farmers Al.
lance sprang up. 1t went strong ar
hrst ana in that same market a splcn
ana brick warehouse was erected
with stores on the first floor. and the
upper floors equipped with all the
Ia'eS' tobacco warehouse facilities.
Again the farmers were short on CO.
"hrr'tioh. Again politics. or church
influence or something else, except
business prevailed when IL come IN
Tho selection of the men TO run thar
enterprise. This time they hive
made Il general manager out OF a
man whose oratory at district meet.
'"Ss' win foreign missions and SUN.
day school extension for his subiects
Always stirred the people. and IL was
MS custom to stir them ut every dis.
trict association in all that region.
out ne was In no sense business
man lie did not even know how to
look after his stable or his cow men
LOT II was a notorious fact that he
oroN" the poorest horses and MIXED
the Scrubbiest cows in the county
or course. the warchous. husIress
lei! down under his general manage.
mcnt.
Another Experience.
Hno'"'r experience. one year
S"on IonE time ago. an immense to.
oacco crop was made in this same re-
s'oh-said to have been the biggest
crop made mp TO that time since the
war Betecwn the States-and (, soId
away down below the cost OF Dro.
auction. bringing not over IS rcp
hundred believe. Leading farmer.
ana some OF their friends held several
caucuSSeS and decided that something
must be done to help the poor farm
.rs. AS newspaper man. was in
Nted TO take part in these proceed-
ings We decided in time that this
thlhg 10 do was 10 mako the farmer
h"lp himself by Co-opcration: thar n
short crop Of tobacco must he NADIA
the following wear. so short In fact.
thai leaf tobacco would be scarce
ana the manufacturer and exporter
"""'d Just nave to pay big money,
or very much more money for H. or
course. in this matter OF cutting
down tobacco acreage and puttiug
the surplus ground IN food crops w,
had 10 have co operation on the mart
OF the farmers. and, in the twenty
lVc OF more speeches, / made. or tho
one speech made twenty-five or
more times. nj az many district,
township ana cross road meetings. CO.
operation was my theme. andI flour
ished the theme. world without end,
| never failed to bring down ina
house was loudly cheered and
vigorously applauded at the end OF
every pcrora,ion. felt proud OF my
self and Of my appreciative audi
enccs And at every meeting tho
resolution that we should the COM
Ing season, curtaN our tobacco crops
At least 90 per cent" was unanimous.
~ carried by IA rising vote
All Made Whopprr Crops
!, later developed that at Leash
eight out OF every ten who so vocI.
Ierously voted aye" then and there,
Or certainly before hn got home from
the meeting. winked his other ego
and said unto himself: Bully, n all
myneighhor- are going 10 cut ,he,r
tcvrtinY"i an rh!rtecnih iXpSeJ