Richmond daily register. (Richmond, Madison County, Ky.) 1917-1978, 1922-06-16
FORMING A COTTON
EXCHANGE

The story of the origin and organization
of the Texas Farm Bureau Cotton Associa-
ton reads like myth. In the fall of 1915
the idea was looked upon as a beautiful
theory but impractical in its execution
But at that memorable meeting in Mont
gomery, the idea made sufficient impress
sion in the minds of few of the great
leaders of agricultural thought in the
Southern States, that they were not will
ing to give up the thought of the benefits
which the operation OF such plan might
bring to the farmers of the South Hence
such men as Carl Williams of Oklahoma,
DR.. Poe and DR.. Kilgore OF North Caro-
Ina, and Oscar Bledsoe of Mississippi,
along with few others of similar type,
continued the study of the Sapiro plan.
1t was Oklahoma which put the plan to
the test of overcoming the objections
which were raised on every hand to its
;mpracticabiity, and it is now matter of
historic interest to know that all of the
objections that we're raised by both the
friends and the enemies of the plan, have
been overcone;~ that the farmers would
sign the contracts, and that the plan was
not only not impracticablc, but the very
features of the plan which appeared to the
lay mind as impracticab!e, we're the strong
features that meant the assured success OF
me organization when put into operation.
Since the Oklahoma farmers demonstrated
that they would sign the contracts no
Tine was lost by the Texas Farm Bureau
Federation in bringing the plan to Texas.
Mr.. Sapiro made his first address in the ;
State at Dallas at the Fair grounds during
the Fair of 1920. He made such favor |
able impression on all who were present
IT that meeting that out of it came the i
demand for the organization of a cotton |
marketing association under the auspices |!
Of the Texas Farm Bureau Federation. |
accordingly, the president appointed an
organization committee of twenty-one Of |
The leading cotton growers, educators,
economists, bankers and business men, |
and a careful study was made of co-opera- |
tive marketing in general, and cotton
marketing in particular. Scores of letters !
were written to bankers, chambers of COM
mcrce and growers in California, and the !
Northwest, and without exception the !
highest endorsement vas given cooperative
marketing as practieed in 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 the |
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 !
stories OF the Success OF the prune growers, +
raisin growers, citrus growers, egg pro- |
ducers, walnut growers, alfalfa growers, |
etc, was such as to FIRE the enthusiasm of |
the most conservative OF our organization |
committee and staff.
The plan that forms the basis of the /
Texas Farm Bureau Cotton Association |
incorporates the accumulated experience
and successful operation of cooperative |
marketing associations throughout the !
world during the past fifty years, and it |
is interesting to note that up until 1913 !
there was more or less experimenting in |
forms of marketing associations, but since |
that time 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 135 counties, and |
the 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.
operation of the County Farm Bureaus,
County Agents, the press, and the bankers |
and business men OF this State, a task of |
such tremendousness could not have been
accomplished But as the farmers them
selves were brought to realize the oppor- I
tunity for having a voice in the marketing |
of the product of their years toll, SO it was
also that the bankers and business men
were not slow to realize the benefits which
would come to them through the increased
buying power of the members OF the
OrCa MIA %iOp