The Mt. Sterling advocate. (Mt. Sterling, Ky.) 1890-current, 1922-02-28
FAIR TREATMENT OF ALL
TOBACCO GROWERS URGED

Growers Cooperative Association
last year made serious mistake,
nothing should be done by members
Of the Association to hurt their
feelings or cause them 10 think i'll
of the Association OF its members,
Col. Joseph Passonneau, chief of the
field service division Of the Assoc
citation, gave out a statement in
which he said the men who stayed
out suffered the disadvantage of
low prices and probably would con-
tinue to do so and urged members
to endeavor to sign up every grower
who so far has not come into the or
ganization.
Col. Passonneau asserts that any
other than a considerate attitude to-
ward the non-association growers,
with full liberation and respect for
the rights of others, evil do more
to embarrass the Association than
anything else which could be done"
Col. Passonneau says that if ev-
cry member understands the princi-
pie that all are entitled to fair and
Just treatment and follows that
principle the Association practically
will be 100 per cent. strong by next
fall.
Col. Passonneau's statement fol-
lows:
''Now that Burley Tobacco Grow
ers Cooperative Association has
reached a position of Commercial
success, and is so much stronger in
every way than had been anticipa-
ted it would be at such an early
time, there is no reason why the as
sociation cannot be made practi-
cally 100 per cent strong.
approximately IS per cent of the
growers of hurley tobacco have
Joined the Association. These men
Joined because they believed that
the cooperative selling of Burley
Tobacco would be to their own ben
eft, and consequently would benefit
every branch of business IN the Bur
ley district. The Is per cent. that
stayed out in most instances, prob
ably believed that it would pay
them better and be of more benefit
to the whole business of the State
if the tobacco association was not
formed. Some believed conscien-
tiously that manufacturers would
not buy from the association, 9TH
ers doubted the possibility of sue
cessfully managing an organization
as large as the Burley Cooperative.
But the manufacturers are buying
our tobacco and paying us very
good price for it. Efficient and
economical management has been in
stituted, consequently, there can
be offered no good objeltion to As
sociation in future. We want to
make it unanimous.
''But to make it unanimous, the
policies of the association and its
membership must both be consistent
and generous. We believe that the
men who failed to sign last year
made a serious mistake. That
be their only penalty. We believe
that the men who failed to join this
year will again be seriously in err
ror. In this instance, also, the dis
advantage which will come to them
through their neglest to join with
their neighbors in making a better
and more prosperous Kentucky,
should be the only disadvantage
which they will receive, and it will
be sufficient.
81 am therefore urging all of the
members of the Organization to use
every decent means of persuading
non members to sign a contract with
the Organization for the next five
years. But if they do not sign, we
must be generous with them. We
are certain that we are right and
that they are wrong, but their own
opinion is theirs, and if they prefer
staying out this year, we should
have sympathy for them, and treat
them generously.
"Thst is the only way the Associ-
alton can succeed. Any other atti-
tude on the part of the members will
do more to embarrass the Associa-
ton than anything else which could
be done.
"Our Association is so strong, ev-
en- this year, that its membership
will be better off financially than
will be those growers who prefer to
sell Independently. For that reason,
we should have no malice toward
them. With IS per cent. in, the 10
per cent. on the outside cannot