The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1937-02-22
CO-OPS To END
SHARE LABOR
URCEDBY EDDY
Reports Successful Expert
ment in Mississippi to
End Sharecropping
Bv HENRY WOOD
United Press Staff Correspondent

SAN FRANCISCO. Feb. 2l.-
Producers and consumers coopera-
liveS constitute the SureSt eco
nomic salvation for poorer farm
, crs and sharc-cropperS through
out the United States, believes
Sherwood Eddy. writer and or
ganizer of farm cooperative ex-
pertinent in Mississippi.
He based his belief upon the
successful 2l3S acre farm in
Bolivar county. Miss. where
evicted farmers and SharecropperS,
negro and white. are on a solvent
and profit making basis.
Eddy, formerly secretary of the
Y.M.C.A. in Asia. was .rawn into
the fight to aid evicted farmers
and sharecroppers OF the south al
most by accident. With a group
OF prominent men from Memphis
Eddy started in March, 1886, to
investigate score of white FAM
lies who had been eyieted from
farms in Arkansas.
The first investigation led TO the
discovery Of 10 negro families
huddled in 10 little tents by 4
roadside.
THEE STATES Surveyed
That led Eddy TO start search
over three states for a suitable
place for a producers and consum-
ers cooperative for evieted farm
erS.
ave finally found the ideal spot
in Bolivar county, Miss, which
raises more cotton than any other
county in the world" Eddy said.
1--WE purchased this land with
buildings, machinery ar dproperty
on faith-and a shoestrinS. with
Sam Franklin as director, we or
gained 4 producers and eonsum-
ers cooperative and soon had 80
evicted families on the land"
Eddy declared that at the end
Of the first year of experiment,
the trustees now hold q $4,000
Farm free from debt. It is oceu-
pied only by the first original 80
families.
: "The first year naturally was
the hardest" Eddy said. I'VE got
a late start on March &c and faced
one of the worst drouths in many
years which burned up corn and
Vegetables and wilted some Of the
cotton. yet memoirs of the CO.
operative made l52 bales of cot
ton just the same.
OWN LUMBER SAWED
During the first year we pur-
chased steam sawmill and sold
$4,000 worth of lumber and put
$1,000 worth more from the CO.
operatives own forest into new
houses and buildings built by its
members, including a fine COM
munity center and an auditorium
seating several hundred persons,
with educational and rccreational
facilities of which they are justly |
proud.
"The eo-operators have made |
an excellent beginning in a hog |
and poultry raising farm and are
now adding a dairy herd to utilize
the pasturage that exists.
"The consumers cooperative |
store has made a modest begin
ming, selling to the entire country !
side at current prices and has de-
ciared dividends of Q per cent for
the first year"
Eddy declared that the workers |
have shown initiative and enthu- !
sissn in u situation in which they |
believe they have economic secur-
ity and will enjoy the fruits of |
their own labor. He praised their !
initiative and will TO work.
They are enthusiastic members |
Of the Southern Tenant Farmers
Union and already two training |
conferences have been held TO |
create a better educated leader
ship, he said.
Just as in European countries
where il has been found necessary
-