Tabor City tribune. (Tabor City, N.C.) 1946-1991, 1952-07-09
TOBACCO GROWERS TO FACE
REFERENDUM ON JULY IS

INOl I'll cuO SOulll SolO1AAo law
double barrelled proposition when
they 60 to the polls Saturday
July 10.
On that date, flue-cured grow
ers from the Carolinas will cast
ballots either for or against con-
tinuance of a 10-cent-per-acre as
sessment to support Tobacco AS
sociates and tobacco marketing
quotas.
North and South Carolina de-
pend heavily on the success of the
flue-cured tobacco program. Two
vital phases of that program are
marketing quotas, which guar
antee stabilized market prices
through support program, and
the export promotional work car
ried on by Tobacco Associates.
Since 1884 growers have enjoy
ed the benefits of an acreage con-
troll program, and since 1899 they
have operated successfully under
marketing quotas with acreage
allotmerts. Repeatedly tobacco
growers have voted overwhelm-
ingly to continue this program,
which has meant so much not only
to growers but to the entire eco
nomy IF the two states.
Tobacco Associates was formed
in 1947 by growers and their ALI
ed interests to protect and develop
foreign n1arkets-upon which they
depend for the sale of some 40
per cent of their tobacco each year.
In July of that year, growers in
the two Carolinas overwhelmingly
approved the present l0-cent-per-
acre assessment for 1947-1949 and
again 1949, they approved the as
sessment for 1850, 1851, and 1852.
The extent of the work done by
this export-promoting organiza-
ton is evidenced by the increase
in exports since it's formation six
years ago.. Exports of United
States flue-cured tobacco have in
creased from $50 million pounds
in 1947 tc 400 million pounds in
1851 and are now about 80 per
cent above pre-War years. Thro-
ugh the work of the organization,
new markets have been developed
and others expanded until now
American tobacco growers are
no longer dependent upon any one
country for the sale OF their tobac-
co. Countries such as Germany,
the Netherlands, Ireland, Den
mark and the Philippines, are now
taking from two to ten times
more tobacco than before the
war.
The law authorizing marketing
quotas also provides for govern
ment loan to support tobacco
prices. II marketing quotas are
approved in the referendum,
loans will be made available on
the 1858 crop at prices equal to
80 per cent of the parity prices as
of July !, 1852.
Since Tobacco Associates is fin
anced solely by growers and their
allied interests and the marketing
quotas are administered by the
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Production
and Marketing Administration,
there will be two ballot boxes at
the polls Referendum Day. One
box will be for the marketing
quota vote, which will show
whether the growers want mark
citing quotas for another year, an
other three years, or not at all.
The other box will collect votes
on the 10-cent-per-acre self-as-
sessment for Tobacco Associates.
In beth referendums, a two
thirds majority of the growers
voting is needed to approve quotas
and the assessment.
J. Henry Vaughan Of Elm City,
chairman of Tobacco Associates
board Of directors explained that
grower sis any person who has
an interest as owner. tenant, or
sharecropper in the 1852 crop OF
flue-cured tobacco" However,
Vaughan stressed, mo producer Is
entitled to more than one vote
! even though he may have been
engag ed il production Of tobacco
in two or more communities,
counties, or states"