THE DANBURY REPORTER
WEDNESDAY. JUNE 7. 1922.
FEWER BROS., Editors and Publishers.
|
Subscription : 2 mo. 2->c.; mo. 75c. ; one year S1
KliteroU M» »ei WMIMIHW tuatt.r aj tin- JS. UIMIM Ui»... t«i «v grw
mDili *.
SOME PRACTICAL, PROBLEMS CONFRONT
ING CO-OPERATIVE MARKETING.
The proportion of the 1»22-.:-4-5-> crops of tobacco that has
been pledged to the co-operative marketing association is esti
mated variously at this time from -■"> to {Hi per cent. Ihe lii>t
is unquestionably too low, the last undoubtedly too hii»h. Based
on the best information the Reporter is able to obtain, we would
place the sign-up conservatively at to per cent. I his means
that nearly half the current of our great money stream is turned
in its course, and that important changes are taking place irt our
credit and collection systems—changes which vitally affect busi
ness in all iines. merchandising, banking, supply sources, etc..
and which have a direct or indirect hearing on every person in
uur county. Business men are. therefore, justified in inquiring
into and speculating and surmising on the possibilities attending
such a revolution in our commercial system.
Some of the more or less responsible speakers and organizer*
for co-operative marketing have set torth in a general way the
plans and purposes of the association with regard to handling
the next crop of tobacco—which will begin move in ninety
days, or rather lhat '.not of it which they now control, but we
ha\e been waiting lor an intelligent partieularization. or a plain
concrete illustration of i'.M how. really, the thine i* to be dene.
Some of the agitators ior 10-uperativc marketing have stated
that, in view of the tact that no storage and re-drying and ware
house facilities have as yet been secured in the territory em
bracing the Stokes crop, that these facilities would be provided
at some local point, in time for handling the !!•-- crop, the lucky
place to be determined by the one that secured most signer* tor
co-operative marketing. This pronouncement hardly appeals to
practical business men who feel that granted the association had
in h:intl the financial essentials for such an industrial coi:p as
this implied, that {Mi or 120 days are too short a time iin'.ii in
• hich to erect facilities for displaying, re-drying and storing ">
or '■ million pound's of tobacco. The I . S. shipbuilding corpora
te:! t".i if eg Island might talk about such an accomplishment, ha*
it wou'.ri require finely trained or-atii/a'. .an an;! carte-alanche
.heck l ooks. S.i f:« r a- the next ir«p i* contv mod. we can dis
mi*s the holding idea as being mtirob vi-ionary. impractical
and impossible.
THEN WHAT NEXT?
Granting that the association had clt ir ti'.le to the crops signed
up. and that there were no mortgage* on record against them,
or if mortgaged it had ample funds to pay off the indebtedness,
what is ihe lir-t *tep to sell. Erom September lon the crop must
move. !t cannot l.c kept in the curing barns. Thin if the asso
ciation is not prepared to receive it with holding facilities of its
c'wr. it reasonably follows that the association means to sell it
lo the big buyers for delivery at the convenience of the farmers,
and it seem* to the Reporter that fhe plan might be feasible
:na practicable, provided satisfactory terms may he arranged be
tween the seller and buyer, and provided ample warehouse or as
sembling space may be secured at some large handling place like
'Vinston-Salem. in order that the tobacco may lie graded and
prked before delivery to the buyer.
FOR INSTANCE.
About July or August a committee representing the sign-up
pays a vi*it to the R. J. oflices and a conversation in substance
like this ensues :
"Good morning. Mr. Reynolds. We control ."> million pounds of
Slok»s county leaf, and can deliver to you here. say. l.lii.OOd
pounds a day. We wan) so much for tirade A. *o much for Grade
B. Grade ('. etc. Here are samples. We guarantee the quality
to be as per sample."
The trade is closed. John Smith on his farm in Stokes, being
signed up. is notified to deliver his crop as fast as possible to Rey
nolds. where it is properly graded and priced by experts repre
senting Reynolds and the association, respectively, and John
Smith goes back home after each load delivered with a check in
his pocket for the whole amount of the load, not being asked to
accept any advancement, but gets all his money at once, in the
same manner as when sold under the old warehouse plan.
This arrangement is ideal. It would he practicable and husi
ness-like. and the association would evade the investment in
costly buildings and fixtures and equipment and highly trained
and highly paid experts essential in holding operations. The far
mer would know beforehand what he was to receive for his crop
and he would be assured uniform price for all his grades.
But here is where the contingencies might arise under the head
of the aforementioned "satisfactory terms" between seller and
buyer.
ORGANIZATION IS TWO-EDGED.
Suppose when the committee walked into the Reynolds oflices
a colloquy like this happened :
"Good morning. Mr. Reynolds. We dropped in to sell you 5 mil
lion pounds of tobacco."
Reynolds : "Well, how much do you want for it ?"
Committee : "Sixty cents around."
THE DANBURY REPORTER
' Reynolds : "But 1 can't afford to give so much. The best '
price 1 can offer you is .'SO around."
Committee : "Sorry, but nothing doing. Good morning. - '
NEXT SCENE.
(Imperial Headquarters.)
"Good morning. Mr. Dixon. Glad to see you looking so well.
We came over to sell you 5 million pounds of tobacco, etc., etc."
Dixon : "Weil, what's your price ?"
Committee : "We want tfO cents average."
Dixon : "Hut I can't afford it at that price. Can't you tako
thirty ?"
Committtee : "No. 60 cents is the bottom."
Dixon : "Sorry, but nothing doing. Good morning."
Next Mop A. T. Co.. same •!'» and :?0. Export—tiO and .'lO. and
so on 'till all the buyers able to buy are visited. The next step of
the committee is doubtful.
It is just Mich red-headed propositions and problems as thi*
which one can't help running up against in the business world.
There is probably not a m;m or woman in the tobacco belt—
unless it lie some person whoso living comes directly from ware
house interests —who does rot heartily sympathize with the el'-
forts, intentions and meaning of the farmers who are trying to
put co-operative marketing in effect. Its success means more
profit and better living for the farming class, and that means
more profit and better living for all those who are dependent on
the success of the farmers. The Reporter is in hearty sympathy
with co-operative marketing, and would he glad to see it succeed.
It is needed. Tobacco is bringing too low an average to make it
profitable, and there is something wrong somewhere—some rnal
a.jusfment in the machinery somewhere that allows the manufac
turer to obtain our raw product at .10 cents ;» pound and then sell
it back to ii- niac'e into cigarettes at or ! dollars a pound. The
people are % it.il!> interested in these questions, and the column*
t>i" thi- paper are uladly offered to any person able to give u
light.
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LUXURY AND
NECESSITY, AND THE DISTINCTION BE
TWEEN EXPENSE AND INVESTMENT.
A uroat many of us need to take a summer course i*i common
sense economy, and to go to a niuht school where they teach the
principles of scientific book-keeping.
There we could learn the real difference between luxury an 1
necessity, and the distinction between expense and investment.
I'or in.-tance in back-wood- and unpro-jrc—ive counties like
that in which v.e have the honor to live, for time immemorial
there has been a common idea that good roads, schools and tele
phones. and other public utilities, are luxuries which we cannot
afford, but which were intended for other peoples at a more or
less great distance from us. In other words vague, impossible
blessings meant for the elect. We sinners have been con
teat t!> subsist and die. while superior beings enjoyed the lux
uries. We are now beginning to glimpse the first faint rays of
a consciousness that our belief wits a superstition, that our policy
I >. !"• a a blundering mistake, and that it is a crime for a peo
ple wi a tii; blood of William the Conqueror in their veins tu
kt the world go rattling by without getting aboard.
The farmer in (he northern section of Stokes county today—or
any other section—who owns a valuable productive farm free of
incumbrance, and who lives in a county whose policy has been
"pay a? yo.i go. and when you can't pay don't go"—this substan
tial tax-sh> farmer who subsists in an atmosphere of hopeless
ness r.s far as the comforts of life are concerned, who is isolated
from railway, school or telephone, surrounded with roads that
are unnavigable except to the mule and ox—who sees his chil
dren grow up in Lnorartce and without the refining influences
of church and society, may congratulate himself on a freedom
from debt, but he must stop there. If thirty years ago he had
conveyed half of his acres in exchange for the things which he
has missed, and thereby achieved them, it is extremely doubtful
if he would regret the bargain today.
Many among us today are good, conservative, honest men. be
lieving in an age-old doctrine that debt is evil, and should be
shunned. This doctrine is false, damaging and fatal. Debt was
invented by the brains of the world, to lift humanity out of the
mire of poverty, and to strike the chains of slavery from civili
zation. Without it America would today be a German province.
North Carolina would be a howling wilderness, and Stokes county
p remain a laughing stock to her sister counties.
A TLOAX.
No. dear heart, the million-dollar-bond-issue is not a living,
i tangible thing. If i of such stuff as dreams are made. It is an
etherial creature, existing only in the imagination, the hopes, and
the desires of those who would like to see Stokes county. We
i have a splendid county with fine climate, cold water, beautiful
scenery and productive soils. Persons from Missouri will have to
i take our word for it. There are wide expanses of peopled terri
tory in any township north, east or west of Danhury that only an
airship could pass over but not light upon. It is a sin to make
these people pay taxes. They ought to be pensioned and deco
rated with the iron cross. A sack of fertilizer costs them
$2.00 freight from Walnut Cove. A doctor for their sick is a lux
ury not to be thought of except in the few dry weeks of summer
or fall. The honk-honk of the Ford is unheard, as there is no
| way for it to get in. And yet these people live, love, hate and die,
■ like you and I, but they don't smile or hope.
RECORD CROP
IN VIRGINIA
Farmers Don't Appear To Be I
Afraid Of Overproduction—
Crop !n South Carolina.
Danville, June 5. —The crop
conditions in this section of
Virginia are exceptionally good.
The wheat crop is one of the
largest seen in years and uni
formly rood, Harvesting will
begin in about two weeks.
The tobacco farmers have
practically completed their task
of planting out the crop.
This year there has been a suc
cession of good seasons, warm
rains propitious fur transplanting j
the tobacco shoots from the bods i
to the field.
Few tobacco men remember 1
when virtually the entire crop
was planted out before June and
it augurs an exceptionally early
harvest barring prolonged un- J
seasonable weather.
The crop of tobacco is a trem
endous one. This is accounted
for in some measure by the fact
that the tobacco growei3 believe
1 now that the co-operative sales
|
method has been perfected, the
i more tobacco they raise the more j
I money they will get. Last year'
tle cry was "shorter acreage
and better tobacco" but this
y?ar at least this teaching is
b. j ing forgotten and a record
I crop is in view.
i In South Carolina the crop is so
I advanced that "topping" will
I begin within a fortnight.
Interest in the fate of the new
j "pool" organization is still in
tense with proponents and ad
jvocatrs engaging in more or less
c instant arguments.
Everybody appears to have
airreed the new plan works in
| practice and there is now a period
of watchful now that it remains
jt) be seen how waiting for the
' crop to come in.
Notice Of Election.
It is ordered by the Board of
County Commissioners that an
election shall be held at German
tun on the 11th dav of July 11)22.
In case that such Special School
Tax is voted, that L. M. Mc-
Kinzie of Stokes county is ap
pointed Registrar and directed to
cause a complete registration of
all the qualified voters of said
district, that they may present
themselves for registration and
that J. T. Westmoreland of
Forsyth county and C.M. Hauser
of Stokes county are appointed
j.judges. That the registration of
! voters and notices of opening
land closing the same, and hold
ing of the election shall beheld
| under the laws governing the
j'ieneral Election and the Regis
trars and the Judges shall can
vass the vote cast, declare the
j result and certify the returns to
| this Hoard at such election.
Those in favor of the Special
I Tax shall vote a ticket on which
'shall be printed. For Special
Taxes, Those who oppose shall
vote a ticket on which shall be
printed, Against Special Taxes.
By order of the Board of Coun
•tv Commissioners of Stokes
county.
This June r>th, 19-2.
N. E. WALL,
Clerk of Board.
Farm For Sale.
I.li> at res, highly improved, level,
plenty 11 mi! nr. On thi- farm is .in v
room house, liiir feed ban., 1 toliano
burns, pack hou.-e, It bu'To sticks
and dues, liuht system- Kiulity acres
in cultivation, L'C acres in clover and
alfalfa. l,o;\aed in special school
■lis!rid, quarter nnie of school, :iiid
dumb, soil road, :{ 1-2 miles Walnut
Cove. This farm is to be sold at
once. Terms ar extremely liberal
antl possession can be hail early in
fall, it you want one of the best
farms in Stokes county at a low fig
ure, with terms that pler.se, write
BOX ft!,
tf WALNUT COVE, N. C.
Co-Operatives (Jet
Reidsville Warehouse
Reidsville. June 3.-The old
Piedmont warehouse and lot the
lot running througft from West
Market street to North Scales
street—has been purchased from
the Rockingham Storage and
Warehouse company for the Co
operative Marketing Association.
Architect W. C. Northup, of
Winston-Salem, has made an out
line sketch of the proposed new
building, which conforms to the
size and shape of the lot. His
tentative plans were highly
pleasing to the members of the
committee.
j The plan provides for a two
story building. the first lioor to
ibe divided into 5 store rooms
1 fronting on North Scales street
1 about 20xS0 feet each and a 20-
feet driveway. The driveway
! will be a 9 per cent grade leading
|up to the main warehouse floor.
The warehouse will be about
125x"250 feet, or approximately
"27,000 square feet of floor space
after deducting space for drive
way. The building will be of
! brick and the cr.st is roughly '
'estimated at between s3o,Oiiu and
I $0"), 000.
A canvassing committee to
| secure subscriptions to the stock
Jof the Reidsville Warehouse
iCompany was appointed. This
'committee will meet Monday
night. June and organise for
J a short soliciiing campaign the
next dav. It ought to be com
i ' ,
paratively easy to secure the
needed stock subscriptions in
'short order. The terms of pay
ment are per cent cash and 2."
per cent the first of each month
■ for the following three months,
i Shares art- of the par value of
:SSO each.
The warehouse will l»e leased
;to the Tri-State Tobacco  i row
ers' Co-operative Marketing As
sociation for a period of five years
iat (> per cent per annum on the
' c )st of the property, plus taxes,
| insurance, upkeep and other
i expenses. The stockholders are
i thus assured of a net income of (>
' per cent on their investment for
| the first five years.
Greensboro Warehouse
Gets Manager
John M. Calloway, director of
the Cuilford County Tobacco
I
!• rowers' Co-operative Market
j ing Association, announced la9t
'night R. 0. Cam hie, of Summer
i field, for many years a warehouse
; manager, has been secured to
manage the two Greensboro
warehouses for the Co-operative
Association. Mr. Gamble will
begin work in the field immedi
ately.
Mr. Gamble for the past four
years has been manager of Watt's
warehouse at Reidsville and is
well known to farmers of Rock
ingham county and other counties
as well. Prior to going to Reids
ville he had charge of a ware- .
hriuse in Creensboro.
Members of the association
stated last night they consider
themselves very fortunate in
securing for a manager a man
well versed in the business and
one who is well and favorably
known both to farmers and busi
ness men of this section of the
State.—Greensboro News.
Notiee To Holders Of
School Vouchers
Arrangements are being made to
take care of all outstanding school
vouchers and if they are mailed di
rect to Treasurer at Danbury, N. C.,
they will be taken care of.
H. D. TURPIN, Treas.