The National Co-Operator (Mineola, Tex.), Vol. 2, No. 35, Ed. 1 Wednesday, September 5, 1906 Page: 1 of 8
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VOL. 2.
M INEOLA,
TEXAS.
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER
190 0
No. 85
Scientific Marketing.
The above caption will be a ver-
itable scarecrow for a great many-
people, though the word signifi-
es fact, truth, the right way;
whatever is true and truth is
scentific. Science is demonstat-
ed theory. Theory is our reason-
ing; when we reason right we
are scientific. So don't let pre-
judices get the better of you
when you see the word in print, f
Ignorance hates knowledge asj
the devil hates holy water, j
Very few people are seeking;
truth; it is advantage most of us
are after. Reader, stop and
read over this last sentence,
think of it long and often. In
these days of greed and graft
each class has become a clan ar-
rayed against each other class.
Hence there is friction or war in
society and as war is hell, we
have hell on earth. Not the
orthodox fire and brimstone kind
but nev§|tiiele^. kind that
pollutes diseases' society,
4 'even unto death, hell and the
grave."
The co-operative market and
warehouse plan is scientific and
will cure. It does not alter the
case or the facts if you do not
believe this. The mills of the
Gods do not stop because of
your ignorance. You may suffer
on from generation to genera-
tion, chasing the deVii around
the ciscus ring, working with-
out chart or compass, rhyme or
reason, logic or science; the
blind leading the blind—the fool
chasing the knave, But before
you can reach the goal for which
you were organized you must
knock out the middleman, the
speculator in farm products;
stop the flow of millions of dol-
lars going as unearned increm-
ent into the pockets of drones;
exercise that God-given privilege
and constitutional right of doing
business for yourself. Concen-
trate by co-operation. Introduce
scientific methods and system,
especially in co-operative affairs.
Deal justly but in a business
way, with every man, in every
walk of life. Attend strictly
and adhere vigorously and alone
to the establishment of profit-
able and stable prices for farm
produce. Millions of dollars
have been spent, thousands of
volumes of books have been
written and distributed; colleges
have been founded, and are now
being maintained at the public
expense, hundreds of agricultur-
al experiment stations are mail-
ing out tons of literature and all
to teach the man who inhabits
the cabin by the wayside scien-
tific and intense systems of agri-
culture; how to make two blades
of grass grow where one grew
before, but scientific marketing
of farm produce appears yet to
be a myth, and the man who ad-
vocates it is dubbed an idealist
and a dreamer. Today the
minds of farmers are burdened;
the hope for a good yield is be-
coming more and more gloomy,
but mark you, the day of har-
vesting will soon be upon you,
and then will follow the old cry
of over production, and you like
sheep in the shamble being
driven to slaughter will dump, in
the foolish and indiscriminate
way, the products of your own,
your wives and your children's
and capital will join hands upon
one common groiifoi. of friend-
labor into the ever gaping and
greedy jaws of the twentieth
century gambler and speculator.
The hope of the farmer is in the
abolition of this old system of
selling the products of their
labor at auction upon the streets
of their local market. Where-
ever the market honse plan has
had a fair trial it has proven
successful. And when capital
can be convinced that co opera-
tion will increase rather than
diminish its gains, it will fall!
readily into line and do its duty.!
Self interest after all is the key
to the situation. This is a chord1
in human nature that is always1
responsive. And while inordin-!
ate greed is reprehensible, a true
self interest is the parent of in-
dustry, economy and ever mater-
ial virtue. Therefore let us
guide our self interest into the
channel of co-operative and scien-
tific marketing, and the farmers
ship.—Shawnee, 0. T. Messen-
ger.
Excellent Work.
Editor Co-Opertor:
Belove Local Union was favor-
ed with a public address by Mr.
N. Guillory, Jr., the efficient gen-
eral organizer of the Fourth
District of Louisiana.
After the speaking applica-
ti jns for membership were call-
ed for and there were ten res-
ponses.
We now have 29 members in our
Union, and expect to initiate 7
more at our next meeting. Bro.
Guillory delivered an address to
a large audience in Conlee Croche
on Tuesday 28th, and succeeded
in organizing a local there. He
also lectured in West Beluve Wed-
nesday 28th, and again was suc-
cessful in organizing a Union.
He will organize a Parish Union
in Arcadia Parish on Saturday,
September 1st, and has six ap-
pointments for next week.
Fraternally,
W. Lavergne.
Shuteston, La.
Need Mills and Factories.
Editor Co-Operator:
Enclosed find order for three
subscribers and my renewal to
the Co-Operator. We are in the
fruit country and between the
grain and cotton country. We
don't need warehouses here, but
need factories, flour mills and
cold storages owned and con-
trolled by Union men. After
we even up with the merchant
this fall we will have something
left and we don't raise cotton.
Our Union is growing and is tak-
ing an interest in truck and
fruit growing. If there is any-
one who wishes to know more of
this fruit and truck country if
he will write me I will give
him a sketch of the country.
Success to the Co Operator and
its many readers.
M. T. Hopper.
Alpena Pass, Ark.
They Like to Read It.
Editor Co Operator:
Inclosed you will find a list of
six yearly subscribers, and will
send more soon. Continue to
send the Co-Operator and send
me more copies to distribute.
We all like to read it.
W. W. Bolden.
Graceville, Fla.
The Marketing, of Our Cotton.
We don't suppose that any one
question is now receiving the
same attention at the hands of
our farmers, as is the price which
we are to receive for our staple,
this fall and coming season. The
marketing of our cotton is a tre-
mendous and complex problem
and will require our best thought
and concert of action, ere it re-1
ceives its best solution. It has (
become an established fact, that j
we—the producers—are going to
be the ones that fix the price,
but we must do so after ascer-
taining its intrinsic worth and
give the spinners and consumers
due consideration. The specu-
lator has received his due meas-
ure of abuse and cursing, no
more than he deser -jp; but what
we want is to eliminate him as
nearly as possible. The majori-
ty of our farmers belong to the
Cotton Association or to the Far-
mers' Union, and they wiir be
called upon to support these or-
ganizations in securing the mini-
mum price fixed by their leaders.
We trust the' will fix upon a
price that wi J ?, equitable and
just to all concerned. We com-
mend most ^heartily, the method
PresideniJDuckwortn has inau-
gurated, that of calling on all the
locals to send in their price so as
to ascertain-the opinion of all our
farmers. After this minimum
price is fixed, then will come the
method for getting it. The plan
of the Union and Cotton Associa-
tion of selling through their ware-
houses and agents in large lots
to exporters and mill men can
not be too highly commended. It
is getting down to the essentials
of good business methods. Many
will not join the club; and many
will differ as to any method or
detail of carrying out this great
work, but all Southern farmers
can and should agree and unite
in one thing—that of securing a
remunerative price for our cot-
ton. We can not commend too
highly the example of a farmer
we heard of recently of Douglass
county, Georgia; he carried a bale
of cotton to town and was told
the market was a little off, and
that he could get only 9.90. He
said, "Well, you can not get it
for less than 10 cents," and he
got in his wagon and carried it
back home. A few hundred
thousandjbales carried]back to the
country would have more effect
upon the market than double this
amount stored in a warehouse,
and money borrowed upon it.
When put in a warehouse, it is
codsidered "insight" and within
reach of their grasp, especially
if money is borrowed upon it.
There is but one method of se-
curing our minimum price, and
that is to stop selling the minute
the market drops below if There
is no doubt but that we can se-
cure ten cents and above for our
cotton. All trade has adjusted
itself to this level and we farm-
ers can not prosper and take any
less. We are rejoiced to see the
evidences of prosperity among
our farmers, and we must not
lose our grasp upon the factors
that have secured it for us. The
farmers, on account of their num-
bers and genuine good nature,
have always been considered the
natural prey for all politicians,
schemers and business men. It
now becomes us to rise to the
meas-ire of conducting our own
business, and we must do so in a
spiri of justice and wisdom.
While it is an undeniable axiom,
that if the farmers prosper, all
other classes prosper, yet it re-
mai? s for us to carry out the
methods that will insure our pros-
perity. The production is onej
half and the selling the other
half of our great problem ; neith-
er half i? sufficient without the
other, i acl now that we have
made our cotton crop, let us give
our very best efforts to the mar-
keting o it. Do not let us make
the .ist ae of overreaching our-
sel\" s ai with the 15-cent move-
ment; b when we have decided
upo i a J .ir and just price, let's
see" hat-ve get it. It is true we
mu t have some revolutions in
our marketing methods, but rev-
olutions are often necessary as
our world reaches out for higher
development. — Southern Cultiva-
tor.
Mira Local.
Editor Co-Opertor:
I am greatly impressed with
the idea of building Union ware-
houses to facilitate the holding
or handling of our cotton to the
best interest of the producer.
Our local has 52 members, and
with the co-operation of Line
Creek local, we are going to
build a warehouse. Now, I think
this is very necessary, but let us
not think of this to the exclusion
of everything else, as there are
other things to consider too, and
one I wish to mention which I
think is of great importance to
tne farmer. The warehouse will
cause us to realize a better price
for what we have to sell, but sell-
ing is not what hurts the most,
its buying. Iam not advocating
the co-operative store to assist us
in buying cheaper, but a plan to
save us buying so much, and this
plan is simple. Just diversify,
or in other words, produce in-
stead of buy. Brother did you
ever reason why the United
States is the most prosperous
nation in the world today, and the
farmer the hardest run? The
diversity of climate enables the
United States to produce almost
everything she needs at home,
besides having a surplus to sell.
On the other hand the farmer,
aside from cotton, produces prac-
tically nothing he needs at home
but has everything to buy. If
we produce what we need at
home and let the cotton be the
surplus to sell, then we, like the
nation, will be prosperous.
Yours for success,
L. O. Williams.
Mira, La.
Qood Work in Florida.
I organized Washington coun-
ty, Fla., the first work I ever did.
It was assigned to me by J. G.
Smith, State organizer of the
Farmers' Union in Florida. He
also left me part of two more
counties to finish organizing for
him, Jackson and Holmes coun-
ties. Since that time I was com-
missioned to work Geneva coun-
ty. I am putting forth every ef-
fort to push the good work on.
Fraternally,
J. L Anderson.
Bonifay, Fla.
A Very Sensible Letter.
Editor Co-Operator:
Will vou please allow me space
to tell Brother Castelle, of Olive
Branch, La,, the best plan that I
see for holding his cotton.
Turn to the Declaration of Pur
poses, Art. 8, and see what your
obligations are. We will assist
each other in buying and selling.
We have too many members in
the Union who think they ought
to buy and sell for the other fel-
low instead of assisting him. I
will say that the parish of Rapi-
des is not clear of such. Now,
Brother Castelle, don't you think
that if you can make 2 or '■) cents
per pound on your cotton by as- j
sistinga brother to hold his that!
this ought to be enough without
charging extra for the favor.:
The same rule should be applied i
to buving as well as selling. We
are not organized for the purpose
of buying and selling for tlieoth-
fellow, but for the sole purpose
of saving in the way of co-opera-
tion. Now, Brother Castelle,get
you union together, talk the mat
tor over, and if you can help B,
do so, and if C needs help, go to
your merchant and get him to as-
sist you in holding for the mini-
mum price to be tixed bvour Na-
tional Union. If.your merchant
has the good of the community
at heart, he will, no doubt, assist
you all he can, knowing thai, the
more your cotton brings, the bet-
ter it will be for him and you
too. Let us try to make the
farm more self-sustaining in the
future; and thereby cut off the
necessity of looking to the other
fellow for all our supplies. Now,
Brother Castelle, be of good
cheer, as the darkest hour is just
before day. Be patient, educate
and co-operate with each other
for the mutual benefit of all. I
have great hopes for the future,
as I can see the building of a
long chain of warehouses, or de-
positories all over this Nation of |
ours, in which we can store and j
exchange our surplus products'
with each other without the aid
of the speculator. In order to J
illustrate the benefit of said ware-!
houses, I'll say we will have one •
in Alexandria, or somewhere I
near the center of the State; let!
the wheat raiser have his grana-1
ry and mill so as to be able to
ship his flour direct to the con-
sumer; let the rice farmer have
his warehouse for the same pur-
pose; take your surplus products
to market, and in the absence of
legal tender, take warehouse re-
ceipts or checks to transact your
local affairs. Our foreign trade
can be conducted with but very
little money, as I can ship the
wheat and rice farmer a car load
of mv products; he can pay the
freight, unload the car, and then
load the same with his products ;
and ship back to settle for mine. I
Of course, this plan would knock
the money changers out of a job,
but, as they have been mighty
busy for the past 40 years, it is \
time they had a lav-off so they i
can go fishing. If some of the1
brethren don't stop howling so
much about the help of the na-
tional banker to help him do
what he can do himself, I'll be
tempted to say something that
ought not to be said in a prayer
meeting. No, brother farmer,
wherever you be, North, South
East or West, stick to the prin-
ciples of the Union until our ef-
forts are crowned with success.
Let us all help Uncle Johnnie
Bear up under the great load of
machinery that he wants to put
in operation.
Success to the Co-Operator and
brotherhood at large.
E. P. Bruce.
Bruce, La,
Will Try Our Nerve.
The time is close at hand to try
the manhood and backbone of the
farmers. We must stick to what
the National Union does. Some
have said that when the price is
tixed that the speculators will
raise the price. We must show
them that we will stick. The
thing we need is more Union
men with more courage and
stickability, with strong back-
bones to stand firm in this tight.
We pay all the expense of run-
ning the warehouse for the oth-
er fellow and besides pay him a
profit, then why can't we run one
of our own and get the profit our-
selves? We can do it. A gam-
bier in cotton said, "don't you
know if the farmers were to hold
all of their cotton for six months
that this whole Nation would be
in a bankrupt condition." T\iey
know the farm' rs are the bajjffif-
bone of the Nation. f
We have lots of thriving locals
in our parish' Our local at Rus-
ton is gradually growing strong-
er. We are now in the ware-
house business, which we expect
to complete soon. Our Parish
Union meets the last Thursday
in September with Duback local.
We are expecting Brother O.
P. I'yle and are c mtemplating a
good time there.
Crops in this country are about
one-third short. Judging from
the large stalk we should have
had a big crop. That is the way
they get such big reports.
The National Co-Operator is
the best paper I ever read, and I
wish that every farmer would
take it.
Much success to the Co-Opera-
tor and Farmers' Union.
Fraternally,
W. L Ponder.
Huston, La., Sept. 1906.
Resolution of Sympathy.
Hall of Star Union No. 112.
Whereas, It has pleased our
Heavenly Father to call from la-
bor unto rest our beloved broth-
er, V. A. Chenslier, who depart-
ed this life at his home near Mel-
ver, La., July 27, 1900, being 56
years, I months and 5 days old.
He consecrated his life to the
Lord 35 years ago and was a true
faithful, christian member of the
Baptist church. He was a good
citizen, a good, kind, loving hus-
band and father. We extend to
his bereaved wife and children,
brothers and sisters and other
relatives our heartfelt sympathy
in this their hour of sore affliction
and beg them to take consolation
in the fact that God has simply
called home his own. Resolved
that a cony of this resolution be
spread on our minutesand a copy
be sent to the National Co-Opep«
ator for publication.
Y. E. Langston,
J. W. LoOan,
Luther Monroe,
Committee.
Melder, La.
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Pyle, O. P. The National Co-Operator (Mineola, Tex.), Vol. 2, No. 35, Ed. 1 Wednesday, September 5, 1906, newspaper, September 5, 1906; Mineola, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth254314/m1/1/: accessed April 27, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Mineola Memorial Library.