Kilgore and Laughinghouse Try to Convince Farmers of Benefits of Cotton Warehouses, 1922

From the Rockingham Post-Dispatch, Richmond County, September 7, 1922

Dr. B.W. Kilgore addressed about 125 farmers and business men in the courthouse on Saturday afternoon, Sept. 2^nd, on Cooperative Cotton Marketing. Dr. Kilgore briefly reviewed the principles of the Association and related the successes attending its operations in Europe, California and in four cotton states last year, stating that Arizona, Oklahoma, Texas and Mississippi realize (over outside sales) a nice profit last year for cotton sold through the cooperative associations in these states. Eight cotton states have organized and have federated to sell 3 million bales of cotton this season. These eight states produce 80 per cent of the cotton in the world, said Dr. Kilgore.

At places where the association has warehouses the association began to receive cotton Sept. 1^st. Thus far warehouses have been offered the association in this county at Ellerbe, Rockingham, Hoffman and Mt. Gilead. These warehouses will be ready to receive cotton as soon as approval of the association can be made.

The audience was informed that financing the association was the smallest job in it. The local banks of the State so far as consulted agreeing to cooperate. The Wachovia Bank & Trust Co. of Winston-Salem agreeing to furnish $100,000, this being the largest sum thus far pledges by any one bank.

Dr. Kilgore states that the hardest job in the association was to get the farmers to go into it. He remarked that he now feels somewhat as the parents of the 12^th child in the family: “I wouldn’t take anything for the individuals of the family, but wouldn’t go through it all again for any consideration.”

At the close of the address by Dr. Kilgore, the writer introduced Mr. W.M. Laughinghouse, Field Agent for the Association in this territory. Mr. Laughinghouse stated that he was here to help organize the community associations among the members and to sign up additional members by their assistance, and in every way possible assist the membership in the smoothest possible local functioning of the association. He told the audience that cotton would be received in this county just as soon as local arrangements can be consummated for the handling, and that all members will be promptly notified of such readiness to accept cotton.

The writer insisted that the profits at the sales end of cotton production will make no man rich unless he makes a profit also at the producing end. As a means of accomplishing the latter, he urged soil building through diversification with hairy vetch and velvet beans as the best legumes for this section.

                                --W.H. Barton