198 HUMAN FACTORS IN COTTON CULTURE 



short-staple associations whose cotton is of lower value 

 have developed a differential of from $5 to $10 a bale." 42 

 The Cotton Cooperatives are the attempts of the grow- 

 ers to break through the cotton system. Like many social 

 changes, the organization of cooperatives grew out of a 

 crisis the fall in the price of cotton after the war. The 

 first to be organized was the Oklahoma Association in 

 April, 1921. The movement grew until in 1925 there were 

 fifteen Cotton Cooperatives in thirteen states with a total 

 membership of 284,867. They have formed a federation 

 in an overhead body, the American Cotton Growers' Ex- 

 change, which coordinates the activities of the various 

 associations. Within four years from the founding of the 

 organizations they had handled 3,140,928 bales of cot- 

 ton. 43 Conflict with the established cotton system has 

 been evident throughout their history. Men who have 

 signed up their cotton have not been able to deliver it to 

 the Cooperatives because of credit arrangements and 

 crop liens. Many more have been kept from joining by 

 this factor. The tenant has no option ; his fate is in his 

 landlord's hands. If the landlord joins the Cooperative, 

 the tenant, in debt to the supply merchant, cannot wait 

 for any part of the payment for his share of the crop. 

 In addition to the individualism of the farmer, the Co- 

 operatives have had to fight the covert, and often open 

 attacks of the vested interests in the cotton trade. Supply 

 merchants and cotton buyers have been hostile toward 

 these efforts, on which depends the future of the cotton 

 system in the South. 



42 Statement before National Agricultural Conference. Press Re- 

 lease. 



43 George O. Gattin, Cooperative Marketing of Cotton, Dept. of 

 Agriculture Bulletin 1392, pp. 1-2, 17, 25. 



