2 BULLETIN 1392,,U0. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
TABLE 1.—State-wide and regional cooperative cotton-marketing associations, 
dates of incorporation, and number of members—Continued 
Date of incorporation Membership 
Association Headquarters When =a 
1921 1922 1923 1924 | organ- spl 
ized 
| Number Number 
Arkansas Cotton Grow- | Little Rock, Ark__|__________ Biebi: 25 tees =e ose ee 5, 500 | 14, 569 
ers’ Cooperative Asso- 
ciation. 
South Carolina Cotton | Columbia, 8. C__-|._...____- JUNCRIG ho ae ole ee 9,981 | 14,912 
Growers’ Cooperative 
Association. 
Georgia Cotton Growers’ | Atlanta, Ga_______]__________ DUNO. 2 | aye a 12,500 | 43, 198 
Cooperative Associa- 
tion. 
Alabama Farm Bureau | Montgomery, Ala_|__________ JULY goal a os | ae 11,380 | 25, 148 
Cotton Association. | 
Louisiana Farm Bureau | Shreveport, La____|__________|_--_-_-_-_- Heb, 24) |p ae es 5, 230 6, 253 
Cotton Growers’ Coop- 
erative Association. 
Mississippi Farm Bureau | Jackson, Miss_____|_--_____-_|_--------- | Moar.20) (-=5.< 22.2 11, 773 | 21, 224 
Cotton Association. | 
Tennessee Cotton Grow- | Memphis, Tenn___|__________ |S JUNG Asem oe 6, 000 8, 785 
ers’ Association. | 
Missouri Cotton Grow- | New Madrid, Mo_|___--__.__|_--_--___- er spars La js Se ae 470 796 
ers’ Cooperative Asso- | 
ciation. | 
filimois: Cotton Growers’-| Mound City, [lee Spies Fen se es Oct. 8 21 21 
Cooperative Associa- | 
tion. | 
otal. eo [aah te bs SS yO IED Rea ai te es os ord | A abe ee pies 284, 867 
BACKGROUND OF THE MOVEMENT 
EARLY ORGANIZATION ACTIVITIES 
The first serious effort by producers to develop cooperative market- 
ing of cotton on a large scale occurred soon after the Civil War. 
Before the war there existed a g neral dissatisfaction with the cot- 
ton-marketing system, a dissatisfaction that was greatly intensified 
during the period of depression and reconstruction that followed. 
There developed in this reconstruction period a widespread interest 
in farmer organization, comparable in its appeal and enthusiasm only 
to the contemporary cooperative movement which had its beginning 
in the period of depression following the World War. 
The Grange, or Patrons of Husbandry, which was organized in 
1867 primarily as a social and fraternal organization, soon developed 
an ambitious marketing program. During the period of its spec- 
tacular growth in the early seventies, plans for the collective selling 
of cotton were put into effect by the granges of Alabama, Georgia, 
Mississippi, and Louisiana. Established firms were appointed as 
bonded sales agents to handle cotton on a commission basis. In addi- 
tion to agents in domestic markets, the Mississippi grange had a 
representative in Liverpool. The period of actual marketing under 
this plan was brief. Following 1875 a rapid decline occurred in 
grange membership and the agency system was discontinued. 
Between 1885 and 1905 a number of organizations were developed 
for the purpose of bringing about improved conditions in the South 
through concerted action on the part of cotton growers. The South- 
ern Cotton Association, during its active years, was representative, 
inasmuch as its campaigns were directed toward increasing prices by 
decreasing production, holding the crop, or both. During this period, 
and to a large extent in the preceding and subsequent periods, the 
