Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1874-05-21

by What the Manufact-
urers are Doing-Their Battle with the
Oranges.
[From the Chicago Tribune.l
The Executive Committee of the Wis
consiu State Grange recently held a
meeting, at which it was ascertained
that the whole number of subordinate
oranges in the State is now $40, all but
100 Of which have been organized since
the LIST of March, 1878. These have an
average membership Of as each, making
19, 7S0 Changers in the State. Under
these, Al County Councils have been or
ganized to attend to the purchasing of
supplies for the different oranges, and
to manage the cooperative stores, fac
tories, and mills already begun. A law
has also been passed enabling them to
incorporate local fre-insurance compa-
MES, of which 90 are already doing
business. They usually include about
four civil townships within their as
signed territory, give the Office of Presi-
dent and Secretary to some of the local
town officers, and charge from l to 2
mills on the dollar, besides policy and
survey fee of S1.50, for carrying risks,
and as yet there has not been a failure
to meet liability. Several of them are
carrying from $500, 900 to $500, 900 each
in risks, and, while the insurance is
cheap, the satisfaction given is universal,
so far as reported to the State Execu-
tive Committee.
The farmers implements are bought
for cash at the cooperative factory or
through the county or State purchasing
agent the dairy products go to his cwn
cheese or butter factory the necessa-
ries of life cost him from 10 to Is per
cent. less than formerly; grange ele-
vator receives his wheat or corn, which
is shipped through his own agent, and
sold in Chicago by his own commi ssion
merchant, who sells at once and RENTS
the money, thus saving the profit of the
ubiquitous wheat-buyer at the railroad
station, and also the high rate of eleva-
tor tariff. Cooperation with hundred
of his neighbors has reduced his ex-
penses to the lowest point, and has Sc
cured for him the highest price for his
farm products.
"Reduced rates to Patrons has now
become a familiar display line in the
advertising columns of the newspapers
chiefly circulated among the farmers !;
while the " Grange store" is getting to
be feature common to nearly every
country village. Only few of these are
managed directly by the Patrons on the
cooperative plan, which is not regarded
with entire favor as applied to the re-
failing of groceries, dry goods, etc.
More frequently an arrangement is
made with the country merchant, who
sells to members of the grange at dis
count from to Is per cent. from his
regular prices. Still another, and
of purchasing direct from wholesale
dealers. Once month the Secretary
of the Grange makes up an order for
goods, which are shipped in bulk, in
their original packages, and are then
divided up and distributed among the
various families. In this way saving
of from 10 to 20 per cent. is effected,
according to the kind of goods. As the
cash is paid In advance, the wholesale
dealer ships the invoice direct to the
S. cretary of the Grange, who pays for
it before taking it from the cars. Not
only is the cost greatly reduced by thio
method, but the farmer is the gamer in
getting better quality than country
merchants are in the habit of keeping.
His sugar is all sugar, the tea is what it
purports to be, and the ground coffee
closely resembles the flavor of the orig
inal berry. A wholesale grocery house
in Chicago now numbers as regular
customers 1000 different oranges
throughout the West.
Cooperative manufacturing is not
likely to endure or increase poportion-
ately with the other forms of the plan,
for the reason that large outlay of
capital is required to begin with, and
then skilled labor, honest and capable
superintendence, and shrewd financial
management are vitality necessary in
order to make both ends meet. The
advantages resulting from the general
adoption Of the cash system and the
sharp competition for trade of this
class, will do for the Changers all and
more than they can do for themselves
In the matter Of cooperative manufact-
uring. The question of direct dealing
with manufacturers of agricultural i'm
plements, and the saving of the prof
of the agent or middleman, is not easy
of solution, asitcontemplates and neces
states the breaking-up of established
laws of trade, and, so far as can now b.
seen, does not furnish an acceptable,
substitute.
The manufacturer oe the reaper O.
pillow is asked to dispense with his loca
agent and sell direct to the farmer. 81,
regards the agent as an absolute neces
sity-not for any love he bears him, blu
because he cannot do without him. H.
has selected as agent an energetic, reli
able man of good financial standing an,
thorough knowledge of the machine
or implement. The agent buys hi
goods, out and out, of the manufacture
buys on time, of course, but give
paper which the manufacturer can ne
gotiate and use in his business. TIL
risk of ordering too heavily is assume,
by the agent, by whose estimate of tn
probable trade the manufactures mus
be governed in laying his plans for tn
seasons work. If machine gets on
of order, or goes wrong through tn
stupidity of the farmer. the agent mus