The Grange advance., 1874-03-25
they want for season Dix months in i'd

they want for season six months in ad-s
vance. a.l,. :. i ss<53 <53zs:z.4., q
{" 2. These advance orders are absolutely
essential, as without them they could make
no calculation on the demand, would not
know how much or how little stock to lay
IN, and how many plows, and cultivators to
make during the, winter for the spring
trade. '~.F' - 80
8. The orders are based on the entire
demand Of the country, and when they are
filed suficiency of plows and cultivators
has been made for the season.
4. To fill the orders of the agents. and
afterwards to sell to clubs and Oranges d.
rect from the factory would be to largely
increase the supply without any increase
in the demand. thereby compelling the
agents to keep on hand many plows which.
but for the direct sales from the factory.
they would have disposed of.
S. The impossibility of the purchasing
agent of Grange being able to order car
load lots from any single factory, on &C.
count Of his limited territory and the diver
sity OF choice among the members.
g. The fact that their own agents, who
receive their supplies by the car load,
could, and were authorized, to sell in GUAM
tity for cash at fully as low rate as the
farmer would have to pay it he ordered di-
rect from the factory and was charged the
higher freight rates of broken lots.
The manufacturers were on the eve Of
arranging for their immense supplies Of
iron, steel, wood, paint, grindstones, emery
and coal for their winters work, and the
necessity was thrust upon them of deciding
at once whether they would abandon their
old and we'll perfected system of doing busi-
ness, always certain and satisfactory in it's
results, and adopt in its place new sys-
TEN, which thoug simple and just on its
face their business experience told them
was wholly impracticable. They looked
with favor on the farmers movement and
were disposed to do what they could to aid
it, but they were not prepared to abandon
their old method of doing business and
either allow their factories to remain idle
during the winter or make their regular
supply and trust to luck for orders from
drangers to make them whole. Hence they
passed the offending resolution. This res
olution reads:
"Resolved, That we will sell no plows to
farmers clubs or Oranges except at retail
prices, but we recommend our agents in all
Localities to sell to parties, wishing to buy
largely, for cash, at rates as much reduced
as the expenses incidental to doing business
will permit
The resolution is short and abrupt, and
hardly does Justice to the kindly feeling
| which was behind it. The manufacturers
had been compelled, if they desired to do
business, to retain their agents, and in
retaining them had no right, even if it
would not lead to production, to sell
plows IN their territory direct from the
factory. They did the best they could,
which was to authorize their agents to sell
in quantity at as small margin as would
pay the freight charges and the trouble OF
handling. They knew that plows could be
obtained cheaper this way than any other,
and in making this concession thoug ght they
had done everything which could be reason
ably be expected Of them. They certainly
did not expect to have their motives mis-
represented nor desire to give offense to
the Patrons, and if the many Oranges
which have voted for non-intercourse had
laid less stress on the FIRST part Of the res
olutlon and more on the last part, the feel
ing which now exists would never have
| been created.
The resolution expresses simply the
policy OF the manufacturers for the seasons
ofl973-4, and expires by limitation next
October. The contipuance of the same
policy IS dependent on the Changers them
selves. If they can authorize responsible
parties to make timely contracts for the
usual yearly products of the shops, the
manufacturers will sell to them at their
lowest wholesale price for cash or on Gus.
tomary time for bankable paper If the
Changers are not prepared to do this we dc
not think that they should blame the man.
ufacturers for conducting their business ir
the only way which they regard as best
calculated to be beneficial alike to produce,
| and consumer. X
Here are twenty-one manufacturing es
tablishments, each producing from 5000 t,
5O,OOO plows annually, and furnishing EN-
ployment which feeds fifty thousand per
sons. A disarrangement of their busines.
would bring great loss upon the proprietor.
and distress upon those dependent upor
them. Had they not adopted the policy in
dicated in the resolution they would have
received no orders from their agents 70,
the summer Of 1874, and purchasing agents
OF the Oranges could have given them NJ
orders in December and January which
have warranted them making their usual
product. They were compelled by every
dictate of prudence and common sense K
stand by their agents, and no man of intel
iigence, understanding their situation, CAL
blame them for not abandoning one system
until another, equally satisfactory and GER
tain in it's results, is presented to them.
To abolish middlemen would be to revo
lutionize society and drive these men, who
are now consumers Of the products Of ou,
farms, into the role of producers, thereby
increasing the quantity Of grain and live
stock raised while the demand is lessened
It would be. to strike death blow at ali