The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1889-07-25
A Fishy Picture Of ! Fishy Transac.
action.

A company was formed to start a
Ash pond for q mutual profit. They
fitted up a large pond or lake Of suf-
ficient size to raise fish enough for all
concerned. They elected one man to
take charge Of the Matching and feed
ing Of the fish. The company furn-
ished the food, paid all expenses and
their agent had full control Of the
Matching and feeding and dealing out
of the fish to the company for their
use and consumption. The company
passed laws controlling his manage
ment Of the business. He was sworn
to look after the interests of the CON-
pany in the best possible manner and
to give his whole time to the business.
To allow no fish to be destroyed or dis
tributed among the members Of the
company only to the regular appoint
ed agents of the company elected for
that purpose. A few Of the company
soon began movement to get all the
profits. These few being wealthy they
started private ponds Of their own;
got the company to pass law that
those who furnished fish to stock the
company's pond should get a bond to
the full amount Of the fish furnished,
this bond to bear six per cent interest
which they could deposit with the
agent and get 90 per cent Of the
amount they first deposited by pay
ing one-half of per cent on the 90
per cent. They put these fish into
their private pond which left the com.
pany pond still short of fish to supply
the demand of the company for con
sumption, and they were obliged to
buy their own fish which the agent
had put into the private ponds owned
by members Of the company who got
the fish at J cent per pound, and
charged the other members Of the com :.
pany 10 cts per pound. While the
company agent refused to let the men,
beers of the company have only about
one-half enough fish to supply their
wants which compels the members
who were unable to own private
pond to pay 10 cents for fish. Still
this ageut is not satisfied. He puts
sixty million pounds OF fish into the
private ponds for nothing and let's no
fish go out of the company pond un-
less it weighs five or ten pounds.
This keeps the poor members Of the
company from getting q four pound
fish for his table, il he can't get a ten
pound fish he can starve. The COM
pAny became dissatisfied. The honest
members and the poor ones concluded
to elect new agent and change the
system. The owners of the private
ponds became alarmed and they di-
vided into two parties, each band to
protect the private pond system. One
party says'the cent per pound is
what makes fish high, the other says
they are in favor of raising and sell
ing small fish in the interest Of the
poor. The dissatisfied Immediately
take sides on the question and are
hopelessly divided. Each party Of
the private pond owners put up q
candidate both pledged to the private
pond interest, while seemingly bitter
enemies. The honest fellow Is left.
The business continues, the dupes
pay the 10 cents for a cents worth
of fish or starve, the legitimate result
of their stupidity and the cupid ity Of
the rich.
This is rude pen picture Of what
actually transpiree in this country
year after year, only substitute ma
tional bank notes for fish and the
United States treasury for the pond
and YOU have it. 1t is not necessary
to ask whether the interest Of the rich
or the poor reap the profit.-National
Free Press.