Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1890-01-06
CASH ON THE SPOT.
The Central Idea of the Patrons
Of Husbandry.
RAPID GROWTH OF THE NEW ORDER

Members Required to Pay Cash for Ev-
erything-No Debts Tolerated = How
They Deal with Merchants and Success
of the PIan-A Scheme That May Cir
cumvent the Managers of Corners-Ex-
tensive Programme of Political Action
A Potent Force IL 1t Works.
CHICAGO, Jan. 6.-The Herald Grand
Rapids, Mich, special has the following with
reference to the progress of the Patrons OF
Industry in that state.
The Patrons of Industry have captured
Michigan. The wealth producers of the state
have risen as if in night and laid CONTROL
ing hand on the commerce of a common
wealth. Farmers, mechanics, laborers, pro
fessional men-all classes save merchants
manufacturers and capitalists-have Joined
hands to dictate the selling price of product,
the buying price of merchandise. From a
beginning of three men two years ago the
order of Patrons of Industry has grown I'M
til to-day its ranks enroll 100000 men in
Michigan alone, with an average monthly
increase of membership amounting to an
even 200 The base of this formidable
structure is the farmer element, but so
shrewdly have they builded that their entire
wall seems cohesive, strong and enduring,
although their lodges have invaded the
towns and received into membership thou
sands of men who make a living by the
marketing of their labor.
Must Not Contract Debt.
They abolish credit. No patron-or no p.
l., as they are Familiarity called-may con-
tract one single dollars worth of debt out
side the order. He cannot go in debt at the
mill or the market. His name can adorn the
ledger of no merchant. He must pay
promptly his employees and pay them in cash.
He can owe no man. Each member has run
the gauntlet of a careful inspection II his
credit he good, that is in his favor "But
credit is only good when you don't use it,"
say the fathers of this new philosophy The
mans actual wealth above all liabilities is
carefully computed, and that excess is in his
favor. But if he be no more than a laborer,
owning his boots and nothing further, he is
still eligible if he have a reputation for in
dustry, honesty, and sobriety.
No Weekly Subsistence Bills.
The mechanic who wishes to become a
member OF the patrons, and who has hereto
fore "run a bill" each week, to be settled pay
penditure in advance, and pay only cash for
his necessaries Hes always a week behind
and some day he will die, and then the man
who trusted him is robbed or, if he lives, he
is always slave" Thus reasons the rustic
Pm. DIS. 1t sometimes occurs that man
IN the order simply has TO raise sum OF
ready money 1t he have property, and
can raise il on mortgage furnishing ample
security, the thing can be arranged. If he
be a sufficiently valuable man the brethren
may rally to help him out, even though he
can give them no assurance beyond personal
honor that he will repay the debt; but in
large majority Of cases-in fact, almost in
variably-insolvency is the objectionable sin
Contracts With Merchants.
In nearly every town in the southern penin-
sula, whether the remote hamlet having two
stores or the busting county seat with hun
dreds, the Patrons of Industry have selected
their merchant and with him have made a
contract TO furnish goods at 10 per cent ad-
vance on the cost price. In some few local
tiles they are reported not to have succeeded
quite so well as this, in which case they make
the best contract they can, but refuse to
guarantee any stated amount of patronage,
and the members who choose may go to a
larger town where the 10 per cent contract
obtains. Here they mass ali their trade on
the one merchant who has struck bargain
with their contracting committee, buy of
him every article that is bought at all pay
him spot cash and walk out as independent
as a line of kings
How 1t Worked in Kalamazoo.
In Kalamazoo the merchants who suffered
by this application of the cash principle in
business undertook to swamp the rival
tph no tha no
down their goods lower than his own. But
that couldn't last In consideration OF his
selling TO them at the 10 per cent advance
this man had received the guarantee of a
certain volume of trade With the certain
ty that every dime of it was as good as cash.
since it was cash, and with the belief that
be could live on the profit obtained there.
from, he lot his rivals writhe They might
coquetts with custom as much as they liked
The patrons stood by their contract whether
they liked il or not
Helping the Farmer Hold His Crop
But there is more i'll the NOV ement OF the
Patrons of Industry than the simple pur-
chase of their goods at reduced price As
they advance IL age and number they will
gather greater financial strength The
lodge treasures will be munitions of war for
the members The man who has produce to
sell for which no adequate price is offered
need not be compelled to market it until
such time as he can market it at profit
To the extent of his garnered crop he will be
entitled to such advance in cash from the
treasury heaped by mutual labors as will
tide him over the dark days ana bring him
to a season when prices have felt the effect
of a limited supply and will rise to a legiti-
mate figure.
The Political Feature.
"Every law that sets the rich man above
the poor man must be wiped out" saws
leading organizer at Grand Rapids. Every
statute which makes capital a master and
labor slave must be expurgated Every
decision bought and sustained in defiance of
justice and right must be reversed | shall
live TO see the day when there will be an alb
solute unlimited free coinage of gold aud
silver; To See the last national bank go
out OF existence, and the last govern
ment bond bought and destroyed
shall live 10 see a national currency as good
as the nation is strong and honorable, TO-
gether with gold and silver certificates and
gold and silver coin the only money in this
land, and to see the time when no man can
get corner on any metal to reap fortune
out of prostituted legislation. We need more
money The volume can be doubled without
in any way depressing the value or pur
chasing power of the dollar"
ErA Ip.s. lot.