The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1891-11-18
Reform Press People DenOunce II ss Simplya
Gigantic Trust Scheme Controlled En-
tireIy by Manufacturers.
Editors Organizing an Opposition Busi-
ness Concern to Fight Ii.
Some Spicy Correspondents Produced OF 6
Little Meeting-Action of the Association
Of Business Agents


The Fight by the Reform Editors Against the
National Union Company Growing Warm.
About the most troublesome thing that
the Alliance will have 20 deal with is n
question of business The connection of the
National Union Company with the State
business agents has already been mentioned
somewhat extensively in these columns.
At the meeting of the State business
agents yesterday morning q resolution
was reported on by q committee of seven
appointed the day before. This resolution
was an Endorsement of the National Union
Company. The committee reported in
favor of the plan proposed, but failed to
iDdorse the company itself The chief rea-
son for this action Is the strong opposition
of the Reform Press Association to the
company. Its opponents charge that this
company is the Union Cordage Company
under o new name. and that the Union
Cordage Company was itself resurrec-
tion of the Jute Trust The reason that
the cordage company changed it's name to
THE National Union Company" it is said.
is because certain circular, which il sent
out to all the State agencies of the Alli-
ance. was exposed some months ago. This
circular opens as follows:
geDerai
ever saw because he was government in HIM
self, law unto himself IL you viii agree TO
obey implicitly our instructions and directions,
whether you bolieye them right OF wrong. and
ask 10 questions we promise you emoluments,
wealth and honor beyond your widest dreams.
The National Union Company, as one of it's
managers, who is also State agent of the
| Farmers Alliance, last night explained.
has a capital stock of S2l.Q00,0o0. This
| stock is owned by manufacturers, each
manufacturing concern taking $780,
| 900 stock. Its incorporators ara
said TO be men interested in
the Union Cordage Company. As the
| manufacturers are stockholders they will
naturally have control of the organization,
| yet this organization has already obtained
| control of the Alliance cooperative stores
| In many States. In fact. IL is. IN its con-
| ception, one of the most gigantic trust
schemes that even this era OF trusts has
yet known.
The cause of the opposition of the reform
| press TO this scheme lies not so much IN the
fact that they are opposed to trusts-in
| fact. at conference held last night one of
| the reform press editors remarked that
this trust business depended altogether
| upon which end of 1T you at"
| The reason of their opposition is
that the logical result of this trust
| organization will be no advertising patron
reform papers. If the National Union Trust
| can reach all of the Alliance people through
| Alliance stores. il will have no use for Al
| lance newspapers. The opposition has
taken tangible form in movement 10 or
| ganiZe another association. ostensibly for
| the benefit of the small manufacturers who
| cannot get into the trust controlled by the
Jute Cordage outtit." The prime movers in
| this are some of the reform editors.
| AT a meeting of some of these editors,
| last night some correspondence was read
| showing why the Kelly AK Company OF
Louisville, had been doomed in the Alli-
-
American AK Company. Some of
| this correspondence was very SEN
satIonal in it's nature. and showed a
| plain effort of one of the State Alliance
| agents, now here, to black-mall the Ameri-
can company. Ii is said that there Is other
| correspondence of a sensational nature in
| existence connecting some OF the highest
officers of the Alliance with the dealings
| of this National Union Company.
1t is not improbable that the fight will
| result in effort to carry out the same
| plan OF business upon which the Union
company was organized by the State
cooperative plan insist that there will be
as much difference between the Ma
tional Union Company and the business
Agents Union az. there is between
Pennsylvania railroads. They mean thus
| to emphasize their statement that there 10
| no necessary connection. unless the Ma
| tional Union shall be selected, and shall
| with suoh supplies as they want at as low u
price as can be anywhere secured.
| The report of the committee indoreing
| the movement will not receive unanimous
| support, aud the opposing members seem
mutually distTustful of each h0thersm0tives.
| The my stery surrounding the NationalU MON
| Company, which, If the plan Is approved.
will no doubt be given the contract under
| the arrangement made has excited distrust
| of It, There are many sly winks and mean
| ing glaDces among the shrewder delegates
whenever the subject IS mentioned.
1T may be all % light. said a business
porter "but / don't like the absence of
specific information about il. 1 like TO
know what am dealing with. and whittier
l am directing the. peoples money for
| the supplies needed. i don't want
them unknowingly to contribute 10 trust
when with every breath they are ready to
| condemn that trust L do not know that
the National Union ism such company. but
my delegation proposes 10 find out before
we determine how we Will Vote"
The plan of the National Union Company
is to combine the manufacturers of all
supplies which farmers buy. for the pur-
pose of selling more directly than Is now
possible. 1t is intended 10 supplant all of
the middlemen, whose profits now help
to swell the cost 20 the consumer.
by the state business agents whose serv-
ices shall be paid for by small commits
sion or by direct warrant upon the State
-.-nce treasures in the form of
salaries. lt Is included. also. 10
make contracts with certain existing
stores In each community. which
shall buy goods of the National Union
Company at such prices as will yield the
dealers "a fair profit, and yet reduce the
cost TO the farmer. The capital stock OF
this company, it is said shall be s2l cocoon:
The movement meets with the approval
of such manufacturers as will got III on the
ground floor. There are many manufact-
urers of farm implements in the city care
fully watching the outcome.
How do / standp said one of this class
to a Journal reporter yesterday. why L
am in favor of IL. The fact IL, it costs too
much 10 sell goods. There are too many
middlemen, whose profits leave nothing
10 the manufacturer. The whole move
ment. as look at it, is simply 10 try To
reach the consumer direct. and
1 am most certainly willing The
trouble is. however. the Alliances have no
money with which 10 operate. Tennessee
is the only State in condition TO carry out
the plan. Ii reached the position by rais-
ing the monsy aud having IL ready 10
do business The plan means n large saw
ing 10 the farmers without any possibility
of loss The company is composed OF man
ufacturers who take stock IN az. IL put
upon a practical basis. why, am in it,
The plan which was recommended for in
dorsement Will carry with II. IL adopted. a
| systeu, of hnviug sunnlias Of opa -