The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1892-11-29

lowing year a larger sum 1T Is graft
flying to know that there has been some
retrenchment in this line. and that
delegates r now paid only actual ex-
penses, instead of four 'ents a mile
each way" and a per diem.0
The Executive Committee, foresee-
ing the heavy drains that would be
made u0On the treasury, and knowing
that in the original apportionment the
expenses of the Agency had not been
provided for, directed the State Bust
ness Agent to make his department
self-sustaining This Bro. Worth at
once proceeded to do in very efficient
and satisfactory manner. and without
DESTROYING the accepted plan of paving
the Agent a salary rather than COM
missions. Without raising the price
of goods one iOta to the consumer he
succeeded n inducing every firm from
whom he bought to allow him a certain
percentage off as brokerage to the
State Alliance. This commission runs
about as follows: On groceries. from
! to II per cent, on shoes dry goods
and clothing. q to 5 per cent. on sew
ing machines 81. 90 to 50 90; on reap
erI and mowers. 81 90; on buggies,
81. Is to 50 so; on hardware generally,
% q cent cook stoves, so cents; on
fertilizers, so cents per ton, one half of
which goes to the agent who delivers it.
This brokerage isat once turned into the
treasury of the State Alliance and the
Agents salary is paid as formerly. out
of this treasury. Now every dime of
this money is duly accounted for and
the Agent is under sufficient bond to
make good any possible defalcatiOns.
The channel through which goods
reach the consumer, or the channel
through which orders for goods reach
the State Agent has likewise improved.
There vas much inconvenience. and
often delay, ~Occasioned by placing
orders with the Sub Agent. and he,
with the County Agent, who IN turn
plaC = them with the State Agent. And
in this routine the cash was expected
to accompany each order, except in
case of County Agents who, upon filing
sufficient bond. were allO we'd 80 DAYS
in which to deliver goods and remit.
Many County Agents, from the very
nature of their business, developed into
Alliance merchants A gOodly mum
Der of these have remained staunch
supporters of the Agency. while others
accepting overtures made to then oy
drummers and merchants. have almost
ignOrei it. Some of these county eX
changes are doing very we'll, while
others are bankrupt and reflect badly
upon the business feature of the ALI
anCe.
About a year ago the Executive Com
mittee, in order to place the consumer
in close touch with the State Agency,
ordered that Sub-Agents. upon filing
with the State Agent a justified bond
for double the amount expected to be
due at any one time, could trade
directly with the State Agent and be
allowed 80 days time from date of bill,
in which to collect and make remit
lance. With one exception, this latter
plan is working well, as is evidenced
from the fac that during the two
months just gone by, Notwithstanding
the excitement of a presidential cam
paign, goods to the amount Of $50, O36 CT
were placed at the doors of the breth
rem. The exception being that some
of the brethren 1UjU be tdrdy with
their remittance.) !
Another feature Is likely to yield
satisfactory results. The Constitution
was so amended at the last meeting of
the State Alliance as to allow the
Agency TO sell 10 those outside the
Alliance at a slight advance yer Ali
1uCGIllPL, anu pay GiI0 S1LIIC U1ACS w
the State that others doing the same
business pay" 1t is obvious that this
is a wise arrangement, as it places the
Business Agent in a position to secure
complete control in his State of many
goods which he could not do before on
account of not being allowed to sell to
those outside the Alliance. Altogether
our plan is a good One. 1t may be
capable of still further Improvement.
1t is not claimed as perfect. But at
present is the che Ipe5t possible way OF
supplying goods to the consumer. being
free from taxes as a merchant and
from rents and clerk hire incident to
the retail trade.
There is another class Of outsiders,
consisting of those whose religious
scruples will not allow them to join a
secret order, for whom provision has
been made: If eligible to member
ship, by paying to the Alliance
nearest them the same fees and dues
that members pay, they are allowed all
the privileges of the Agency without
becoming real members of the Order.
The third and last element of sue
cess is
PATRONAGE.
This element may De considered as
mutual. and is conditioned upon two
considerations: First. The activity of
the State Agent in making it to your
advantage to place orders with him
and second, the interest you take III
the Alliance.
AS to the former consideration, a
little reflection and comparison OF
prices will afford conclusive evidence
of advantageous results to consumers.
whether members of the Alliance or
not. There never was a time when
goods were sold on such close margin
as now, and the influence of the ALI
ance is directly responsible for a large
measure of the reduction. Merchants
and drummers fought Duh plan siren