The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1892-05-13

the only evidence adduced in support
of this claim il the assertion that
one of the promoters of the Com
pany was at one time an employee
of the Cordage company. / fail to
see that this fact is sufficient to
prove any connection between the
two organizations. 1t seems to me
rather preposterous to imagine that
the Cordage company, or any other
concern dealing in a single article
of public consumption, would go to
the trouble and expense of starting
stores in all sections of the country
to conrol the sale of their products,
when the simpler and successful plan
would be to use their capital and en-
ergies in controlling the production
and sale of the special produce in
which they deal. Why should it go
outside OF it's legitimate business in
order to aid the consumer to pur-
chase other articles at a lower price
than formerly? However strongly
it may be contended that a mon
opoly is at the bottom of this
scheme the fact remains that every
body who participates in the plan
will be able to purchase a great
many OF the common necessities of
life at a much lower figure than here
tOfOre.
An imperfect outline of the plan of
the Company is given in the article
under discussion, and the plain read
ing OF even this incomplete presenta-
ton of the scheme is grossly per-
verted. 1t is claimed that, under
the percentage basis OF compensa-
ton named, State Agents will receive
enormous sums OF money, it being
estimated that the agent for Mis-
souri, alone, supposing the yearly
sales to reach S., 100000 would re-
ceive an annual income of 1913, 500.
And this asserted in face of the plain
provision OF the printed plan that:
"In case the said One-half of one per
cent exceeds the amount of compen-
sation authorized by the Company
the surplus shall be devided as fol-
lows; fifty per cent to the reserve
fund of the Company; forty per cent
to the treasury of the county organ
izations in proportion to the
amount OF gross sales in each
county, and ten per cent to the ma
tional organization" It is not for
a moment to be supposed that a
single individual in control of state
organization would be allowed any
such sum as $2S,5OO a year for SUI
pertioending the work OF the company
in his district. Another Unfair con-
clusion reached by this writer is that
the rebate received by members of
the company will really amount to
a small sum, aud the reader is left
to infer that the rebate is the only
pecuniary advantage OF participa-
ton in the plan. And yet the most
important fact, the reduced price at
which SO many articles can be bought
is not referred to at all; although
it constitutes the main feature of
the plan. In view of the hostile
spirit in which the article appears
to have been written, and the deli
berate mis- Interpretation of this
plan as published in that paper, l
cannot see how any thinking man
can look upon the writer as being
unpreiudiced.
Animosity is exhibited in every
line, and leads to the belief that the
writer was Influenced solely by other
considerations than those OF affec-
ton for the farmer 1t is in line with
the efforts of large dealers and man
ufacturers, who in every way oppose
any plan under which the price of
their goods will be lowered and
their profits thereby reduced. This
[ believe to be underlying cause of
all the opposition to the plan OF the
National Union company.
GEO. G. Crosse.