The advocate., 1892-02-03

Mr.. July Of q good joke. He smiled broadly and
endeaVOred TO evade the question, but when the
reporter expressed surprise over the apparent
unwilllngnesS Of the company TO make any sort
Of statement, Mr.. July said: "Well, you know
how 1t Is with corporations, or some OF them.
There are some things they are willing to let the
public know, and other things they prefer to
kept themselves" Upon being urged TO tell
the reporter something about the responsibility
OF the corporation in question, Mr.. July SObered
down, thought over the matter moment, and
said: ~ don't care to answer any Of your queS-
items. haven't been interested In the company
for some time" He paused, and then added
hesitatlngly: "Tell you what you can do. See
Mr.. Henry s. ISelin, at 125 Water street. He
helped to organize the company and he will
probably give you some interesting information
about It,"
THE NATIONAL UNION COMPANY BACKED BY
THE TRUST.
The reporter went to see Mr.. Henry s. Iselln
as directed, and found him at the address given.
occupying an Office on the second floor, over a
wholesale liquor warehouse. Mr.. Iselln was
not disposed to be communicative, but by care
full and persistent questioning the reporter drew
from Mr.. IselIn the following:
~ can not give you list Of the IncOrpOratOrS
Of the National Union Company. IncCrpOratOrS
don't amount to anything, as rule. They are
usually igureheadS, who lend their names to the
men starting the corporation, and who resign as
soon as permanent working board has been
selected"
Mr.. Iselln then gave the reporter an explana-
tiOn Of the objects and methods Of the company,
similar to the explanation given at the beginning
OF this article. He then proceeded: "Mr. Fl. H.
Balch, the president Of the National Union Com
pany, was formerly in the emylOy Of the National
COrdage Company, and while he was with that
company he conceived the Idea Of uniting all the
Farmers Alliance stores, or business agencies,
as they are called. While he was mapping out his
idea he met Oswald Wilton, and he induced VIII
son to suggest the idea to the Farmers Alliance,
Wilson was the secretary of the Farmers ALI
ance State Business Agents Association, and he
came from Georgia, think. The outcome Of
BaIch's Idea was the organization Ofthe National
Union Company.
"Mr. James M. Waterbury, Of L. Waterbury b
Co., and who Is also the president Of the National
COrdage Company, Is the capitalist Of the Ma
tlOnal Union Company. He is represented on
the board Of directors by JOhh @. Furman, who
is q brother-ln-law and one Of the officers OF the
National COrdage Company; r. T. Spencer, who
Is his cashier, and Ohauncey Marshall, who is
his partner. The board Of directors is composed
Of Balch, Furman Spencer, Marshall and VIII
son.
"The company has already bought out Alliance
stores-SbOut fifty, should say-ln Georgia, II.
llnOig, Kentucky, Wisconsin. South Dakota and
other states. / acted as broker for the company,
placing their securities abroad"
"As Mr.. Waterbury 10 largely interested In the
National COrdage Company, isn't 1t fair to pre-
sumo that when the National Union Company
wants any cord, twlne, rope or baggage, 1t win
buy only the product Of the Cordage Company"
asked the reporter.
"oArtainly," said Mr.. ISelin, "Mr. Waterbury
will look after his own business interests"
"And, as the National Union Company pro
vldes for the purchase Of supplies from only one
representative manufacturer In each Of the
other lines of goods carried, viii the National
Union Company eventually be q close pool Of
Of manuHacturers?" asked the reporter.
"Yes," replied Mr.. Iselln, 'it win be good
pool Of manufacturers, supplying their goods
direct to the consumer"
MIR. WILSON GIVES A LITTLE IMPORTATION
On the day following the interview with PreSi
dent Balch, The Voice reporter ventured another
call to the ONCE Of the National Union Company
He went to Mr.. Oswald Wilson and asked again
for circular giving the cOmpanyS plan. Mr.
Wilson replied that he hadn't any such circular
The reporter then asked for the names Of the
officers and lncorporatOrs Of the company, bui
Mr.. Wilson insisted that he hadn't any printed
matter giving the names, and consequently he
could not furnish them.-
Mr.. Wilson was not inclined to talk, and al
several times he acted as though he was about
l. a. EFa-