The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-05-30
NEW KIND OF TRUST.
Successful Co operation by
StanwOOd Farmers.
SAVE IN BUYING AND SELLING.
Peculiar Defense of Trusts - Childs
Takes Printers Unawares-Why
Granite Cutters struck.

The Washington Produce Company,
stock company organized by number OF
farmers around Stanwood about a year
ago for the purpose OF opening ware
house here and selling their own produce
without having it pass through the
jobbers' hands, is now closing up its bust
ness in Seattle to remove to Everett. The
company contempiates reopening here
when this years crop is ready for market
L. Peterson, the manager, gave a PosT-lN-
TELLIGENcER reporter the following inter-
view regarding the success of the expert
ment and the reason for removal:
This company was organized by number of
farmers for the purpose OF disposing OF their
own products through it and buying their ma
chinery. wares and other merchandise at whole
sale prices. 1t was not established out OF hos
tility to the jobbers, though some of them
seemed to think it was. We did not take them
into consideration at all. Farmers certainly
have right to dispose of their own produce as
they see fit, and they are not hostile to jobbers
simply because they do so.
Farmers realize that the competitive system
OF business is very expensive, and they seek to
avoid IT as much as possible by getting closer
TO the actual consumers. This experiment has
been entirely successful. We have not done an
immense business and did not expect to, but
We have done just what we intended to do-dis-
pose of the produce OF those interested in the
company and purchased their groceries and
other merchandise and machinery at wholesale
rates. Now that nearly all the members pro-
duce Is disposed OF We intend to build a ware
mouse at Everett, where the company has some
property, and our expenses will be much
lighter We might continue here buying from
other farmers and selling but that would be no
adyan age. We would then be taking the place
rf fhn yr1NE 3D.
economic point of view. / know some people
feel that this experiment has been failure,
but think the wish is father to the thought.
/ assure you that If such were the case
would have no reason for conceaing it. At
their last meeting the directors voted
to continue the business here besides opening
up at Everett, but afterward convinced them
that this would be unwise. 1t was then de-
cided to close up here until the next crop is
ready for market This does not look as though
the undertaking were a failure.
People are very shortsighted who attempt to
discourage such experiments as this know
that great many similar attempts have been
made and failed, but that does not argue that
success is impossible, any more than the sue
cesstul attempts prove that failure is impossi-
ble The competitive system of business is de-
stroying ITSELF Unrestraired competition ia
the destruction of business. Trusts are the
natural Outgrowth. Much as people fear
the tendency toward combinations. it
is far preferable to unrestrained COM
petition. The danger is that with
absolute power to advance prices, a trust may
and frequently does extort unreasonable profits
but trusts certainly economic in the cost OF
labor and management, and, if rightly con-
Quoted within reasonable lines, they are in line
with economic progress. presume some of the
dealers thought this was organized as an i'm
mense farmers trust to handle all the farm pro-
duce in the country, but such a thought was
| foolish. No reasonable man could for one mo-
| ment consider such thing posi- bic in the pres
| ent age, no matter how desirable it might be.
| We have all gotten along in perfect harmony
| Everything has run along to the entire satisfac
| ton of those interested and we all have conf
| dence in experiment. We will close OuI
| warehouse here on June i, ana begin the cree
| ton OF our new one at Everett. l feel very
| thankful to our patrons here for the considera
| ton they have given us.