Rocky Ford enterprise. (Rocky Ford, Colo.) 1887-1950, 1898-08-25
The WetzeI Contract
and Cooperation.

A Correspondent Gives Many Reasons
Why the Rocky Ford Association
Should Rejoice Over the
Situation.
To tho Editor OF tho Enterprise.
notice an article in La Junta paper
of last week entitled 1.-THE Melon Grow
ers," which undertakes to criticize Nat
Wetzel and the contract which the West.
ern Poultry and Game Company Of st.
Louis has with the melon growers Of the
Arkansas Valley. desire to reply to
that article, and in the first place want
TO say that am land owner in the Ar
kansas Valley. and am interested in the
success OF the Nat Wetzel contract this
year, because know the success OF the
Wetzel contract OF last year increased the
value Of my land. and believe that an
other success will mike it worth still
more.
There seems to be much talk about the
illegality Of the Paramount contract.
Pueblo attorneys say it is invalid. Upon
what ground? We are informed it was
because the contract was signed without
the proper authority. II this is the case
want to ask what Gauger and Willis
and Potter went to La Junta for IL it
was not to sign that contract? Every
body thought they represented the Fair
mount Association-their associates who
represented the other associations
thought go; Wetzel aud Whitley no doubt
thought go. Why? Because they signed
it. That was the best evidence in the
world that they had authority. They
were all members OF the board Of direc;
tors of the Paramount Association, and
were majority Of it. They went to La
Junta as the representatives OF that asso-
citation and signed certain contract;
now they go to their lawyers and make
such statements that the lawyers say tile
contract was signed without proper au-
thority. This looks to us like coming the
"baby act." It appears that they signed
the contract, but they didn't go to do it.
The lawyers opinion may be good, but it
seems to us that it reflects seriously on
the Paramount representatives. They say
Wetzel don't promise to take any cars in
tract last year called for thirty-tive cars.
Wetzel took and paid cash for one hum
bred and twenty five cars. This contract
may not suit the lawyers, but it is good
enough for us farmers. He has promised
this year to take three hundred cars from
the Rocky Ford Association alone, and
he is making every effort to take twice
that number. 1t would be all right to
criticise the Wetzel contract and the
Western Poultry and Game Company if
they were newcomers and had never been
tried; but we have tried them and know
what they IRE. They were the people
t,of Il hn or mn OF fnr
us, and we are told that they are now
making efforts to put our melon OIL the
London market. They have experience
and ability, and our experience with them
show them to be honest and fair. What
more can you ask?
Some Of the associations in the valley
have seen TT to turn down" this firm
which has put our melon in the eastern
cities. and have taken up a fellow by the
ilame OF Isador L. Meyer. Who is Isa
dor l.. Meyer, anyway? LIS he doctor
or a commission merchant? Has he a
place OF business, and, il SO, where is it
located? Has he any money or credit?
II so, we ought to know it. 1 would like
to see printed in full the report Of Brad
street and Dun on the financial standing
OF this gentleman. I am very much in-
terested in knowing how much money he
possesses. II he is going to take some Of
our melons in the valley and put them
on the market in conflict with our
neighbors and friends, somebody will gel
hurt. But we are told the money has
been deposited in the banks at Pueblo
and La Junta. Let me ask, how much
and to whose credit? If this money Is
not deposited to the credit OF the grow
ers, it might as well be in Pittsburg or
New York. II it is not enough to pay
for all the cars that he takes, then we
know if there is fight and he loses, he
will quit taking our melons. We want
some assurance in this matter, and few
hundred dollars deposited to the credit
OF an eastern commission house, or to
the credit of our association with
string tied to it" will be u poor consola-
ton for lis il there is conflict in the
market.
The proposition is just this: when you
"turn down" Wetzel for Meyer, you
"turn down" reliable, thorough going,
experienced commission merchant-One
who has been tried and tested-for new
man; one who is without experience and
knowledge OF the business. But it is
claimed that the Meyer contract is better
than Wetzel's, because he promises to
give the farmers one. bird of the profits.
His contract in the east is for him to take
half and the commission men half. Now,
he cannot fulfill both. Farmers may be
easily "gulled," but they are not fools.
All the profits Meyer divides with the
farmers will promise to put in my eye.
But aside from contracts, isn't it CON-
mon sense that all the growers in the
valley ought to stand togtther!
We have the finest melon in the world,