Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1901-03-28
PLAN OF THE SOLOMON COOPER
ATIvE UNION.
President Mccullough Describes the
Object Of the Farmsrs' Stock Com.
pany-Will Compel Higher Prices
for Grain.

I0t UTAH.
The farmers at Solomon who formed
what they believe is the first Of q
great number Of firms to handle grain
have arranged for the organization Of
company with capital Of 5000,
OF which 1900 is paid up, and have
sent to the secretary Of state for arti-
cles Of incorporation. The stock is
divided into shares Of $3.50, but no
member can own more than sixteen
shares. To keep the cooperative
feature to the front they have provid-
ed that each shareholder has one vote,
no matter how many shares be may
hold. Nearly every shareholder has
growing wheat on bis farm this
spring and hopes for good crop. His
purpose 10 joining the association is
to get good price for bis wheat, not
to make money in speculating.
The president Of the company Is 5.
H. Mccullough, who has 1000 acres
Of growing wheat which promises q
good crop. W. 7. Harms, also an
officer, has 500 acres Of growing
wheat, and many Of the others have
large fields in promising condition.
A. P. Collins, vice president Of the
company, in explaining its purpose,
said: Solomon is . big shipping
point, with three railroads, and on
each railroad there is one grain buyer.
The prices they paid US for wheat
part Of last year showed that there
was no competition between them.
While there was local competition
prices went up to point where they
could not have made money handling
wheat, and when they allgot together
tho price they offered was IA to l6
cents below the Kansas City market.
About 10 cents would have been fair
margin. We expect big crop this
year and can't stand such a margin.
"The farmers have been talking
about it all winter and the talk has
extended all over the wheat belt, so
we are not alone in our plan Of organ.
ization. Our company includes most
Of the large wheat growers Of the
neighborhood and our plan Is to have
an elevator Of our own, employ q
man to run it and have him pay a.
ways fair market price for wheat.
II the other dealers choose to pay
more we will let them have the wheat.
We don't care il they buy it all; our
only purpose is to keep the market
price where it is ipir. II need be we
can buy all the wheat that comes to
that market. II the concern losses
money we chip in and pay according
to our benefits. II it makes, there is
a permanent fund for next year, but
each farmer who sells to us must
agree to stand bis share Of the loss.
1t happens that at Solomon there is
an elevator lying idle, but there will
be some towns where such companies
are now projected where elevators
must be built. They are not very ex-
pensive, but they must be on the
railroad right Of way, and ifthe rail-
roads refuse to give the farmers
room we will find out what the state
board Of railroad commissioners can
do about 1t. So, too, II the railroads
do not give us cars we will find out
what the state law can do on our
behalf.
1--WE have reason for thinking that
railroad companies are back Of these
combination buyers. Peavey owns
most Of the elevators on the Union
Pacific. ] asked bis agent once when
there was a war on what his instruc-
tions we're. He said first to see to it
that the Union Pacific got its full
share Of the grain handled. He would
hardly got such instructions II the
railroad was not directly interested in
the elevator.
"All over the wheat belt the
farmers have been planning this win
ter. We organized . week ago and
completed our organization Saturday
There is = call already out for state
meeting Of wheat growers, to be held
in Salina May IS. The meeting Il
the purpose Of planning how to figh'
the organization, and we think many
towns will adopt our plan. There