The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-06-24
AFTER VIM. GREEN
Walter YrOoman Trying to Get
His Grocery.
Would Make 1t a Cooperative
Branch.
HE is HERE TODAY.
Holds Conference With Mr..
Green and Others.
lie Is HERE TODAY.
VIII Have Public Meetings in
Topeka Next Week.

After an absence of nearly II years.
Walter NTOOman returned to Topeka to-
day, to give personal direction to the
tablishment Of a cooperative grocery
store and cooperative coal yard in this
city He is also comforting with c. B.
Hoffman of Enterprise, James Butler
and other grain men relative to the eX-
tension Of the farmers grain trust" to
include the state of Kansas, and is also
discussing the new bankers trust with
J. w Breidenthal.
I'VE expect to be in a position to
market the entire grain crop of Kansas
by the end of this year said Mr. VroO-
man. I'VE have negotiations pending
with several grocery stores in the city,
and will either take them into one CO.
operative concern, OF establish an en-
tirely new institution"
William Green < Co. is said to be one
of the firms which MI VrOOman is try
ing to interest in the plan of establish
ing a cooperative store in this city. Mr.
Green had a conference with Mr.. Vroo-
man this morning.
Seventeen years ago, Walter Vrooman
left Washburn college, where he had
been going to school for a year, and
started out to make his mark in the
world He has made it. and now he
comes back to Kansas to establish here
one of the new world centers of the CO.
operative idea
sThis idea is what we call the Multi
tuda TrcOrDOrated. It is a peoples
DDS of a private trust to the needs Of
the whole people. The people get the
profits instead Of the MOrgans ana
ROckefellers Our plan is to have the
grocery supplies for all our stores
bought by one general manager. and
we thus save large per cent. We Will
save in the same way in every industry
we undertake My brother, Harry VrOOe
man, is the president Of this Multitude
Incorporate. and the stock of the con
Germ is owned by the Ruskin college
corporation, of which l am president.
We believe that the college should be at
the center of everything. We believe
that the education of men is of more
Importance than pigs and grain and
cattle If we had our way in Topeka
Washburn college would be located
right in the center of town, and the bust
ness houses would be scattered out
over the city"
The source Of Mr.. Vrooman's FUNDS
for carrying out his immense business
enterprises is somewhat of a mystery.
It is said that when he went to Trenton.
Mo- for the purpose of introducing the
cooperative plan there he deposited $780,
600 In one Of the banks. Mr.. NroOman' S
home is at Trenton. and that is the lOca-
ton of Ruskin college Professor Wills,
the socialist president of the Kansas
State Agricultural college, is one of the
professors, and Professor Cottren Of the
same college has accepted a position to
take charge Of the farm at Ruskin.
Judge Vrooman the father Of Walter is
in Topeka with his son, and says that tho
funds for the work Walter is doing are all
in the Vrooman family, Several of my
sons married into wealthy families. and
Walter made lot of money before he
went TO Europe
Judge Vrooman was active in Topeka
politics for . years and is well known
here to the old settlers. He was at one
time mentioned for governor on the labor
ticket He is now working with his son
to carry out the cooperation idea
Walter Vrooman left Topeka today for
Enterprise. where a cooperative grocery
] he 81 "a "a he'd a o Id
viii return to Topeka within a few days
We are going to hold meetings in Tope-
said Mr. vrooman today my brother
Harry from Kansas City, will come down
| here to address the people The neetings
the purpose of explaining to the people OF
/ Topeka the objects and methods of tbs
| duce."