The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-05-20
IN A ROW.
Trouble Breaks Out in Farmers
Grain Association.
Secretary Butler and Director
A. P. Collins Disagree.

Trouble has broken out among the
farmers cooperative elevator assoeia- !
lions Of the state. In his department Ia
the Farmers Advocate this week, James /
Butler, secretary of the Farmers Co
operative Grain and Live Stock associa-
ton. makes a lengthy attack on num-
Der of other associations out in the
wheat belt, particularly the Solomon as
ISOLATION and its vice president, A. F.
Collins, who is also a director of But
ler's association, but who is opposed to
Buffers policy Of running it.
The trouble has been brewing Tor
some time. When the State Co-opera-
tive association was formed at Sallna
year ago, Butler wanted to herd 1t into
the old farmers federation, of which
he was secretary. He had an elaborate
constitution and bylaws all mapped
out, but good many OF the organizers
Of the association thought 1t was toe
good a graft for Mr.. Butler, and Colllns
led the fight against it and knocked It
out.
Butler goton the board Of directors, how
ever, by getting through motion to
have a member from each congressional
district and as he was about the only
man present from the First district ne
was made a director and elected secre-
tary. Collins was also elected as a d.
rector because of his experience In Or
ganizing the Solomon local association
which was doing a good business and
had overcome most OF the dlfhcultles
which stood in its way before the state
association had sufficient stock SUD
scribed to commence business.
Collins and Butler have not agreed as
to the policy OF the state organlzallon
Butler, who as secretary and the resi-
dent director, assumed the management
| of the association, had his way. As a
result. the Solomon association and
number of the other more prosperous
local associations refused to come INTO
| the state organization, and number OF
them held a meeting at Salina recently
I and started a movement to form cen
j trail organization with a policy along the
/ line which they think best
The principal points of difference IN
| the policy proposed by Mr.. Collins ana
that Of Mr. Butler is in the handling
and marketing Of grain Mr. Butler
proposed that the association should
/ simply act as commission firm, taking
/ out a commission from the selling price
| the same as done by commission firms
| on the boards of trade 1t was on TINS
! point that the prosperous local assocla-
! tons baked. The Solomon association
! was able to sell its wheat at price
considerable higher than Buffers as
ISOLATION could get, and it had to pay
| no commission whatever. Collins plan
was to buy the grain and sell it direct to
mills ignoring the boards of trade, and
if there was surplus, to export II Oh
rect to foreign markets.
This is the plan that has been fol
lowed by the Solomon association and
it has been an immense success Inc
| association not only has the capita
stock intact in the shape of a 26ot
elevator, but it has added $1,000 in the
shape of grinding machinery and Other
improvements and it has about as
much more in the bank. This, too
Without attempting to make money
but after paying from two to four cents
/ above the regular market price Ioi
wheat
The difference is that Collins plar
takes a practical grain and mill MAI
as manager, while the other does not
and it is claimed that that is one gred1
| difficulty. The supporters of the Colin.
/ pISn claim that Butler is afraid NJ
would be superseded if the policy o.
the association is changed, and q prac
tical grain man put in his place
Mr.. Butler charges Mr.. Collins will
not being q cO-operator, and he claim,
the Solomon organization wants 20 pul
down the state organization. The mel
who are behind the recent movement t
OF game a new association say they O.
not wish to interfere with the Butte
organization, but they simply want t
do business on business principles an
along lines that will succeed. The.
claim that it is only a question of tim
until Buffers association Will come I
al end as it is now running, and the
. ale simply organizing an association t
handle their grain in the way they wan
it handled, and they do not care to in
terfere with the Butler association Tn
! lClcflin and EllinWOod association
which issued the recent call are like tn
Solomon organization, independent o
j the Butler organization.
There are minor points Of diderene
between the Solomon organization an
thu Butler association. Mr.. Butler be
I lieves in rushing into the courts t
settle questions while the Solomon re @
: pie do not. They have avoided an
: trouble with the railroad com panies an
also with the trust elevators, whie
tried to drive them out of business, bu
they adhered to the policy Of lIeepla
out of a quarrel as long as possible
, with the result that within thre
months after they commenced dom
business they had everything their wa
the railroads were only too glad [
accommodate them and the trust ele
vators had practically gone out of bust
ness.