Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-01-10


| concern at Rockwell.
Having said so much of our trials
would now like to tell of our gains. The
first year we started out with 100 mem
bers and a capital of $1,000. In that
year we did business of $l45,000.
I'm 1896 our business had increased to
$4,000. In 1896 our business had in
creased to s25100 In 1898 our business
had increased to sa65,O00. In 1899 our
business had increased to S545OOO. And
in 1900 our business had increased to
s645.o00.
This amount of business has been
transacted a cost to the members of
less than / per cent. leaving our assets
over liabilities at the last report of S11,-
600. This is not bad showing for men
who have no brains But this is only
the smallest part of the profits. George
Il. McNutt, a student of economy of
Pittsburg, Pa, came all the way TO
Rockwell last summer to learn some
thing of our business, and how it was
conducted. He compared prices between
us and the middlemen, and took Ackley
as a basis, on the same road and with
the advantage of two roads into Chi
cago, and on the 9th of July he gives the
prices paid in Rockwell and in Ackley
on the same day:
Corn in Ackley, Sc cents: in Rockwell,
IS cents; difference, 2 cents. Oats in
Ackley, "a cents; in Rockwell. 20 cents:
difference, cents. Hogs in Ackley, $3.50;
in Rockwell, 1855: difference. Is cents.
Prices of what we buy were: Irvine
in Ackley. So cents: in Rockwell, ~
At Ss,It IN, nj
ley, $3.50; in Rockwell. $1.20: difference.
&c cents. Shingles, in Ackley, $3.50: in
Rockwell $3.50; difference, 81. Windows,
24x30, in Ackley S2.75; in Rockwell,
S2.25; difference, SO cents.
By dealing in Rockwell we can save
on corn per cent, on oats 90 per cent,
on hogs SO per cent. on flour Is per cent.
on Irvine II per cent on salt 20 per cent,
in shingles 26 per cent. on windows Is
per cent. and SO on. Referring to the
agents report that on the same basis
during the year we saved on corn $14.-
400, on oats s27,015, on shingles 1851, on
salt $273, on Irvine 1901, and flour $769.
total saving on those few items of
$4S.643
Those are only few items which
Mr.. McNutt takes as an illustration.
Our total saving. i have no doubt.
would amount to more than double that
sum or $50, 900. This divided among the
600 members would give to each MEN,
Der the gum of sl43.33 13 This little
is what makes fortune or
breaks bank. 1t Will be seen from this
report that middlenlan is always an
instrument of injustice against the buy
= tt,a y, i. q
least in Rockwell He was sole judge
of the value of his own services as
transferrer of goods to and from the
farmers, the personal and physical
often being more important
than the market standards. Aside from
those profits the niddleman gets better
rates than we can from the railroads.
The president of the Chicago Great
Western railway said in room full of
railroad attorneys. You know that for
years the rate that moves
the grain west of the Missouri river, is |
never made till the grain is in the hands
of our friends" They, Our friends" are
the midlemen. From the above show
ing l think 1t Will be admitted that CO.
operation is a good thing, would like to
see it spread and grow all over the
Cooperative buying and sell
ing is bound to succeed. just as sure as
cooperative farming, can never sue
reed.
If our business at Rockwell increases
n future as in the past, no man can
'oresee its limits. nor even guess at its
possibilities With careful and judi
,ious management in the future. as in
he past. and honest and upright be-
.ween the membrs of the agent and
among themselves, l see no reason why,
,ut like Tennysons Brook it will go on
'oreyer.