Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-03-09
Famous Rockwell Farmers Co.
operative Concern Weathers
a Year of Bad Crops
THE ANNUAL MEETING HELD
Three Quarters OF Million Dollars
Worth Of Business Transacted, De-
spite The Fact That Crops Were
Only About Half a Yield-Additions
To The Surplus.
cial 10 Times Repuhlican.

Special TO Times
Rockwell, March 9.-The Rockwell
Farmers Co-operativa Association held
it's fifteenth annual meeting here Satur-
DAY and despite the fact that the crops
ESPECIALLY the corn crop of this county,
were almost cut in halves by the early
frost, the business of the association
has amounted to over 100000. Last
wear the business was sG16,000 and the
year previous 1000. So that With AN
year in the production of
the farms of this members of the asso-
citation the record this year is surprs-
ing. Many were about TO ask the ques-
ton il the association had not finally
begun its decline. There were reasons
for it. Last year at the meeting there
was reported more suspensions of MEM
beers who had refused to pay their COM
missions than in any year before and
one of the original founders had left the
association. About q month ago the
elevator of Moore Bros. began paying
more for grain than the cooperative
agent could pay and secured most OF
the grain which came TO market. 1t
was said that the commission men were
paying this private elevator better
prices than the cooperative association
and consequently here was another at
tempt to undermine the farmers asso-
citation. The half crop of corn, the
poor qaulity OF the oats and the high
price of coal all 1t was predicted would
make as marked an inroad into the
business of the association, but the re-
port has demonstrated that the predic-
tons were from the order of bum
prophets and created great surprise
and likewise great joy In the breasts
OF the members. The meeting held in
the local opera house was as largely at
tended as usual. despite the fact of
fearfully muddy roads. and the old town
meeting made famous by Patrick Henry
and the Boston patriots was enacted
again. Every year the facts which
brought the association into being. the
oppression of the grain merchant and
the grocery and the dry goods vendors,
the heroic struggles for freedom arc
recited by the patriarchs of the body
who were its founders and are still liv-
ing. The young men have grown up to
believe in the association as in their
church creeds or political precepts, and
they are as enthusiastic. This year, to
obviate any temptations to refuse to
pay commissions, the directors bought
the stock Of those who wished to sell in
the best market without Iebating to the
society, thus strengthening the princi-
pie among the members. The corner
stone OF the society Is 10 sell at their
own elevator If possible. but If other
elevators offer a better price to sell
there, but pay a rebate Of 4 of cent
1t is this that would keep up the ex-
pense of the elevator il rot a bushel of
grain was sold or handled by it, 1t is
this principle which has kept the great
from disin,egrating the
society and it would seem that after
fourteen years that this cooperative
plan was as certain of endurance as the
institutions OF the government. Be-
sides the showing of the manager for
the past year the auditing committee
reported that after all the expenses
had been paid and the certificates re-
deemed that there was surplus of
$4,000, which has grown this ysar by
$1,000, and steadily increased each year
OF the society The present manager,
Frank Campbell, is the second of the
only two managers the association has
had and was reelected for the ninth
time. James Treston, who has been
elected cashier for the Farmers Bank,
resigned and j. n. Brown, former
president, was elected to the place. If
one cares to study the philosophical
principle of the society it is in the fact
that there is at the basis both the pa
triotic sentiment and the inducement
for better prices, and patriotism accom-
panied by the sure reward of better
financial conditions is a combination
which can not be successfully COM
batted even by corporation of the
Standard Oil Company potentiality.