Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-10-26
Meeting of Cooperative Com
panies at Rockwell Means
a Fight
MUST CHECK LINE ELEVATORS
Professional Grain Dealers Are Trying
to Get Commission Men to Boycott
the Cooperative Societies and a
Call to Arms is Issued To All Farm
ers Interested.

Special to TimeS-Republlcan.
Rockwell, Oct. 26.-Since the an
nouncement that the cooperative grain
companies are to meet In this city NO
yember for the purpose of forming q
Co-operative State Grain Dealers AS
ISOLATION, much interest has been man
ifested in the meeting. An effort Will
be made to bring every cooperative
and farmers elevator company in the
state into the association. There is
no doubt that the recent attempt to
induce the commission firms Of Chicago
to refuse to handle the business OF the
farmers concerns to the necessity of
organization, and that the present
movement is the outcome largely of
such attempts. The call Of the COM
mittee makes interesting reading, as
it makes serious charges against the
grain dealers. The call says:
Cooperative Grain Organizations of
Iowa--Gentlemen: Please give this
your immediate and careful attention.
During the last few weeks we have
had correspondence with many OF the
cooperative grain companies of Iowa,
and the opinion seems to be unanimous
that we should have a state organiza-
ton for the promotion OF our common
interests.
For years every effort possible, in ev-
cry section of the grain belt, has been
made to discourage the forming Of
farmers elevator companies, and to
force those already organized out OF
business. During the last few weeks
a most daring attempt has been made
to induce the commission merchants OF
Chicago and other markets to refuse
to handle the business of the farmer
elevator companies Of Iowa. 1t still
continues and is high handed and
open violation of the laws of trade and
decency, and perpetrators of such an
infamous outrage should be given to
understand that their underhand tao
tics and disgraceful conduct is a blot
upon the fair name of our state. De-
mands have been made upon all track
buyers and commission merchants to
| transact no business with us whatever,
| and railroads have been asked to
| thwart us in every way they could.
1t cannot be that the time has come
|kwhen company organized and incor-
| porated under the laws Of this great
state, composed of leading and up
right business men with an aggrega-
ted wealth of half to million dollars,
! is not to be permitted to do business
in this land Of the free and the home
n. oI, 1, yays {cs @,of
the self appointed guardians of the
grain trade would have us believe, and
in our opinion the time has come for
the men who grow the grain and own
the land, to rise up in their might and
wipe the last vestige Of the grain
trust from the state Of Iowa.
We can accomplish nothing until
we get together We can do nothing
until we unite our forces. Over In
Illinois is months ago they had but 33
Farmer Elevator Companies in the
state The same clique tried to put
them out of business, but they organ
lied a state association, routed the
"cornerers'' and today they have over
100 cooperative grain companies do
ing business, all prosperous and with
a free and open market. All this in
10 months, and we can, and must do
as well.
We have, therefore, called meeting
of all the farmer elevator companies
Of Iowa to meet at Rockwell on No
velnber 8, Thursday, at p. m. for the
purpose Of organizing a cooperative
state grain dealers association. Each
company Is asked to send as many del
1S.4 ~y,I,r af
which will be entitled to vote In the
organization and election Of officers.
Either the president or secretary of the
company should come as the official
representative with credentials. All,
however, are invited to be present and
take part in the discussion Of impor-
tant questions pertaining to the well
fare of the grain growers and the
Farmer Elevator interests of the state.
Lee Kincaid, president Of the Farm
ers' Grain Dealers Association Of
Illinois; ]. A. McCreary, secretary of
the same association, and other speak
ers and workers from outside the state
will be present
We attach hereto list Of all those
that will receive this call. If you
know of any others, send the address
at once to f. Campbell, Rockwell, Ia,
and he will Immediately forward them
a copy Of this call. We again urge
that every farmers elevator company
in Iowa send delegates. If you cannot
send large delegation, send your
manager and president at least, for this
will be an important meeting to the
grain growers and men of agriculture
of the state of Iowa. Yours truly,
J. H. BROWN,
w. F. DODERER,
N. DENSMORE,
Committee.