The Greeley tribune., 1905-02-02
STATE THEIR SIDE.
To Whom 1t May Concern:


In view of the several inspired
articles in the newspapers crltl-
cising the action Of the under
signed in withdrawing from the
so-calIed Farmer and Dealers
Association. we desire the public
TO know more of the facts in rela-
ton to the practical workings OF
the organization. and how it has
drifted away from its original pur-
poses. until it has become simply
the tool of certain dealers who
use it for the purpose OF Stirling
competition. and increasing their
power over the grower. under the
guise of. and posing as, his guar
diau angel.
We will endeavor in Il brief
way to outline the original pur-
poses of the Association and the
causes that led to its attempted
organization, 1--WE say attempted
organization. because we know 1t
never had the requisite number OF
farmers to make it etfective.)
We think it is generally be-
Iieved that the more buyers of II
commodity, the more competition,
and that such competition would
insure the grower the highest
prices obtainable. but it is claimed
by some who were interested IN
this movement that this season the
above rule did not apply, and that
owing to the keen competition IN
selling. the dealers were making
ruinously low quotations., even as
low as three cents per cwt. above
the price paid to the grower. In
an effort to stop such ruinous COM
petition it was proposed to form
an organization for the MUTUAL
benefit of both Dealers and Farm
ers. In drawing up the articles
for signature. it was decided that
dealers should be protected in Il
minimum margin of five cents per
cwt. over the buying price. 1t
was agreed to by all that this
margin would be about the cost
to the dealer of the buying. SELL
ing and handling; provided ship
ment was not frozen in transit or
was turned down on account of
the quality.
1t was soon discovered that
dealers who were members were
quoting at the price fixed, but
were allowing rebate of about
two cents per cwt., in some cases
in the form of brokerage, and in
some cases straight rebate. The
attention of the management was
called to these delinquencies and
a meeting of the executive board
called to interpret the rule. The
board interpreted the rule to mean
a five-cent margin net, and pains
were taken to so notify all dealers.
Then it was discovered that cer-
tain dealers who had accounts to
collect, refused to abide by the
rules. they being determined to
quote just a little under the price
fixed, in order to make sales, hav-
ing made their profit on the goods
sold to the farmer for which they
were taking potatoes in payment.
But these gentlemen were not buy
ing any spuds for cash and the
dealers who were doing a cash
business and who had no accounts
out, aa we'll as the farmer who
owed no accounts and wanted to
sell for cash, were placed at a
serious disadvantage.
Another meeting was called at
which no member of the execu-
tive board was present, However,
it was clearly shown at this meet
ing who were responsible for the
cutting which caused such rapid
declines in prices, and instead OF
the guilty parties being read out
of the organization, it was voted
by bare majority vote to change
the rule protecting the dealers in
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