Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1905-08-25
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+ L00KER.0N IN IOWA +
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Bode, Aug. 15.-rNot to discuss here
whether a farmers cooperative So
ciety is a good thing for town, or not.
and leaving out any opinion concerning
the permanency of such organizations,
this much must be admitted-that as
a temporary arrangement to bring the
farmers more for their products. their
daily business transactions, are very
satisfactory to the stockholders. For
instance, one day last week the writer
was in three towns only eight to ten
miles apart In one town the Farmers
COOPERATIVE Society was buying oats
at 2O1s cents per bushel. In the other
two towns dealers were paying IL TO ~
cents. The manager of the co-opera-
tive society admitted 20R cents was
close figuring, the other grain men OF
the town claim they could not pay
2Oh cents and get out even, still they
had to pay 201a cents or the other fei-
lows got the oats. OF course II these
2Oh cent oats are sold at slight loss
an the eastern market the difference
will lessen the cash balance of the
society lust SO much. If they do get
out even. why the farmers claim they
make 2k cents bushel by handling
their own oats. On the other hand
the Farmers Coz Operative Society VIII
find it costs the pay of two men, office
rent elevator rent, 'rottage, shr1nkage
and stealage," to do business.
Another feature of this cooperative
business is to be looked at. They are
beconing so numerous that there IS
really competition between their man.
ayers. and to get grain from off their
legitimate or rather regular tefrltory'
they frequently raise the price a irac-
ton of cent. Again while their by
laws are strict, and expulsion Is the
penalty for selling to outsiders unless
they turn into the funds OF the So
ciety one-half cent per bushel for all
such outside sales, still this bylaw IS
not always enforced, and frequently
such members sell to outsiders on 9th
er railroads, where 1T Is difficult or
to trace such tranactlons.
This refund or rebate principle Is the
only salvation for permanency the So
cieties Without 1t, they cannot do
business or pay any more for the
members farm products than other
dealers or have any advantage over
the regular grain dealer of the town.
In other words it costs a farmers CO.
operative society as much to run an
~, ~ey
as any other dealer in these commodi-
ties, and sometimes more.
On the train the other day the writer
met one of our Iowa congressman that
keeps close in touch with political
matters not only here in Iowa, but at
Washington. He said, in substance:
Don't despise Shaw's candidacy for
the presidential chair. He is the man
above all others now mentioned, the
favorite of Wall street and the big
banking interests Of the country. They
have found in him an official as treas
urer most conservative, and as a rule
in hearty sympathy with their ideas of
governmental finance. He has not an
tagonized a single big concern in the
oldlcS.4 ASdllls ITO NCll hIlOMIi
stand pat doctrines and position, has
brought to his supports many of the
largest manufacturing interests of the
country and they know as president he
could be depended upon Ito let we'll
enough alone" Furthermore, his well
known sympathy with the railroad cor
porations while governor of Iowa,
makes him the ideal candidate of all
of these corporations. Such corpora
lions and allied interests will spend
$50 100000 If necessary to bring obout.
his nomination, always provided that
he and his friends can convince them
that he can carry or obtain the western
vote. From what they read
in the Iowa and other western papers,
they are in doubt whether Shaw is "in
touch with the people. All they ask
of Shaw is, show us that you can carry
Iowa, Nebraska, Illinois, Mississippi.
and other western states. as against
some such man as Folk, II nominated
by the democrats. Keep your eye on
Shaw is we'll worth mentioning again.
no matter how little support he has
And this congressman has an idea
that Pete Hepburn is coming home
from the Philippines, converted to the
Taft idea Of free trade, with our new
Furthermore. there is a
healthy rumor that Pete is no long,
er the right hand man of the 90" in
the reservation. and that in the COM
ing campaign, Pete Hepburn will rep
resent the people as against the cor
Who said anything about
Paul and Saul Of Tarsus?
ar NSe<5~-.-<