The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1905-07-24
MILLERS OF STATE ARE WORK.
ING HARD TO PERFECT THEIR
ORGANIZATION.
Farmers In Eastern Washington Ap.
prehensve of the Result of
Proposed Combine.

Flour millers of the State of WASH
ington are working with much indus
try to perfect their organization, late
ly formed at Tacoma for mutual pro-
lection and advantage" as the official
statement issued by the association
put it, AS matters now stand there
before the Washington Millers' Associ-
alton can accomplish any tangible re-
suits. First and before all else the
millers must agree among themselves
concerning a modus operandi. To per-
feet a plan whereby the flour mills of
the state will work as one and in &C
cord with what are termed good busi-
ness principles" the executive COM
mittee of the association met yester-
day afternoon in this city, says the
Seattle Times.
The committee has a rough draft
covering rules to be observed by the
mills. and a general statement of policy
calling for united action along business
lines. This draft will be sent to the
various mills belonging to the associa-
ton. and they will be asked to sub
scribe to the agreement or offer sug-
gestions as to changes. This agree
ment and plan of campaign is being
kept religiously secret from the gem
eral public and the millers justify their
conduct in this regard by saying that
it would be poor business policy to
publish any proposition which may
have been drafted before it receives
the approval Of the mills affected.
At the Tacoma meeting plants were
represented having an aggregate ca
pacity of $4,000 barrels per day. The
big Wilcox interests were not repre-
sented T. B. Wilcox, the rich banker
and flour manufacturer of Portland
through the Portland flour mill, with
the Puget Sound Flour Mills, with
OlIlcl dllICo llltSlSoeo' NOiiNAOAo p->>o
tically a dozen plants.
Want Wilcox to Join.
To persuade the Portland man to
join with the movement inaugurated
at Tacoma after months Of nard work,
is now the task of the promoters of the
Washington Millers' association.
President Avery M. Ingersoll Of the
association, who attended the meet
ing here yesterday afternoon, is now
in correspondence with Mr.. Wilcox and
his associates.
1t is said that the combine will not
be really effective unless the Wilcox
mills join it. AS to the verify of this
statement, neither President Ingersoll
nor Vice President Thomson, at whose
office yesterdays meeting was neld,
would make any statement.
The mill men claim that there is ur-
gent need for the formation of just such
an organization as they have now
launched. Their claim is that the
flour mill men "cut each others
throats' in price making and in gen.
eral independence of action. Market
conditions in the Orient, it is claimed,
make it possible for losses to occur
unless there is uniform action and a
definite policy followed by the millers.
Farmers Apprehensive.
This is not saying, according to the
flour millers, that they propose to in
fuence the market price of wheat
either in Eastern Washington or on
tide water. That this would be one Of
the effects of the combine of the big
mills has been contended by Eastern
Washington farmers. These are al
ready regarding with suspicion, if not
with some alarm, the combination of
mills formed in Tacoma ten days ago.
The farmers put if this way: they
say the flour millers nave been bid
ling against each other for wheat and
that 1t is possible, PROVIDED they get
together in an iron-clad combine, for
the mills to have an understanding
with the exporters and depress the
price of wheat.
The mill owners scott at this. They
say that there is no chance to trifle
with the wheat market. The wise
them one who has the sand or cash
necessary to organize a wheat corner
or do anything else to depress the mar
ket. Said one of the mlllerS:
I'D like to see any one grain buyer.
or set of them, undertake a PROPOSE