The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-06-10
POTATO TRUST PROPOSED.
NORTHU ESTERN FARMERS WANT
TO FIGHT MIDDLENEN.
zoo 900 OF Them Banded Together for
Better Prices would iihe Also 10
Control the sale % All Vegetables anu
Dairy Products society OF Equity

IYpIANAroLIs, June 9.-The American
Society Of Equity, an organization OF farmers
whose Headquarters is in this city and which
pretends To have a membership OF m 5000
in the Northwest, is organizing The greatest
trust the country has ever knoN.I. II 1t
succeeds in accomplishing its purpose the
prices Of potatoes and other vegetables.
poultry ard dairy products viii soar.
The scheme of the society Is to organize
among it's members and all other farmers
who will enter it a marketing association.
1t is expected to have the new association
organized and at work by September and
a meeting has been called for June IL and
10 at Chicago, where the new organiza-
ton viii he formed and all the details worked
out.
The call issued by the society takes up
the question of production, and while de-
nying that it ia aimed to get more than a
fair price for the products which 1t liz de-
signed to control it gives a number OF in
stances in which the large growers could
control the market. Here is a sample
The total production of potatoes in the
year Of the last census was 33e 900 900 bush
els. OF these 5000, coz bushels were raised
in twelve counties
"Aroostook county, Maine produced
o, 400, $780,; Wild county, Colorado, 2,s2l ,2S5;
Steuben county, New York, 2,7u2 sos; Por-
tage county. Wisconsin, ! 97S.3ii; Naushara
county, Wisconsin, l,Rn5, 737; Monroe county,
New York, 1,04G,si3; Montcllm county.
Michigan. l.ius,3 33; Kent c,anty, Michigan,
1,5l3,47G; Erie county, New York, ,903 81;
Oakland county, Michigan, 1851 100; Wall
paucco county, Wisconsin, l~,57@.j44 on
tario county, New York, l,27l,2t2,
I'VE believe it safe to say that Oue-halF
Of he total crop is raised by small! producers
and is consumed by the family or sold in
tho local markets only. This would leave
the twelve counties producing more than
% per cent. Of the Shipping potatoes Of the
country.
"What would be the result if the growers
in these twelve counties would set prices
on their crops and refuse to sell n bushel
for less? Ii would result in "a temporary
shortage OF % Ger cent ir the shipping
supply.
Tie prlce Of potatoes can thus lie made
uniform throughout the country; not
80 cents in The great centres of production,
90 cents in central markets and 81 in the
South. BY a comprehensive system Of
marketing such products all markets will
he supplied with all they need at fai- vices
and q greatly increased consumption will
result
Under the plan proposed by the society
there will be organizations in each State
and these will lie Differed by farmers
who will be in touch the year around with
the supply and demand and the producers
will he directed when to place their pro-
ducts on the market and Just how much
to sell. /. is not proposed to do away
- 49, s1lIIa,,.a lat =, li,nit tla -
of fruits, vegetables, butter, eggs, poultry
and the ike that lie may have on hand at
once.
The cali for the Chicago meeting gives
instances to show that cold storage plants
Fare crowded with farm products in the low
price season and these are put on the market
| at high prices after a scarcity is thus
created, and the object Of the marketing
association is to eliminate the individual
! as a marketer Of his shipping surplus and
take the distribution of these crops out
Of the hands of the thousands OF sr5cu-
lators who exploit both the producer and
consumer for their own selfish ends
Yet the marketing association does not
expect To deal directly with individual con-
suners, ku. 10 regulate the amount OF farm
producta tnat il on the market and supply
the middlemep only as the demand re-
quires.
The American Society Of Equity recently
advised its members to hold their wheat
for 81 a bushel, and it is asserted that wheat
has been steadily advancing ever since the
200, 900 members began to resist the arts OF
the buyer. In the call for the meeting
at which it ia proposed to organize the
marketing association reference is made
to the good results OF organization, and it
is said:
"The organized members of the American
Society OF Equity in Wisconsin produce
three-fourths of the potatoes of that State.
In Michigan the society is nearly as strong
and a good start has been made in New
York.
by September the society will be so
strong in its control Of the potato supply
that the price can be made and maintained
at whatever we agree to be fair to pro-
ducers and consumers. There can be no
question of the outcome when an ~associa-
ton controlling the supply Of an important
Of that product. The one having the supply
will win In price making