Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1909-04-01
4 PRODUCE EXCHANGE
Cooperative Business Enter
prises Much Disoe Ssed.
a Farmers Organization IN New Jer-
sey Affords Some Excellent Sueges-
tiens For Specific Grange Co-opera-
sion In Huyiag and Selling.

sion In 3uyi1g and Selling.
From the reports of the various
state grange meetings We learn that
considerable attention was paid to the
matter of cooperative buying aud sell
inG OF farm products. Only IN isolated
cases has anything been done with
more than ordinary success along these
lines. Massachusetts has organized
cooperative association, with capital
stock valued at $4,000, shares 50, is
sued only TO members OF the Order. 1t
is probable that something along this
tine will be done in New York state.
Such an organization In order TO be
successful must be confined TO mem
bers OF the Order, So far as concerns
the holding OF stock, but the outsider
must be given the privilege OF pur-
chasing supplies at the same prices
as grangcrs where such cooperative
grange stores are operated. in such an
organization The stock should be held
entirely by members of the Order, and
they should get dividends. if declared
unCn II. and also certain percentage
ortminatjOn as between members and
nonmembers as 10 buying at these
stores however Organized along these
lines we believe that grange stores
may be made success.
There is in New Jersey farmers
organization, though not grange or
ganization. which is called the Produce
pi 80
and It buys and sells everything the
farmer uses or grows and can do bust
ness anywhere. We give the details Of
its plan as reported in the Rural New
| Yorker:
The shares are s. each. and no man can
own more than twenty. The stockholders
elect twelve directors, who elect the Off
GERS and appoint the manager and local
agents. The main Office is at Freehold
Seven thousand dollars Of stock has been
paid IN. on this they have equipped their
Offices and since the organization have
done $780, 600 worth of business. As yet they
500 600 worth of business. As vet they
have done very little buying except to
buy $40 eco worth of seed potatoes. AS 1t
IS estimated that in the district In which
! the exchange now does business there Is
used annually between $4,000 and $500 600
worth of fertilizers and seeds other than
| potatoes Il would seem as If here was a
! field well worth looking after which the
! exchange ia now taking hold of.
| There are 400 members For these were
| sold last year 1900 carloads OF pototoes,
| bae des other produce earning, 1t is esti-
mated, 10 lis members not less than $J0-
coo They have received on an average
for the potato crop SIZE per barrel, Which
has been sold IN eleven different states
and fifty different cities Tney were 50
fortunate IS 30 secure as manager busi-
ness man who has been for eIeven years
ems Eed in the trade. He is in direct tele-
graph and telephone communication with
all shppiug points as we'll as the local
stations when produce Is brought in it
| is inspected. graded and sent whore the
| market reports for the day indicate 10 be
| the best shipping points and sold direct
| TO large dealers. Sometimes the different
| markets VIII vary on a days sale from
| 10 to % cents n barrel. This price Is aver
| aged for al Of the same gr@de and the
| price announced the day following and
the farmers paid on presentation of their
| shipping receipts. For this service, where
| the exchange does the selling, = charge is
| made of % cents per barrel. Small lots
! Of produce OF various sorts are sometimes
| sent 10 commission houses, Of which the
| exchange l8a q select list, and the goods
! are sent. ~ above where the price and
| demand seen best, according to the di-
rect daily reports received. The farmer
| pays the regular 10 per cent comniss on.
| The exchange does al! the business and
| for this receives its pay by q reduc ION
| from the commission houses TO 3 per cent
| when sent TO store and per cent when
| sold on pier, the latter saving carriage.
| Today the exchange could pay for all
eouI pnlent ana expense return ell money
paid IN and have a surplus left rs divi-
| lpul In stock