The Thibodaux sentinel. (Thibodaux, La.) 1905-1912, 1910-09-17
FARMERS UNION IN INDIANA
agents OF Organization to Deal Direcr
With Commission Men anc
Grain Dealers.

win Commission Men and
- Grain Dealers.
Witnln a short time paid organizers
VIII De In all parts of Indiana in an
enoft TO organize Indiana farmers into
union devoted to self-interest. Steps
nave been taken to raise a fund for
lhe disposal of millions of dollars
worth OF grain from a central depot
IL indianapolis, and elevators and 9th.
CT buildings are to be erected, ac
cordlng to the plans, and from these
agents OF the farmers will sell their
ploducts direct to shippers and con-
| sumers.
The first object is to secure indie
penoence In the handling of products.
ana the second is to get rid of the
"looiemen and retain the profit they
are presumed to make. There is to
oe no individual dealing with com.
mission men and grain dealers, but
Tue agents at the big storehouses and
elevators are to deal with these men
1or the advantage of all the farmers
whose interests are intrusted to their
charge.
Inc plan is much the same as that
adopted by tobacco growers in Ken
lucky and other states, and the farm
ers interested in it believe that it
Will be quite successful.
whether man is devoting himself
TO the raising of wheat, corn and oats,
OF whether he is fruit grower or q
stock raiser, he is eligible to member
ship, and whatever he produces is to
be disposed of by men who are to be
selected for the purpose. These men
are to represent the brains of the or
ganlzation and will be selected because
OF the success that they have had in
managing their own affairs.
1t is expected that the site for
large storehouse will be selected at In
dianapolis in a short time and that the
capital of $1,00O,OO0, made of Of
shares OF five dollars each, with which
buildings are to be erected, will soon
be subscribed
Some OF the largest raisers of wheat
are still holding their crops and many
OF them have said that they would
agencies If the project was so pushed
that there was a certainty of begin
ming business by the first of the COM
ing year.
1t seems that committee of the
Farmers Educational and Co-opera-
tive union has been investigating
quietly for the past year and that it
in m
the market that is giving decided
impetus to the movement for dispos-
ing of all crops through their own
agents and from a central point, with
branches perhaps in other parts Of the
state. 1t is said, for instance, that
the growers Of strawberries in south
ern Indiana were able to realize only
about five cents a quart at the home
place of shipping, after going to the
expense of picking and Grating but
when the berries reached Indianapolis
they sold readily for from II to 20
cents, according to the supply on the
market. In respect to raspberries and
other small fruits the same facts are
alleged to have been found-the grow
ers having all the trouble and ex-
pense and the men between them
and the consumer getting all the
profit.
& 1t Is claimed that this Is true, but
hardly to such degree, with all farm
products. the producer never realizing
the market value of the place of sale
because the place of shipment Is dis
tant and he cannot deal with the con-
sumner in person. Instances are cited
of the sale of large quantities of wheat
to millers, who in turn sell large guam
titles of -four to bakers. and it Is said
that the profit lost in the passing of
the grain through the local buyers. the
city elevator and the miller. who Is
the consumer so far as the farmer Is |
is about 83 1-3 per cent.
The million-dolla company that Is
being organized proposes to save this
profit by dealing with the miller him
self So it proposes to deal with the |
grocer. the marketer and others who |
sell direct to consumers in the matter
Of fruit and vegetables.
It is proposed to put the peach crop
and the apple crop upon the market
the bands Of men who are
not interested in beating down the
nrice TO the producer and boosting 1t
TO the consumer.
1t is denied that the new organiza-
ton is actuated in any sense by the
sentiments of a trust or that 1t pro
posed to work along trust lines. Prod
nets are not to be kept in cold stor-
age. it is declared. when they are In
season and until the season passes
and high prices can be demanded, but
everything is to he sold when 1t Is
ready for market and for prices that
will increase the profit of the producer
md at the same time reduce the price
@ the consumer.