Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1910-11-22

editorial comment from Turf, Farm and Home. }
We we're fortunate enough to be pres
ent at the annual meeting OF the FRO
ducers' and Consumers Exchange held
at Brunswick last week. As Is well
known, We have always bad good word
for this association, believing as we do
that ii stands for great deal in the
agricultural life of Maine. II this asso-
citation cannot prosper in our state CO.
operation gets a terrible set back, and
one that will not be forgotten for good
many years to come. We know that
there were complaints and chickering's
within the organization, and we had
good deal of curiosity to know what
they all amounted to. We were much
eratifed on arriving at the meeting to
lind about fifty of the very best and
most conservative farmers in the state
present. They came from practically
every county in the state. Aroostook IN
the north was represented, as was Cum
berlapd in the south. There were nat
urally in the number now and then one
who didn't know, a sort OF candidate
for a doubling Thomas, little on the
pessimistic order. A clerk who had
been employed by the Exchange and had
been dropped from the pay roll, had
various explanations to make, numerous
questions to PROFOUND, warnings to give
the new board of directors as to what
their obligations would be, financial and
otherwise, ETC., etc.
But over and above all this cloud Of
doubt and questioning there was good
strong, healthy, optimistic feeling that
the management had done remarkably
we'll to make as good showing as they
did. To be sure they had not done
great volume of business and consequent
ly had not made whole lot OF money,
but they had stayed in the game, had
paid their bills and had small balance
on the right side of the ledger.
We fully concur in the remarks OF
State Master Stetson that taking the
season into account and the many odds
that they had had to contend with IN
the way of poor goods, he thought II
was u very remarkable showing. 1t was
the general concensus OF opinion that
while some errors had undoubtedly been
made. a whole lot of valuable experience
had been gained that would be OF great
assistance in the successful prosecution
of the business in the future.
The opinion was very general that the
thing TO do was TO get right in under the
infant undertaking and give it good
long, strong boost in the way OF financial
encouragement. Ii was voted TO have
the matter of further subscription for
the company brought up at the meeting
of the State Grange, when 1t is hoped
that $4,000 at least, can be raised at
that time, or as the result of plans per-
fected at that meeting. 1t Is thought
that there are ten Pomonas in the state
that would be able to raise 1000 each
in addition to what has already been
subscribed. This ought not to be a
difficult proposition at all. We can name
a hundred subordinate Oranges IN the
state that can easily get subscription
of hundred dollars, SO there surely
ought to be no trouble either in rails sing
il in the state, TIE Pomonas, or the sub
ordinate Oranges. OF course 1t is un-
derstood that by raising the money we
mean getting Individual members OF
these several organizations to subscribe
and pay for the stock.
We talked with a number OF those
present at the Brunswick meeting and
we think that We found dozen right
there, if not more, who were prepared to
take S25 each, IL the $4,000 limit could
be reached. They figure very broadly in
this matter, for instance, they say they
are perfectly willing to lose the S25 II
necessary to establish a market, and
they can already see that the commission
men have been more eager to buy their
goods, knowing that there was a new
competitor in the field. This Is point
we think too many of the Subscribers to
the Exchange have lost sight Of. While
perhaps the Exchange has paid them
more than they could get elsewhere,
how do they know what the price would
have been had not this new corporation
appeared on the scene? We hate 10 say
il. but We are compelled to, that it is a
fact that if those who profess friendship
for the organization had been true TO
their profession and had shipped their
produce to them freely, and ordered
goods of them literally, the report made
at the Brunswick meeting would have
been an entirely different affair, and the
appeal for more funds to carry on the
business would not have been necessary,
for the farmers of Maine would fairly
tumble over themselves to get the stock
into their possession.