United labor bulletin., 1910-11-17

ply Co., Rocky Ford; The Orchard
Grove Creamery Co., Pueblo; The Farm
ers' Mining & Milling Co., Glenwood;
The Mutual Light & Power Co., Glen
wood The Bracket Valley Creamery
Co., Peyton. The union members have
engaged in business at Hugo recently.
The Mutual Produce Co., commission
merchants at Denver, is owned by men,
bers of the union and the Grange and ad.
heres to the Farmers union plan.
Every farmer to be successful finan-
cially must sell more than he buys back,
hence the first duty of the Farmers
union is to find a profitable market for
the products of the farm. The wage
worker in the cities is the ultimate
buyer of these products and between the
farmer and the consumer stand the ex-
plotting class, compelling the farmer to
accept his price and the latter to pay
his demand.
| In order that these two classes, each
SO necessary to the others prosperity
might successfully cooperate. the
knights of Industry was formed for the
purpose of enabling those consumers
who SO desire, to realize upon their pat
ronage by sharing in The profits which
are now lost to them through the pres
ent wasteful methods OF distribution of
the necessaries of life.
| The Knights of Industry of America
| is city organization formed to cooper
ate with the Farmers union in its vari-
Gus cooperative enterprises. 1t is sep
arate organization with different secret
work and admits to its ranks workers of
every class, those not eligible to join
either the Farmers union or Knights Of
Industry being merchants, bankers,
lawyers, and those engaged in specula-
ton in agricultural products.
| The initiation fees and dues are the
same in both organizations, ~ initiation
fees and 81 per year dues to the state
| organization. Local lodges fix their own
dues Both orders are governed by the
initiative. referendum and recall, plac-
| ing all power in the hands of the mem
| bership.
The state dues to the Farmers' union
are payable October OF each year for
ensuing year. The national dues of the
Knights of Industry are payable on May
Ia of each year for ensuing year. The
knights of Industry have no state dues
Neither the Farmers union, nor the
knights of Industry, as organizations. be-
| ing fraternai in character own anything
| in common, except the right under its
charter from the state to initiate mem
bers, collect dues and enforce its own
laws upon its own members. Business
enterprises taking the name OF the or
ganization are composed of members
who desire to invest the money in such
enterprises, and no enterprise will be
endorsed by Farmers union or Knights
of Industry which does not share its
profits between capital and patronage.
These organizations maintain tnat all
| material wealth is created by the hand
! of labor, physical and mental, applied to
natural resources; that to the producer
belongs the product of his toll; that cap
| ital and patronage are equal factors in
business and should therefore share the
net profits of business equally and that
the present wasteful methods of doing
business can be improved by the intelli-
| gent cooperation of capital and patron
age proceeding along conservative busi-
ness lines.
Adhering to the principle, however. OF
sharing the profits between capital and
/ patronage. giving to capital what 1t de-
serves and to patronage what 1t earns.
| Until recently the efforts of our mem.
| bers have been confined to local compa-
nies and while they have been generally
successful from financial standpoint.
yet they are, as local concerns. subject
| to the same environments that surround
any small business Institution.
Realizing the limitations of local en-
Iterprises these two organizations in Col
orado have perfected Lians for great
store system and are now engaged in
putting in chain of stores throughout
the agricultural sections of the state
where the membership warrants and the
necessary capital and patronage can be
secured to insure successful operation.
The plan was perfected and endorsed
| by the Farmers union a. the state con-
vention September. 1909, and the Union
Trading Co. was incorporated In obedi
ence to the wish and command OF these
organizations.
| The Union Trading company is incor-
porated under the laws CT Colorado with
| a capital stock of 100000. all Of which
was placed in the treasury to be sold at
par Shares are 500 each. full paid
and worcestershire. In ordinary corpo-
rations all profits go to stockholders and