The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1910-10-01
FARMERS UNION IN INDIANA
Agents of Organization to Des. Direct
With Commission Men and
Grain Dealers.

Il Within a short tine paid organizers
will be in all parts of Indiana In an
effort to organize Indiana farmers into
union devoted to seH-interest. Steps
have been taken to raise a fund for
the disposal of millions of dollars
worth of grain from central depot
in Indianapolis, and elevators and 9th
er buildings are to be erected, ac-
cording to the plans, and from these
agents OF the farmers will sell their
products direct to shippers and con-
| sumers.
The first object is to secure indie
pendence in the handling OF. products,
and the second is to get rid of the
middlemen and retain the profit they
are presumed to make. There is to
be no individual dealing with COM
mission men and grain dealers, but
the agents at the big storehouses and
elevators are to deal with these men.
for the advantage of all the farmers
whose interests are intrusted to their
charge.
| The 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 a man is deVoting himself
to the raising of wheat. corn and oats,
or whether he is fruit grower or .
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
ganization and will be selected because
of the success that they have had in
managing their own affairs.
It is expected that the site for a
large storehouse will be selected at In
dianapolis in short time and that the
capital of 100000, 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
not sell except through the farmers
agencies If the project was so pushed
that there was certainty Of begin
ming business by the first OF the COM
ing year.
1t seems that committee of the
Farmers Educational and Co-operar
tive union has been investigating
quietly for the past year and that 1t
has reported conditions in respect to-
the market that is giving decided
impetus to the movement for dlspos-
ing of all crops through their own
agents and from central point, with
branches perhaps in other parts OF the
state It 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 u to %
cents, according to the supply on the
market. In respect to raspbervies 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 a 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-
sumer 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
concerned, is about 83 1-3 per cent
The million-dollar 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
through the hands of men who are
not interested In beating down the
price to the producer and boosting IL
to the consumer.
It is denied that the new organize
ton is actuated In any sense by the
sentiments of trust or that 1t pro-
posed to work along trust lines. Prod
ucts are not to be kept in cold stor-
age. 1t is declared. when they are in
season and until the season passes
and high prices can be demanded. but
everything is to be sold when it is
ready for market and for prices that
will increase the profit Of the producer
and at the same time reduce the price
to the consumer.