Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1910-01-27
A PATRONS EXCHANGE
Why Cooperation In Connecticut
Is Likely to Succeed.

change and Keep Prices and Arrange
ments to Themseves-This Is Said to
Be the Secret of Successful Co. opera
tive Buying Farmers Supplies.
On Feb. %, 1909. committee APP
pointed by the state grange organised
the Patrons Exchange of Connecticut,
with q president, vice president, secre-
tary. treasurer and manager, an exec
utiye committee of three and an ad
visory board consisting OF one from
each Pomona district, of which there
are ten in the state. The exchange
buys for Patrons aOy article that they
may wish. 1t is also endeayoring to
furnish Il market for them. They have
been able TO get duCjpg the past year
291a cents per pound for Connecticut
unwashed wool. which was lla to
cents per pound mors than jobbers
would give.
The exchange tackles anything in
the line OF business for its members.
1t claims to be the only association in
the east that has been dble TO buy coal
at the mines. The exchange is run on
the principle OF simon pure co-opera-
ton" says Mr. Healey - IS necPssa-
ry TO have some standing and credit In
order 20 do business. Therefore they
charge those who wish 70 Join the eX
change So. This entities them to all
the benefits oI the exchange so l0ag
as they remain in good standing III
some subordinate grange. 70 all SUsh
members the exchange does business
for eSact cost. The members send ia
for quotations on what they want, aud
che exchange sends back the lowest
quotations. they can get from the man
ufacturpr or such source as the article
wanted comes from There 20 no cred
ic allowed to any member, III cash or
it's equivalent has 10 accompany the
order.
The way they support the exchange
is the Important point. Or course II
costs something 10 do bnsfpNss. II
costs something 10 buy articles feu
metubers- and it costs To DISPOSE of
their products fOY them. When ~
member ks,Ys -four which costs ST per
barrel he knows that is just what hp
! will have BE- pay for the -four plus the
! COST OF doing the business. which Is
] the brokerage added to the cost. 1t Is
noticeable in THIS, many have inquired
| how business could be haHdled so
! cheaply. Up to- this time thsy have
never hats a complaint ON Brokerage:
Ii has BEEN left to the manager To
I charge up to- each member tue COST OF
!
I one important feature-that 4, ii costs
So "a, do business for one member and
10 cents tss do business for another the
I one. member pays his So and the other
his 10 cents There are mol pro rata
charges. SO, there is no opportunity Tor
| complaint In selling prodLet' through
the exchange it is just the same. each
Individual pays the cost OF handing
his product
Cue of the strong points or ths' ex
change is that 1t is not bo1nd to- any
spsoial manufacturer. but can geI suct
articles as the members want and are
not obliged to take such articles as tint
association does not wano to handle
1T is surprising" says Mr. Healey
10, see. the variety OF requests ina
come in. Of course our ing business
IL. done in coal. grain. groceries,. daE!
supplies household Furnishings. bar
i nesses and blankets, but Ne lave tur
nished watches. boots and shoes, al.
l goods. crea IN separatorsa. silos,, SEWN,
? mac hines. carpets, rugs, vacuum eieah
: ers. washing machines, jewsiry, sun
U scriotions TO magaZin IS, eta:.. TO GU
members
: The essential to tia. success OF q
exchange of this ,kina, is sscrecy, an
II they are continually hammering tna
IL idea into their members through CO.
= respondence. to- keaP' prices ano u
engagements to themselves. Anothe
u method Of keeping. secrecy is that 10
- exchange recognizes no. individual
anything. Everything is shipped
the Patrons Exchange ana the men
bers' goods are marked with a priva
Is mark so that the manufacturers kno
re nothing but the Patrons Exchange an
e. the railroads and those outside kno
III no one except the Parons' Exchange
I. The exchange. has been organize
III but nine months. bat It has done Sot
ne 900 or 100000 worth Of business.
% believe il is organized OH the rig
AZ principle. and also believe the pii
"a worthy q trial when nation wide coo
III erative. buying and selling are to be
tempted