Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1910-09-27
WILL ATTACK POOL SELLING
"i'ai Wool Growers Plan Assou,t
at Portland Convention.

Mt, annual convention of the
N"'iohal Wool Growers association i,
ortand this winter. The charges n
NC ihade against it are that If disoorr
ages progress IN improving quality or
'he staple, and encourages sIotb and
neglect. oiiu
Instances to back up the argument
w'ii De drawn from Oregon, especially
'ie west side district. Some dealers
anu probably some of the most pro-
s'esslVe growers will be charged with
the items of weakness in tho noo1
soIihs system, and they are to be so
'U'iy presented that the National asso-
| ciali"h' which is essentially for i'm
proved product and conditions must
'h"orse the demand that pooling
cease That all wool be put on the mar
Hel recording. to its grade, and that
every grower be held to a strict stand
ard' Just as is being done by the pro-
sressive apple grower.
Pool selling in western Oregon has
come to be serious menace TO Ore
CONS wool industry" declared a prom
lnent dealer this morning, "and we
want to have the problem thoroughly
aired at the coming session of the Ma
tlonal convention in Portland.
Let me illustrate. Take three grow
ers Tor instance. One has wool worth |
on the market but 16 cents, another
l8 and still another's product may be
easily worth 2S cents. This range is
possible in one little community, al
though all are shearing thoroughbred |
sheep. The present practice is for
these growers to pool their entire out
put, and put it up at auction to the
highest bidder. A buyer must take all |
or none. He must pay the same price
for the wool which is worth 2S cents
as for that which is really worth but
16. The result of this is that an aver
age is struck, wherein the man with |
the good wool lowers his returns and
the man with the poor wool gets more
than he is entitled to receive
Mark the effect of this in growing.
Three men are engaged in the industry
in the same district. One is progress
sive man, and gets the best wool
stock, regardless of the mutton value
of the sheep. The second man has an
Indifferent lot of sheep, perhaps a
mixture of several breeds. The third
pays no attention to stock in selecting.
A grower purchasing the best stock
will take probably good care, seeing
that the animal is kept in good, clean
pasture, where the fleece is protected
md preserved white and beautiful.
Number 2 gives a little attention to
he protection of his Indifferent flock,
)ut number does nothing, permit
ing his flock to range in the brush at
will, run through charred districts,
and discoloring the fleece,
md turning off a class of wool that is
n no demand. When selling time
.Omes the man who has spent time
md money to keep the quality of his
WOOL high and preserve the fleece
lean, loses a few cents pound in the
process of pool selling, to
,ull the negligent and Indifferent man
through.
This is a positive discOuragement
o progress, and can be of no benefit
o any element of the community that
hould be protected. The practice
) wholly contrary to the spirit of Ore
on excellence. See what Hood River
oes with apples. An association sells
he entire product of the community, 4,
ut the strictest watch is kept to see
hat every apple comes up to fixed
tandard. With the wool people, the
ool sells, but no attention whatever /
; given quality. Good wool is dragged
own by the bad. Poor work is paid
igher returns than it should receive,
,hile good work receives less. Every
rincinle that has made Hood River
,mous is negatived in the wool pool.
"This is wrong. Western oregon
an and will produce the finest wool
T the world in due time, but never
an do so while the incentive remains
,r inferiority, rather than excellence
mr. wool growers must grade their
roduct, make every grower stand by
is grade and make pools or districts
and by every fleece sent out under
,eir names. Strict grading, instead Oh
ooling is the need Of the hour, else
. can never attain any part of that
,cellence won by Australia which has ,
le fame of furnishing the standard
ool of the market"