The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1911-10-19
JOIN PRODUCERS
AND CONSUMERS
System Through Which Retail
ers Buy From Farmers.
ELIMINATES THE MlODLEMAM.
Secretary Wilson Has Advocated Some
Such Plan-Reeent Report Shows
How Prices Are Doubled-What Des
Moines Has Done.
By JAMES A. EDGERTON.

Moines Has Done.
By JAMES A. EDGERTON.
"HAT the consumers of the cities
have been compelled to pay
from two to five times as much
for food products as those
products cost on the farms is a fact
that has slowly been sinking home in
the American mind That this is the
great cause of high prices has also be-
come general conviction. How to
meet the situation has been the ques-
ton. The common sense answer is
that the farmer and consumer must
get together. This cannot be done in
dividually. or at least it is not done
Therefore the only way is for it to
be done collectively. Luckily the CO.
operative movement in other parts of
the world furnishes an object lesson
as to the way it may be accomplished.
A cooperative movement that would
bring about direct contact between the
producer and the consumer or be-
tween the producer and the retailer
would eliminate most of the profits
that have been going to a number Of
middlemen. This is the high prices
question in nutshell. Until the
American people are ready to protect
themselves by following common sense
and buying their produce direct from
the farms, or as nearly SO as can be
contrived, they will continue to be i'm
posed upon. The present system
gouges in two directions. forcing down
the prices the farmer receives and
forcing up the prices the consumer
pays. Yet the producers and consum-
ers constitute the vast bulk of the
population. Their salvation is in their
own hands. All they need is to come
together for their mutual benefit and
provide machinery for direct commerce
between them.
This machinery is already being
fashioned by the grange that has had
long term of preliminary training in
the grange stores. In the city of New
York the grangers and business men
working with them have formed the
United Stores association for the ex-
press purpose of bringing together pro-
Queer and retailer. The plan has been
set forth in the prospectus of the com
pany, from which liberal extracts are
made. This prospectus was written
by Roland Onnfroy, founder and exc
cutive chairman of the United Stores
associa ton.
Cooperation the Only Way.
The continuous rise in the prices OF
the necessaries of life, with the. con-
| sequent pressure upon the consumers
| due largely to unnecessary intermedi-
ums and costly methods Of distribu-
| ton, suggests that the time is oppor-
tune for the Introduction in the United
States Of an improved system for the
sale and distribution of all commod.
| tiles to the consumers.
Distributive cooperation Is now the
only possible and efficiently tested rem
edy against the evils Of the high cost
Of living.
To Great Britain belongs the honor
of having placed the cooperative
movement on sound, modern, com
mercial basis and of having made il
the greatest Industrial force in the
world" The English method consists
in the organization of societies" (cor
porations, whose primary and gener
ally sole object is the purchase and
distribution of all necessaries and com
modities of life-eQuality and full
measure being essential-for the ex
elusive benefit of their members, who
are at the same time the stockholders
returning to them 1.-The largest portion
Of the profit upon cost" included in the
retail selling price.
This profit upon COST" known as
the dividend" is paid in cash to each
member Of the cooperative society
chases In the store of his society.
Settlements are made quarterly
Besides his dividend" the member
receives interest on his stock at rate
varying from to per cent per an
mum.
In the payment of this cash dividend
quarterly to the member. an idea
which must be credited to Robert
Owen. lie probably the strength and
the greatest cause of the popularity
and stupendous growth of the coop
erative movement in the British Isles
The gigantic movement. started in
1914 with the humblest beginning. was
Of very slow growth, having had te
carry on for over forty years the hard
est conceivable fight against the com
bined forces of the manufacturing
wholesale and retail selling, banking
und legislative representatives Of the
nation.
But it was fight of the wage earn
ers. the people against abuses and ex
tortion on the part Of the distributors
and retailers Of the necessaries of life
| Their cause was just They were en-
titled in exchange for their hard cara
ed money to receive full value for Their
purchases Of all necessaries of life
They won because their cause was
i just.
| In the last twenty years the Nigh,
OF right has become the might Of mum
her and has placed cooperation il