The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1911-05-31
WHERE COOPERATION sue.
CEEDS.
Remarkable Achievement i'm Selling
Farm Produce i'm Virginia-The
Eastern Shore Exchange an Essen
tally Cooperative AfYair-HOw to
Inaugurate an Exchange.
f.. w. ID.


|
In conducting the business each
shipping season, Of the Eastern Shore
of Virginia produce exchange, it is
the purpose to protect at all hazards
the brands under which the goods are
sold II no defects appear, the goods
are given the now farIOLs Red Star
Brand" of the exchanse. which ap-
pears conspicuously on the burlap top
of every barrel. This trademark is
registered under the national copy
right law, and infringements are
prosecuted. The brand has now
national reputation among produce
dealers, insures the goods of the ex-
change very general preference,
and on sorne markets where 1t Is best
and most fdvorably known enables
them to command a premium Of 10
10 20 cents a barrel.
Last year the organization spent
over $4,000 upon its inspection sys-
/ tenn. In order to secure more con-
spicuous and attractive package 1t
introduced the innovation Of a neatly
printed cover of new burlap in place
! % the old, roughly stenciled one of
! second hand material.
In practice this has been found the
most difficult OF all the Exchanges
! principles to apply owing mainly to
1 certain easily imagined forces oil hu-
1 man nature operating between the To-
! cal inspector and the farmer, whose
/ approval he must retain or lose his
Joh. and to the sadly general tendency
OF motives of immediate self-inter-
est TO prevail over those Of the gem
eral and ultimate good. 1t is GER
tainly a principle pregnant with
great possibilities. however, and one
in which the large exchange gives
| hope of great future development.
Equipment.
.. The maintenance of ample
| equipment and the employment of
highly specialized salesmanship and
! a high order OF business ability in the
management OF its affairs. The lib
eral policy Of placing efficiency above
cheapness has prevailed in the man
agement of the exchange, though al
ways bitterly opposed by a numerous
faction of pennywiSe economists The
| exchange began business in a low
! frame shack, 14X20 feet. Last Year
1t completed the erection and equip
! building having nearly 5000 square
feet Of floor space and provided with
all the facilities for doing business
eXpeditiously and efficiently to be
= found in modern city Offices
From the telephone switchboard in
this building five trunk lines radlate,
giving instantaneous communication
with the local agency at each Of the
IL shipping points and long distance
connection with all the eastern cities
| The general manager OF the ex-
change, w. a. Burton, who with the
| secretary a. j. McMath
has been with it from the start. and
with him has contributed tremen-
dously to- its upbuilding, has had 90
years experience in selling produce,
a a IN lint Ncr
the personnel Of the trade, and is by
general consent one of the few most
capable produce statesmen IN Ameri-
ca He receives now a salary OF $5,-
900 year.
While this looks like big wages
for an agricultural section, 1t repre-
sents but a slight contribution from
the individual member who In re-
turn gets the benefit OF the most
expert and mighty trained salesman
ship In the marketing OF his entire
crop. The true economy OF paying
this price becomes apparent when
one reflects that a difference Of only
10 cents barrel on one days sales
In the highly complex operation OF
procuring from a multitude Of widely
scattered markets the best price OBJ
tainable for a tremendous quantity of
highly perishable goods OF rapIdly
huctuatlng value would pay this sal,
airy for an entire year.