Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1911-11-30


~ get somewhere in the matter
of solving the problem of high
prices. 1t is modification of the CO.
operative stores system, originating i'll
England and now in existence in
many nations of Europe. In England
1t is known as the ROchdale plan,
which is familiar to most readers, at
Of the grange are the prime movers.
working with Il number of business
men, who have organized to bring the
producer and retailer together, thus
cutting out the middlemen. The plan
is first to be tried out in New York
and if success there will be extend
ed to every large city in the country.
The oranges. of the states of New
York and Pennsylvania are already en-
listed in the campaign. and it Is the
hope of those in charge that members
of the order throughout the nation
will fall in line Indeed. the ultimate
design is to get the farmers generally
interested. whether they belong to the
organization or not. The claim is made
that the farmers now receive only {;
small per cent of the price charged the
consumer. There is Il margin of 100. 2OO
and even 800 per cent or more, ana
most of this enormous profit goes to
the middlemen. BY bringing the pro-
Queer and retailer together the price
to the farmer will be increased and
that to the consumer reduced. This
is the theory ut least. and that 1t will
work out in practice is proved by the
cooperative system abroad and by the
grange stores already in existence.
These present grange stores are small
potatoes. however. compared to the
immense system now planned. They
were intended 10. members of the or
ganization alone. The new scheme is
for everybody.
To Conquer New York.
The head men in the undertaking
have already organized themselves
into what they call the United Stores
association This has been going on
quietly for more than Il year laying
the groundwork. Now it is ready to
begin active operations. There was
considerable difficulty in tinan ing the
venture. presumably fer Tie reason
that enormous business interests
would naturally oppose Il cooperative
undertaking. Money was finally rails
ed in Philadelphia. and now the as
80 .iation claims Il solid financial back
ing New York Offices nave been es
tablished
Some of the big men in the venture
are {. Paul IIagenlOcher. the presi-
dent. who is a banker aud director in
various concerns. including the Lacka-
wanna Coal and Lumber company. the
Tippecanoe Securities company and
the Republic Trust company: Roland
Onnfroy, first vice president and chair
man of the executive committee. doe
tor in sciences. literature and law. eX-
member of the chambers of commerce
of San Francisco and Seattle. former
vice president and general manager OF
Pacific American fisheries. former vice
president and general manager lie
Patrimoine Life and Accident 1nsur
nee company and the real father OF
the plan: Patrick Egan. second vice
president. who was once minister to
Chile; Walter s. Pore. treasurer. for
mer eastern manager of the Roya
Baking Powder company; +. +. Ohm
sted. secretary and director of pub
lefty, former advertising manager o,
Shredded Wheat company. also of the
H-O company. and eX-secretary of the
board of trade of Niagara Falls
George T. Powell of the New Iorl
state grange. and ]. W. Kielgaard o.
the Pennsylvania state Crange-quitt
an imposing array of names. especial
" when compared with the twenty
eight poor weavers who started the
Rochdale plan in England and WIN
had to save up several months before
they had $40 to open their first tin!
basement store. The world move
however. and this is America and tn
twentieth century. We travel taste
now. and il takes money to oil th'
wheels IT required long years for tn
Rochdale weaVers to make Il dent o.
the business system of England, an
these United Stores and grange folk
EXPECT to do big things right away.
Charge Of the Grange Brigade.
When ready to launch the enternri
publicly fifty grangers from Pennsr'
Nania descended on New York. gave
banquet or two visited the marcr
who made one Of his hest speeche~
started the Push Terminal stores :,
South Brooklyn % central diStrih"
ing station. and tho first thing ~
me knew the New York newspapn"
awakened to the fact that there "
something new on earth. The rcd
lion of prices is a popular subject i
the metropolis. for probably AZ +
point on the planets surface are prinr
higher. Therefore the proposition
lower prices naturally appeals to III
readers of these papers. and hence T.
the papers themselves. Also when tn