Saturday news. (Watertown, S.D.) 19??-19??, 1912-09-12
GRAIN DEALERS, CONVENTION
tsontineud From Page SKI
operative movement Of the state dur
ing the next legislature (introduced
by Chan. Boreson of Ethan.
Passed by rising vote. 4
PURE FOOD LAW RESOLUTION

Manager Iyer S. Henjum Of Hart
ford brought up the subject OF the
pure food laws enforcement as ap-,
piled to grain shippers. According to
the present inter ation, he feared
that elevator companies would incur
fines of $1,000 for shipping heated or
defective grain, even when not them
selves to- blame, even when 1t may
have been right when shipped. He
implied that some protest against this
interpretati on Of the law was de-
manded by the elevators interests and
especially desired its discussion,
& It was discussed at length. There
appeared a sentiment among the
delegates that they ought not to at
tack the law when it happens to strike
themselves, while UNFOLDING it as APP
piled to other classes and interests
Manager McGovern, Of Madison,
made this point: Managers should be
careful to avoid taking damp grain,
should refuse it and take pains to
avoid blame. E
Mr.. Kelly of Colman, insisted that
the law as whole is good and could
not be made to punish shippers unless
1t could be shown that they We're to
blame, /. e., had intent to ship rotten
grain. q
After further discussion, Mr.. Hen
jun introduced resolution instruct
ing the board Of directors of the State
Association to investigate the law
and DR.. Wiley's application OF 1t with
a view of having any injustice to
shippers remedied. III
Resolutions on the Ruling Of the Pure
Food Laws.
Resolved, That the officers and di.
rectors OF this Association be instruct
ed to investigate the rulings and in
terpretations of the present pure food
laws Of our country by Dr.. Wiley's
Department of Agriculture pertaining
to the seizure Of grain interstate
traffic and declared by government
inspectors to be in decomposed or
heating condition and the subjecting
of the shipper of said grain to fine
whether such grain was in a market
able condition or not at time of ship
ment; also to take the proper steps
to protect the interests of the coop
eratiye shipping associations in &C.
cordance with their best Judgment.
Introduced by I. S. Henjum Of Hart
ford, S. Oak. i# III
In the afternoon there was thor
ough discussion OF the account prob
lem started by a paper by Manager
McGovern of Madison. He insisted
that each company should have its
books audited once a month by a
competent and impartial accountant.
In his company 1t is done by the
cashier of local bank at small ex-
pense.
This application Of simple business
principles to cooperative business Is
demanded in justice both to the stock
holders and the manager.
He told Of one elevator company
which went along for threee years
without a cutoff and auditing. They
did good business, paid dividends
right along and thought everything
rosy.
At a change Of managers, the new
man demanded an auditing before he
would take charge Of the business. 1t
cost the company $500 to have the
auditing done and it showed the com.
Z pany $1,000 short. #
Mr.. McGovern put the blame for
such disasters upon the poor man.
agement of directors. He favored the
state association employing com.
petent auditor.
Mr.. w. P. Manning, manager Of
the Fairview Company, concurred in
the Importance Of good bookkeeping
and frequent audits. In his company
Z the secretary was very thorough and
3 competent, and has done the work sat
isfactorily. Il;
Mr.. p. w. Anderson of Willow
Lakes told how an elevator company
organized there many years ago, had
s lasted only nine months, failed and
the property disappeared. The farm.
( ers who had put good honest money
into the venture never knew how, IT
happened !. A. few8years since they
formed another very successful com.
pany and have retired merchant
keep their books for a moderate sal
airy.
MIR. Anderson told how their board
divided the responsibility between
four committees, one each for grain
coal, outstanding accounts, etc, and
this made the work easier as we'll as
more effective.