Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1913-06-25
COO TH II
1000 STRONG
Assembly Park at Willmar The
Scene Of Notable Gathering
= Last Thursday.

Last thursday.
The Cos operative picnic held at
Assembly Park last Thursday was
attended by a crowd estimated to
have numbered two thousand people.
Approximately fifteen hundred par
ticipated in the dinner which was
served by the ladies, bountiful sup
plies having been brought from the
country as well as the city. All the
cooperative store movements in the
county were we'll represented at the
meeting. =,
In the afternoon wind storm ac-
companied by rain frightened large
number to leave early, but the big
auditorium was we'll filled with par
Elephants to hear the speaking pro-
gram. The Willmar Military Band
under the leadership of Theo. Olson,
contributed number Of selections
Of stirring music. Hon. P. H. Frye
was the chairman of the meeting and
made some preliminary remarks. He
introduced as the first speaker Of
the afternoon, Gov. A. 0. Eberhart.
The governor launched into one of
his characteristic speeches. He COM
plimented the co-operators Of Kan
diyohi county on the success of their
movement. He touched on the edu-
cational question and urged the MAX
ing Of farm life attractive by pro-
viding music in the homes. He said
he had many loyal friends in Kandi-
yohi for which he was thankful. He
also had opposition which he was
also duly thankful. In common with
all people, he knew he was not fault
less and knew he had made mistakes.
but he was trying to profit by these
mistakes and thought that a better
understanding was being arrived at.
A kicker is useful often times, while
knocker is destructive. He defined
kicker as one who complains to the
responsible party in the hope Of bet
tering conditions, while the knocker
goes about criticizing promiscuously
to everybody, but to the proper par
ty. He said his administration had
been successful in enforcing laws,
and spoke of the necessity Of regu-
lating public service corporations,
but made no direct mention Of the
special session Of the legislature
which he expects to call this fall.
He closed with a quotation Of poetry
and was given a round Of hearty ap-
plause. Throughout his remarks a
windstorm was raging outside, rain
battered on the roof and occasional
ly Thor would rumble with his char
lot through the clouds. This led the
governor to compliment the com
mnnity= on having SO good a =building
on their picnic grounds for protec-
ton against sudden showers. The
rainstorm was sweet music to all,
however, for the fields were in great
need Of moisture.
The next speaker was J. A. WYE
of the st. Paul Dispatch, formerly
with the Agricultural department OF
the State University. He was all ell
tertaining talker and spoke at some
length on the significance Of the CO.
operative movement. He advocated
the addition Of the cooperative
laundry to the cooperative cream
cry, which would relieve the farmers
wife of some of the heaviest drudg.
cry.
| J. R. Morley Of Owatonna, asso.
ciate editor Of the Minnesota Dairy.
man, was next called on. Will.
complimenting the people of thu
county for their success in cooper
ative merchandising, he called atten
ton to the fact that the co-opera
: tive creameries of Kandiyohi coun
|ty are losing ground, and stated al
, his opinion that the first concern O.
| the farmers should be the manufac
ture and proper marketing Of thei
own produce. He could not see tn
. logic in cutting out the middleme1
on one side only, and then turnin!
over the profits Of one of their mos
important productive enterprises t.
the centralizers. He gave one in
stance of man who was receiving
a monthly check of over $500 fror
a herd Of % COWS, but thought i
would be difficult to realize sue
profits if the farmers themselve
lose control Of the butter industry.
A number Of local people wer
then called ON for remarks. OF thes
Atty. Chas. johnson and V. E. Law