Rocky Ford enterprise., 1913-09-19
Still WORKING
ON HIS scheme
To Eliminate Middleman in
Fruit and Cattle Business
THACKER HAS CONE
BROKE PUSHING PLAN
But Asserts That He'll flake Conn
mission Men and Railroads Give
Up III Gotten Spoiis

Writing from Denver under
date of Sept. Is s. A. Thacker
has the following to say regard
ing the article in The Enterprise
of few weeks back that he was
embarked, upon utopian scheme
for the organization of the fruit
and cattle interests of the Arkan-
sas valley, TO sell all products of
this rich agricultural and stock
section direct to the consumer at
prices far below those exacted by
the middlemen:
Editor Enterprise:
Have just received copy of your paper
containing report Of my plans. OF course
this is very much newspaper talk. but IL
you will watch little you will see what
comes from it. Ibelieve there will be a
few robbing teaches of banks. commits
sion men. express companies and rail-
roads that will sit up little nights and
study some about my plans.
What have been working on is little
more money for the farmers. and I'll get
it before | get through. although they
broke me and have lost all my crop
this year. | have an expose before the
grand jury that will make some news
for you.
have never seen a newspaper in the
Arkansas Valley yet that has tried to
help the people break the fruit shippers.
oantaloupe distributors. railroads and ex-
press companies combine. The farmers
have been highway robbed in paying
from l 2 to is cents for crates. or about
$50 per thousand for sall Jumbsrs have
shipped melons that have not raid ex-
press and freight charges. This may be
a crazy dream. but will say that If your
paper and others will take up the icing
charges Of $50 car on melons and S25
on vegetables for ice that can be put in
for about $40 and SIS you can cut that
down, also the crate trust, and il the far
mer got that he might pay off some Of
his mortgages.
Why don't you take up the high price
of coal to the people and low to the su-
gar trustP will try and see about it.
Yours. S. A. Thaoker
That Mr.. Thacker tried to have
Congressman Klndel take the
matter of overcharge on melons
up with the interstate commerce
commission, but found that gen.
tleman had troubles enough of
his own just now with fixing the
parcel post, Is evident from the
following letter inclosed with Mr..
Thacker's:
HOUSE oE REPRESENTATIVES
Washington, D. c.. Sept. 9
Mr.. S. A. Thacker. Rocky Ford. Colo.
Dear Sir:-I have your letter of Sept.
6, relating to charges for transportation
of melons from Rocky Ford to Pueblo
and Denver.
fear that am not now in position
to do anything effective for you on the
icing charge on melons from Rocky Ford.
1t is intra-state business and the Inter-
state Commerce Commission has MOTH
ing to do with it. 1t would have to be
taken up with the State Railway Com
mission, and |. being far out of touch
with the local situation in Colorado, am
not in a position to present the matter
effectively.
have been noticing frequent refer
ences to your fight to bring the Arkan-
sas Valley producers in close touch with
the Denver consumers. | hope you are
making a success of it. If | had been in
Denver should have been glad to give
you any help could in the transporta-
ton end of the battle. But am putting
in my time down here in Washington
trying to get the parcel post developed
to point where you can make use of it,
sending packages weighing 100 pounds
instead Of only 20 pounds.
think it will not be very long before
we will get the parcel post into shape
where it will force both express and
freigh, rates down to where they should
be. regret that can give but little at
tention to local matters in Colorado while
| am working on this subject, but shall
be glad to see you and talk with you on
such matters when return to Denver
next month.
cinceyaly vouys