The Lynden tribune. [volume] (Lynden, Wash.) 1908-current, 1915-04-08

~ you 6lNC lnlO inlpl lildllOn W
members
Yes, anything they want to
know"
Here is sixty dollars for mem
bership. Now as a member ! under
stand that / am entitled to answers
to these questions. This purports
to be a cooperative company. You
now have nearly five thousand men,
bers. largely among the farmers of
| this state, who have been led to be
lieve that they were to be given ey-
cry detail to enlighten them fully on
the operations of this company.
! Nov. see here" said Mr.. Knud-
sen, "you know as well as | do that
We have to deal with all classes of
people, many of whom don't under
stand business very well, and there
are some of these things which they
would get suspicious of right away
and give us a lot of trouble. If you
want to give us writeup and treat
us fairly all right. But | don't like
this thing of your coming in and
trying to get up an article that will
do us lot of harm"
Il asked a little while ago If
there was any inside company profit
ing by the sale of stock You said
no. Now is there any officer or in
dividual who is profiting from these
sales?''
| Yes" replied the secretary, o.
c. Fowler, after some hesitation,
there is. There is private con-
tract with Mr.. Knudsen by which
he receives rs per cent of all sales
of stock. l believe | am correct in
making this statement, am | not
Mr.. Knudsen?"
! Yes, Mr.. Fowler, that is cor
rect" replied Mr.. Knudsen.
Now them" repeated the ques-
toner, "as a member of this COM
pany l am entitled to know just how
much money has been taken in on
| the sales of stock to members and
what you have to show for it i'll the
| way of a stock of merchandise as
well as to know in detail just what
became of the difference
| WELL said Mr.. Knudsen. ct
looks to me as though you are try
ing to do an injury to this enter-
prise. Here we are trying to make
a success of cooperation and for
the benefit of all the people and in
stead of helping us you will go out
and do a lot of damage"
Here" said the manager. ]. p.
Dabney, lis an issue of our house
organ, edited by F. ]. Chamberlain,
second vice president ard mem
Der of the grange. 1t will explain
to you a good deal about what we
are endeavoring to do"
IT." said the interviewer, Mr.
Chamberlain will write an article
dealing with the facts relating TO
this company We will publish IT."
After some further conversation
by which it was shown that the nj
ficers were not willing to impart
any additional information, the rep
resentative departed. Letters Were
then directed by this journal 20
both the company direct and to Mr.
Chamb erlain. asking that the data
requested be furnished. Mr.. Cham
berlain. who lives at Puyallup, came
to Seattle two or three days later
when the representative of this
journal again went over to the COM
pany's office and met him.
"Mr. Chamberlain, l have beer
company and the other officers seem
somewhat reluctant to enlighten
me, although a member. You are 6
director and vice-presdent of this
institution Are you able to tell me
just how much money has been TAX
en- in on sales of stock and what tie
assets of this company now are?"
81 don't attempt to keep posted
on the details of the business" re-
piled Mr.. Chamberlain. Il AIN busy
running my fruit ranch
81 understand that more than one
hundred thousand dollars has been
paid in for memberships and that
there is only about twenty thous-
and dollars in stocks on hand. Is
this correct?"
II could not say. The other of
Ulcers of the company who are here
are the ones from whom 90 get mat
information"
IF it were true that such a large
sum has been paid in by the mem
bers and so small a showing in as
sets. don't you think that the
members have been paying a pretty
heavy price for their present stock
OF goods?"
We'll, you know" repiled Mr..
Chamberlain. "it costs good deal
to work up any business | haven't
examined the figures because that
isn't in my line"
Are you aware that the presiden
of the company has a private con-
tract by which he receives % PEI
cent on all sales of stock?"
Yes. l know about it"
Il see. You don't consider it ont
of the way? Now on page Is of
the booklet circulated to At rae
new members appears the followin z
flat statement: The officers and en-.
ployes will draw reasonable salaries
and otherwise will not profit enc
cent from the business
There is no promoter stock. bonus
or graft" of any sort 1t would
seem as though this statement
which is in the nature of pledge
to members. is being violated.
would like to ask whether you VIII
assist in giving the full facts and
figures showing the manner in
which this business is being I'm.
am making this request of yun be
cause you are being featured IS 2
prominent farmer, you are set fortr
in the prospectus as a leader of The
state grange and a promoter Of he
principle of cooperation. note
that in your annual address 20 the
members of this company you said
In successful cooperation we must
have confidence Confidence does
not breed in the dark. but in the
broad glare of the sunlight, so il
YOU are in the dark demand that tie