Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-06-30
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."J ,.rti,ixer plant tor It must be ap-
narent to al. The fertilixer deal sof
,his .tata reaches nearly 36000.000.
and "a before stated the farmers are
sasr- fnanced by the fertilizer man.
,,s.ct,rera. This method = - In the
interests OF the farmers OF ne. ana
while We would only be abFyso Turn
ish through mixing plant OF our
own q. small portion OF the goods re-
c,,;red. I submit that we should start
and gradually work up the volume OF
business necessary. In order to ac-
comnlish this reform we, must have
canitaI. II the moneyed interests -
the state will not finance our oper&-
ZION. then we must ind some other
method. I recommend thet this meet
ing take the matter under considera-
ton.
Banking systsn.
In order to properly finance our
various operations it is necessary
that we have banking system where
the farmers can borrow at a reason
able rate Of interest.
The bill now before Congress, If
enacted into law, will. think. fill
our requirements. If. however, the
Congress does not pass the bill
would recommend that we start CO.
operative banks, and thus be able to
lend our money to each other. also
recommend that this meeting discuss
the banking system. and try to arrive
at some conclusion as to what is
best to do at this time, and il unable
tn
turn all these questions over to the
Executive Board with instructions as
to how far to proceed. I would call
the attention of the delegates to GER
tain conditions that unfortunately ex-
list. These conditions we have been
looking for the reason that we have
had experience along that line.
New Unions are glad to accept the
good offices OF the Farmers Union, but
after getting their education and feel
Ing their strength they in some cases,
are like the boy who has become of
age and desires to start business on
his own account. This boy, however,
many times finds 1t to his interest to
consult the parent.
Our future depends upon the de-
hibit toward the Central Body. / will
go SO far as to say that II all the
Unions run independently that in Ave
years there will be but few Of them In
existence.
The character of the business in
which your Central organization is
engaged does not appear to be UNDER
stood by outsiders, or the member
ship. The idea appears to be that
the Farmers Union Is a separate bust
ness and its operations are carried on
for the profit Of individuals. Our
members have traded in this way for
so long that 1t is difficult for them to
realise the changed conditions. In the
faFtt place we organized "a our base
various local Unions. These local
Unions Knew that II they worked in
dependently Of each other that they
wond become competitors, both in
buying and selling. In the markets
they would each be struggling. for the
patronage of the buyers and in the
buying end they would be liable to
secure prices in accordance with the
volume OF business they transacted.
for example, let us suppose that the
TO Unions each made q separate con-
tract for their supply of fertilizer,
one would not know the price the
other was paying. After prices were
secured each would notify their mem
oerShip the price per ton. In this way
there would DO liable to be IS differ
ent prices. The Unions selling lower
than others would cause the other
Unions to cut prices provided the
price they paid would permit. Again
as there are not IS fertilizer manu-
facturers in the country and in fact
not over a half dozen, who will sell
farmers associations great difficulty
would be experienced in making con-
tracts and IN fact l do not know of
any condition that would be SO fortu
nate as to have our Unions work in
dependently. 1t would cause confus-
ion and antagonis,n among the farm
ers and finally bring about their ruin
TO avoid this the farmers came to-
gether for buying and selling purposes.
They combined their interests, and in or
der to have an organization through
which they could successfully work they
organized Statewide buying and SELL
ing agency which they called the Farm.
ers' Union Of Maine. They elected a
manager to act as their agent, and this
manager provided places for the locals to
buy and sell. The unions do not b,v
their fertilizer from the Farmers Union
of Maine. but from the company select
ed by the manager to supply them.
They pool their orders oy sending them
to this manager. and by this method no
Is able to 60 into the market and buy for
them in large quantities. When the
goods are sent out they are not sent to
the Farmers Union OF Maine, but to
the unions. The company makes out
their bill in tho name Of the local union
and the draft is taken up and the money
returned to the company who shipped
the goods. II q local union should have
the goods purchased by their local man
ager they would not say they were buy
ing from him. then why say that they
are buying from the Farmers, Union Of
Maine. The manager Of the Farmers
Union is an employee Of the locals and
as such he must remain
Therefore. when the local member.
ship buy goods on December payment
they neither buy from the Farmers
Union Of Maine nor their local. This is
entirely an individual transaction be.
tween the company furnishing the goods
and the indfvidual ThA cowroyx, +er..