The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1917-05-18
ACCUSE PRODUCE men
Of FORMING TRUST
COUNTY GROWERS
ORGANIZE TO ELIMINATE
MIDDLEMEN.

A constitution declaring war on
produce and commission houses of
Louisville and charging that these
houses have formed a trust in an
effort to control food crops and pric-
es for the next year" has been adopt
ed by farmers of Jefferson County for
| the organization of the Fern Creek
Growers Association.
The associations object is TO elm
mate the Louisville "middlemen"
form their dealings, and to establish
Offices for selling the products of JEFF
! ferson County farmers direct to the
householder.
In a statement made at the or
ganization meeting of the associa-
ton, held Saturday night at Union
Hall, Fern Creek, j. b. Berry, fruit
grower, and president of the associa-
ton, declared commission houses and
produce men of Louisville have form
ed a trust"
He said farmers of the county no
longer regard the dealers of this city
individually, but have been compell-
ed to sec them collectively. Mr.. Ber-
ry declared that, in an effort to Sc
cure control of Louisville's food sup
ply coming from jefferson county,
the produce dealers have been max
ing contracts with farmers for crops
that will not be out of the ground for
months.
Last year, he averred, farmers of
Jefferson county, thru the work of
the so-called trust" lost more than
$4,000, while the trust reaped a
harvest from the under-paid- for
crops.
In a statement made last night,
Mr.. Berry declared farmers were told
by Louisville dealers that they would
be compelled to sell their output to
them again this year. as they could
not get enough cars to take away
their products on account of the car
shortage.
Mr.. Berry was appointed by the
association to interview Brent Arnold,
freight manager of the Big Four, and
will confer with him this morning
When dealers from Chicago came
TO louisville seeking to purchase
food supplies, Mr.. Berry charged.
they were stopped by representatives
of Louisville middlemen and sold
products of Jefferson county farmers
at eXorbitant prices. The farmer, he
said, was not given the slightest op-
portunity OF even talking to out-of-'
town purchasers, and turned over
his entire crop to the middlemen.
After addresses were made by 9TH
er growers, the farmers drew up a
constitution for the new association,
declaring the only remedy for these
evils was the elimination of alleged
trust" and the disposal of their pro-
ducts direct to the consumer.
One OF the chief objects of the as
ooNhatioh VIII 10 " tHt pres
ent high cost of foodstuffs to the con-
sumner. Mr.. Berry, has asked the CO.
operation of the Louisville public in
the campaign.
A mass-meeting, at which final
plans will be outlined, will be held
Thursday night at Union Hall. Roy
Roman. of Fern Creek, is secretary
of the association.
Last year, according to Mr.. Berry,
Strawberries were purchased by Lou
isville dealers from the farmer at
eighty cents a crate of seven gallons. F.
The dealer then sold them to Louis /
vile consumers at $3.50 and to Chi
cago consumers at $3.50. The as
ISOLATION plans to give them to Lou
isville consumers this summer at
$3.50 and still eliminate the great |
loss the farmers suffered last year.
Every variety of food-potatoes
onions, corn and fruits-will be in
cluded in reductions which the as
ISOLATION hopes to make.