The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1917-02-18
Society of Equity Plans to
Adopt Rochdale System in
Missoula District-Success
of Idea Proven.

The Farmers Society of Equity over
the United States is rapidly merging
the fraternal status of its CO. operatives
to the capitalized Incorporated forms,
akin to the great bodies of farmers in
Europe who have operated so success
fully under the Rochdale plan,
BY this plan, shares of stock are
sold under the y-laws of the organ-
cation in conformity with the laws OF
the state and nation The business is
conducted on the profits system, and
dividends on the capital stock are paid
annually. After all current expenses
are paid. and the stockholders have
received their dividends. all surplus
is divided among the stockholders and
patrons as n patronage dividend. The
volume of the trade therefore DECIDES
the amount of each patrons trade divi-
dendS.
At the close of 1915 the combined
organizations operating under the
Rochdale system in Europe had a cap
ital of 5000, 900 900. The years bust
ness eclipsed s639,oooooo, and the sur
plus returns to the members amounted
to over S69,00O,00O.
Recognizing the high efficiency of
the Rochdale system of cooperation
idly adopting it in their larger incor-
porated clearing houses.
Proof in Facts.
AS proof OF it's success, II. G.. Nor
ris. national organizer of the Farm
crs Society of Equity, submits the fol
lowing facts: The Pocatcllo district
clearing house of Idaho. handled in
one season a trainload of sacks. IA cars
of binding Irvine. and over 100 cars OF
implements, machinery and wire. over
soc, 900 bushels of wheat. and immense
quantities OF other grains added to the
volume and made ii possible for tn,
Stockholders to receive a 10 per cen,
dividend. This equity unit has a cap
ital stock of $4,000.
The Pennsylvania district clearing
| house at FrogtoWn did hundreds 81
thousands of dollars business the past
year. as did the Fort Lauderdale lIa,1
district clearing house, with a recor,
of over $1,000, 900 worth of business
| This unit handled over 100000 worth
| of tomatoes alone. The New MeNic,
district clearing house at Clayton. ha:
! handled an immense business the pas
season with an increase of three cent.
per pound on beans and as high as 81!
per ton for broom corn over the cur
rent price paid the farmers by spccu
lators.
| The Western Idaho Eastern Oregon
district headquarters. Nampa. Idaho
realized Il business of over 100000
grain throughout their territory 2
and Is cents per hundred pounds, re
spectivcly, over the spectators prices
In Missoula. Too.
The stockholders of the Missoul
district of the Farmers Society o
| Equity held a called meeting recently
looking toward the establishment o
| their business upon the Rochdale sys
| Missoula as a basis of operation Th
society will share fully in all the ad
vantagcs accruing through nationa
headquarters in buying and selin
and will have the direct aid of the ma
tional manager.
] AT. .,f
crates in % states. The following cx
cerpt from an Alexandria. Mimi. pa
per is explanatory of the business u
one of the larger equity districts il
Minnesota.
! That the farmer is businessman
in the usual sense Of the term.
! quite apparent from the yearly result
of the Farmers Society of Equity a
| Parkers Prairie. This organization
held it's clearing house convention
| Wednesday and Thursday of last week
In this organization there are lG 10
Gals. There were present at the con
vention IS delegates representing
locals.
! Remark able Business.
| The total amount of business trans
acted through this Clearing House as
ISOLATION during the past year amount
cd to S3l2.479, This consisted of
50 carloads of notatoes........$ 36,042
| III carloads of cattle ..,--..-.. l64 ,553
! General merchandise .-.-....-... lll.Ss3
The last item consists in finding
market for poultry, vegetables. gras!
seeds, beans. hides and furs, etc. Ais,
| the buying and supplying the farmer.
! with Irvine. farm machinery. salt. su,
gar, peaches, apples, flour and some
| other bulky goods and on which it ap.
pears great savings had been made I,
the patrons.
II is we'll to note in this connection
! that the main business of the organize
] n m 20 I'M fa lrS