The twice-a-week Twin Falls times. (Twin Falls, Idaho) 1916-1918, 1917-02-06
UNANIMOUSLY VOTE TO REJECT
CONTRACT OF THE AMALGA-
MATER SUGAR COMPANY
COMPANY MODIFIES REFUSAL TO
DISCUSS PRICES
Question of Sliding Scale Talked OF
But Not Approved Raisers AS
sert That 5000 Acres Has Agreed to
Demand Raise in Price.

Unanimously and by a rising vote
about 200 beet growers or farmers in
terested in the growing of beets voted
at a meeting of the Twin Falls County
Beet Growers association at the high
school auditorium Friday afternoon to
stand behind the committee of the as
sOciation in a request for eight dol
lars a ton for sugar beets and to de-
cline to sign the present contract of
the company. The committee was au-
thOrized to present the matter to the
Amalgamated Sugar Company and re-
port the results of the negotiations to
a meeting at the Parish hall Saturday,
February IT, at o'clock p. m.
In the absence of President Alworth,
the meeting was called to order by
Secretary J. e. White, who introduced
G. A. Robinson, chairman of the con-
ference committee to tell the results
of correspondence with the company.
Mr.. Robinson read the correspondence
which the committee had with Sec
retary Fred G. Taylor of the Amalga
mated. In reply to a letter stating
that the farmers had organized for
the purpose of securing a conference
for the purpose of discussing certain
matters about which there was some
dissatisfaction, particularly that of
price, Mr.. Taylor answered in sub
stance that he did not understand
what the matters referred to might be,
but as far as price was concerned, it
would be useless to meet for the pur-
pose of discussing it. The company
was paying, all things considered, bet
! TO Of 40 od
and had, moreover, raised the price to
be paid this year to seven dollars, to
farmers who had signed contracts to
deliver beets at $5.25 for three years,
which indicated a disposition to be
fair. He suggested, however, that
agricultural superintendent Quincy
of the company would be in Twin
Falls February l. at which time he
would be glad to meet the committee
should they desire to meet him. He
said that the committee did not repre-
sent the attitude of most of the beet
growers on the question of prices, as
he had found it on a recent visit to
Twin Falls. The committee for tho
beet growers promptly replied that
since the matter of price was the es-
sential question at issue, they fully
agreed that it would be useless tC
hold any conference at which this
subject would not be considered, and
suggested that he not send any repre-
sentative for any meeting unless suct
r representative would consider thai
question. Thursday morning, a tele
gram from Mr.. Taylor stated that Mr.
Quincy would be at the Hotel Per
rine that afternoon if the committe'
7 wished to meet him, which it did.
= l, T.
| not at the conference, gave way t
l Mr.. White, who told what happenet
: in substance as follows: Mr.. Quinne.
2 was accompanied by a gentlemen nam
l ed Bulge. also representing the com
= pany. At first the Amalgamated mel
S told the beet committee that the
would not discuss prices, at which tn
r committee indicated that it woul
= withdraw, but at the suggestion of tin
- Amalgamated representatives remain
e ed for parley in which the matte
: of prices were talked over.
5 Mr. Quincy said that the compan
wanted 5000 to 10000 acres and real
j lied that it could not get that amour
: without the assistance of the organ
e zation. He suggested that next yea
an adjustment might be reached o
It the basis of a price corresponding wit
& the price of beets something like fiy
n dollars a ton for beets for five dolla
S sugar, seven dollars for seven dolla
sugar eight dollars for eight dolla
d sugar and so on. The committee aske
IL why such arrangement could not
e made this year. Mr.. Quincy woul
IS not agree that it could The committ(
, then asked the Amalgamated represei
Is tatives if the matter was considere
closed and if this was to be taken ;
II the final answer Mr.. Quincy sa
that it was not; that he would be
again next week and the matter mig
again be discussed.
9 From the above report the commi
tee drew the conclusion that the cor
, pany was not irrevocably commits
a to a maximum price of seven dollar
~ for fifteen per cent beets. They e
% pressed the opinion that if the gro'
. ers would stand firm and agree n
. to take the price offered, the cor
!, pany would yield. 1t was at this tin
= that the gathering voted to stand
10 the committee. p. ]. Pringle and
u A. Stronk, who with DR.. White, co
- stituted the committee, both agre
% with him in his conclusions.
Stronk remarked that regardless
a. the action of the meeting he wou
~ not raise beets at seven dollars, as