Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1919-12-19


meant any kind of value for the col
lateral products, without stability
IN Los Angeles, Mr.. Farrand
counsel for the California Fruit
Growers Exchange, has been made
a director OF the First National hank
to enable that bank to handle the
cooperative problems involved. mar
tlcularly in the citrus products. wal
nuts, alfalfa, honey and other ar
ganized crops of Southern Cali
fornia.
(N) Is this undertaking possible?
The first need of a cooperative
association is a clean, good plan.
am certain that a plan. sound
from the legal, marketing and fl
nancing standpoints, can be worked
out along the general lines here set
forth.
Everything in this plan is being
done by some cooperative associa-
ton on the Pacific Coast. The book
lets herewith enclosed show the
method of operations of the Oregon
Growers Cooperative association
and the Oregon Growers Packing
corporation on a plan generally sim
liar as to the state organizations.
Opposition will be urged against
this general plan, primarily by the
big packing interests, which have
heretofore controlled grains partly
on account Of their connection with
cattle and partly on account of the
direct profit in grain speculation.
The spectators and gamblers in
grain will also oppose the plan.
There will be the natural opposi-
ton from hard shell conservatives
who do not approve changes in ex-
listing conditions.
Many farmers will object to vari-
GUS points of detail in any general
plan and may refuse to join on such
account.
1t is not expected that every farm
er in every state will join the plan.
II, however, two-thirds of the
wheat farmers in practically all of
the very important wheat states join,
adequate control Of the general mar
kets can be secured.
In California. the experience has
indicated that with anything over
so per cent, the market can be dom
mated by a cooperative association
for the common good of the farmer
and the public.
In any event, cooperation, to any
material extent, produces wonderful
good to a certain degree for the
farmers, but it does not effect actual
control of the market values unless
the combined marketing interests
represent at least so per cent of the
product.
With a control of that kind, it
will be possible for the national
wheat exchange to practically dom
mate the wheat market and to secure
full and reasonable returns to the
growers, under all fair circum-
stances, without a single cent of cost
to the consumer
Heretofore, the farmer has sold
his wheat on a market made by vari-
Gus elements, in which he has had
practically no voice. He may have
been able to get the market price
but he has had no share in making
that price fair and reasonable.
With so per cent of the wheat,
the farmer can actually make the
price, as has been amply demonstrate
ed by the experience of the associa-
tions in California The public will
benefit by the sterilization of the
industry and by the increased pro-
duction that inevitably follows the
certainty of fair returns assured by
cooperation.
The aim, however, would be to
get at least two-thirds of the wheat
acreage in all of the wheat states
tied up under the general co-opera-
tive plan.
(P) Can the proper personnel be
secured to work out the plan?
Cooperative associations have
never yet failed to find the big men
to carry on their big work.
The handling of these huge prob
lens demands fair returns. In Cal
ifornia, cooperative associations pay
anywhere from $4,000 to $4,000
year, as salaries to their managers.
In some instances they have a bonus
in addition.
The various department managers
of an association of this kind will be
entitled to salaries consonant with
the enormity of the problem and the
responsibility of their decisions.
H. H.