Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1919-07-02

HEAD or 2 CK.IlgC ']I.
PLANT !. n | SPOKE < HERE e
Ira B. Chry.t President Of Largest
Cooperative Enterprise in State
Talks To Farmers.
The Cooperative Rally at the Far
mers' Warehouse last Wednesday was
a success. The address of Ira B.
Chryst president of Farmers Termi-
nal Packing company, was a plain and
operation. The Importance to the
farmer of having a check upon the
finishing of his products until ready
for the market was emphasized. In
the case of the live stock, ten profits
are added from the. time the cattle
are marketed to the time the meat
reaches the consumer, said the speak
er, and half of these profits will be
eliminated in the cooperative plant.
This statement led to questions being
asked and Mr.. Chryst traced the
course of the beef cattle step by step
from the local buyer back to the
butchers counter, while half-dozen
farmers kept count of each transac-
tion, as named.
Seats had been arranged thru the
center portion of the building and sew.
eral hundred farmers and sprinkling
of business men were interested list
eners to the proceedings. John San
din, manager of the local cooperative
elevator company. presided.
Mr.. Chryst was the first speaker.
He devoted some time to proving by
statistics how rapidly the wealth of
the country was being centralized in
to the hands of few, tendency un-
less checked which will wreck our
nation as surely as it has wrecked
other nations in time past.
True cooperation is the cure for
our economic ills, and every honest
attempt in that direction is in the
line of progress.
Mr.. Chryst spoke of the success of
the cooperative creameries and
cheese factories, reviewing their
growth in Wisconsin, his home state.
He asked if there was cooperative
creamery at this point If not, there
ought to be one, for only by finishing
their own product before it is placed
on the market can the producers get
all that is coming to him.
Even at that, the practice Of all the
creameries marketing their product
twice a month in place of providing
cold storage facilities works to the
advantage of the packers, manufac-
turers of oleomargarine. The Big
Packers, said the speaker, are the
greatest buyers of creamery butter
in the country, and, having the facili-
ties for storing same are in position
to control the market in favor of their
own product on which they make the
biggest profits.
The speaker then spoke of the large
cooperative enterprise Of which
he is the head the Farmers Terminal
Packing Co., and the plant in which
machinery is now being installed. The
operation Of the plant will begin this
fall. The plant and equipment is all
paid for and working capital so far
of about $500,000 has been subscrib.
ed. It is the intention to increase this
amount to about 100000 by stock
subscriptions.
Mr. Chryst then spoke about the an
ticipated benefits Of this cooperative
industry. Ten profits are added to
the live stock from the farmer to the
consumer. These were enumerated
Five of these profits will be eliminated
by cooperation, one of which, the To-
cal buyer, has been eliminated al
ready by the farmers shipping associa-
tions. The commission man will be
eliminated at the cooperative yards.
At the close of Mr.. Chryst's address
he invited questions, several of which
were made and discussed.
The advertisements of the Big Pack
ers claim that they make profit OF
less than a dollar on steer. How
can this farmers plant hope to sue
ceed when the Big Packers with their
big organizations can do no better?
The Packers figures are arrived at
said the speaker, because they over
look the value of the by-products IN
figuring their profit. Nothing Is
wasted in modern packing plant
and good prices are received for the
hide, hoofs and other parts that usu
ally go to waste in local butchering
SIT to $18 a head profit per heat
would be a close guess, ventured the
speaker. At any rate the cooperative
plant once in operation will tell thu
story.
The next speaker called on wa!
Judge T. o. Gilbert, president of th'
Willmar Commercial Club, who sait
that the people of Wllmar city ex
tended their good will to the farmer
and their enterprises.
Gov. A. e. Rice was called on ant
responded with a story. He recalled
the days when he helped to breakup
the elevator combine that had tn
exclusive right to buy grain on tn
railroad in the early days.
Swan Anderson the local meat mar
was called on, and announced his al
proval of the cooperative plan. Coz
ditions at the stock yards are be
coming worse, he said, and it is tim
that something Is done.
Atty. Charles Johnson was calle
on and made ringing speech i
which he expressed his gratificatio
at the manner in which the farmer
are doing things for themselves.
A H.. Proctor, of the Rock Islam
Plow works; w. Owens, of the State
, prison machinery plant; w. E. Blu
ney, Mr.. Meyer and Reno Bergquis
= all representing firms dealing Wit
the local farmers cooperative elev
! tor, were called on and spoke brien
The last speaker was A. O. Nelso