Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1920-02-13

rent either Well, in one corner of
the barn is a harness room, all par
titioned off but without any ceiling.
It's right under the hay NOW. When
} was coming home Phil Fellows told
me that he heard Mr.. Daniels tell his
dad to come to the harness room in
the old barn tonight at half-past
seven TO talk over this wheat cooper
ative marketing plan and that some
big gun from Portland, Ore. would
be there. Now, Dad, let's get up
in the hay NOW and find out what is
going on"
We'll, son, I'm not much OF a
hand to go where I'm not invited. but
I've got just as much right in that
barn as Mr., Daniels, seeing he don t
pay no rent, and ! heard something
over the phone that makes me sus-
picious there is some monkey doodle
business going on, so ] guess Wen
just leave the dishes and get some
reserved seats in that hay now"
A few minutes later Mr.. Farm
er and his two sons were comfortably
ensconced on the edge of a great pile
of hay, from which they could look
down into the little harness room.
Hardly were they comfortably settled
when two men, carrying lanterns, en-
tered the barn and stepped into the
harness room. My the dim light the
watchers recognized them as Jim
Bishop and Frank Smith. In a few
moments they were joined by Joe
Kane, Bill Jones and Tom Jenkins
Hardly had they finished greeting
each other when Bert Daniels ap-
peared, accompanied by a stranger,
whom he introduced as
Mr.. Max, who represents some
big wheat dealers and wants to know
what we are doing to block this CO.
operative marketing scheme"
Well" said Jim Bishop. Il guess
each one has been doing just as you
suggested, Bert, talking as if he was
friendly to the plan, except for some
one point, and on the strength of
that one point knocking it hard. And
lots of the farmers are falling for it.
One objection appeals to one fellow
and another to somebody else, so
we've got lot of them guessing and
the committee will have to do a heap
of hard work to sign them up"
Good! Very good" remarked the
stranger, Il can see that Mr.. Dan
iels perfectly grasps our plan of cam
paign. The interests which I rep
resent cannot afford to have this CO.
operative marketing system placed in
operation. 1t would greatly curtail
our profits and eventually would
destroy our business. Keep up the
good work. Pretend to be friendly
to the plan in general but oppose it
on some point, any point will do. Try
to scare the business men into OPP
posing it by arguing that, once start
ed, cooperative marketing will
sweep the country like prairie fire,
and a cooperative buying wave will
follow which will greatly injure the
business of the retailers. And now,
gentlemen, listen carefully. Mr.. Bish-
op will see that you are well paid for
your time and trouble. You might
hint to a few, just a few of the larg-
est wheat raisers, that, even if this
wild scheme should go through, they
can count on receiving three cents a
bushel more for their grain than the
association pays it's members. I will
guarantee that, and you gentlemen
are witnesses. One more word.
When the association holds it's sign
up meeting next week, get the farm
ers to ask all kinds of fool questions
and have our men get up and read
the questions we will have prepared
for them. Kill all the time and ere
ate all the disturbance you can and,
boys, don't forget that the best way
of all to reach these fool farmers is
to tell them how independent they
are and always have been and then
just ask them if they are going to
stand for signing away their right
of Independent action for six years,
if they are going to be fools enough
to give up being their own bosses in
Observation-Disclosures