River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1920-10-07

the National Union of the A. S. of e
brought about from very lack of
safeguarding provisions such as we
aim to establish in our proposed
form of business organization. Mr
Hanson fails to note that, in the Ma
tional Union, the man who had
charge of the books and the funds
was also the man who provided for
getting the auditing done by auditors
CT his own selection. In the case of
our business plan, the organization
that provides the audit of the business
associations books has no control of
the funds of the association either
before or after the audit is made
Again Mr.. Hanson confuses the so
called Equity Farmers Exchange
connected with the National Union
4, S. of f., which is more or less of
q myth, with the central advisory
organization which we plan for our
business organizations. Strange that
Mr.. Hanson can draw all his depress-
ing illustrations from the National
Union and the National Union con-
nections, considering the fact that
from, all evidence, that part of the
A. S. of E. began to go wrong in
1918 before Tittemore went on the
National Board; also considering the
fact that Mr.. j. Weller Long had had
more direct connection with that than
anyone else; and, further, considering
the fact that Mr.. Hanson and Mr..
C. D. Hawn came to me in the hay
field in 1919 and tried to convince me
that Mr.. Long was reliable and that
| should help them support Long in
his fight on Tittemore and, as we now
know it to have been, his fight to
help the cooperative exchange of st.
Paul and the Non-P Partisan League
get control of the Equity Society of
this state.
am entirely willing and ready to
drop all consideration Of individuals
and deal with principles, aims and
purposes, if Mr. Hanson and others
viii stop looking at every important
question through the pictures that
they have built up in their minds of
certain individual persons. If the
principles for which we are striving
are not bigger than any one of q
few men we might as well quit now.
We would also gladly receive any
sincere suggestions for improving our
plan Of cooperative business organic
alton. do not have much faith, how
ever, iii the sincerity of anyone who
opposes and attempts to tear down the
whole thing because there are certain
details with which he does net agree.
What would anyone connected with
the efforts TO promote a cooperative
marketing system gain By doing
what Dir. Hanson says-".lestroy the
cooperative associations of Wiscon-
SIM" If Mr.. Hanson belongs to the
Equity Society for any purpose, it
would seem that it is about time he
should discontinue the line of destruc
tive argument that has been pursued
for the past year and help little
in constructive efforts. We sursly
need it, for right now, when the new
Wisconsin Equity Produce Marketing
Association is making an effort to
get into active operation, the big
dealers and spectators are using
every conceivable means TO prevent it
from becoming a success. Many Of
cur farmers, are short-sightcd, lack
ing in interest and understanding Of
true cooperative principles; and men
that should know better are eontinu-
lly knocking instead Of boosting. 4
prominent potato grower remarked
lust recently: III those men would
help US get fifty PEI cent Of the po-
tato growers into our local and
central marketing assc Citations we
would come near to control the
potato market this fall"
II those Equity members who are
keeping up their knocking would re-
move their binders in the shape Of
their personal feelings toward Ger
tain individuals, and would consider
that the cooperative business plan we
are advocating has been considered
and passed upon by able lawyers, ex-
perienced business men, the directors
of the State Division of Markets,
leaders in the Wisconsin Farm Blu
reau Federation, who are also now
making a careful study of marketing
questions, and many others who
should be fairly competent to Judge,
il night help the case little. We
are glad to notice, however, that
there are some indications that the
Equity membership in Pierce county
il general is beginning to show signs
of a desire for some progressive ideas