The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1921-04-01

Display spasnlodic per inch ,.....,. 20 cts
Neading notices weekly. per line. 10 cts
WARDWELL & THOMPSON Pubs,
THE CONSUMERS UNITED
oAUaSGso NErUlkl.
The Consumers United Stores, the
NonparJlsan lnercanLle business
venture IN this staLe, nled Dill IN
voluntary bankruptcy 3 snort time
ago. DeAore an action by the court
could De taken "a complete report OF
the organization ana its business
methoas mad to be Med with the pc
tltlon lor Incubation. 1t is an inter-
esting document to read and every
person VINO has been leaning to-
wards the Nonpartisan program
should have a copy OF this report for
his own satisfaction.
w. G. johnson Of Fargo, treasurer
tion to the court and the Ransom
County Farmers Bank of Lisbon,
: League organization, garnisheed the
accounts Of the stores which brought
the matter to a head.
According to the report filed by
the treasurer there we're thirty-seven
stores under the management. The
petition claims that the liabilities of
the company are 100000; that the
closed Scandinavian-America Bank
Of Fargo holds 100000 of its paper
and the Peoples Bank of Grand
Forks, another closed League Bank,
$4,000, and the Drake mill has $16,-
511 coming to it. The rest of the
liabilities are scattered.
Several years ago the company's
affairs were very much in the lime
light as result of the form of con-
tract that was made with farmers.
The farmer, in fact, received nothing
for the 500 note he gave the COM
pany, except that at some time in
the future when the company estab-
lished a. store at his. the farmers
trading center, he would be privileg-
ed to buy goods at cost plus 10 per
cent, all transactions to be cash. The
farmer had no interest in the concern.
The form of contract or certificate,
gave to the directors Of the company,
authority to use funds not alone for
the establishment of the stores, but
they wereS also privileged to use the
funds for educational" purposes. In
other words the stores company was
intended to feed the Golfers of the
NNonpartisan League.
The Consumers United Stores COM
nenced business with capital stock
of farmers notes. which we under
stand were most of them good, with
capital stock of $1,OOO,OOO. These
stores certainly should have had
every advantage to cope with compe-
tition, for they did no credit business
and sold goods at profit of ten per
cent even to the certificate holders.
To others they sold goods. no cheaper
than any other stores did. In three
years they are in the hands of the
receiver.
Let us take look at the position
of the competitors of these United
Stores and we believe that any fair
minded person will agree with us(
that the road Of the average country
merchant is not very rosy and that
he is not receiving more than his
share of profits for his goods. He
has taken lot of abuse from people
who should be his friends. He car
ries his customers over from year to
year without much grumble, which
the Conumers Stores refused to do;
he has to keep in stock goods that
are not very saleable in order to sup
ply the trade; he helps to build up
the community with schools and
other enterprises, and he is always
ready to lend helping hand to any
one in need who he thinks is worthy
of help.
The closing of the United Consul
mers Stores after three years car
eer should teach all that it takes
brains and economy to conduct any
business, whether it is mercantile or
farming. Let the lesson be to those
who invested in these wild cat schem-
es, advanced by smooth political talk
ers who have no interest in you but
to get your money, for a better soci-
al and business relation between
communities and we will all be better
for it. :.
Give the political demagogue the
cold shoulder and remember that we
are all here for common purpose,
that of enjoying life and uplifting of
the community in which we live.
The managers and promoters Of
the United Community Stores Of
North Dakota have either the farm
ers' notes or cash tn the extent of a
million dollars and they have given
nothing in return either to the doner
a or to, the communities at large.
Someone has this money. They
neither extended credit nor were thew
Interested in the communities. You
who placed YOUR notes in thair hands
or gave them the cash. will be able
to apswer this cnlestion. The Pio-
neer Express calls the whole trans
z action a swindling game.
The legislature Of Minnesota is
nasainr q law that nlacas all fho