Morris tribune., 1921-12-09
MERCHANTS PAY $40
FOR FARMERS CORN,
Madelia Businessmen Inaugurate
Plan to Help Out During
Low Prices.

The Madelia business men have IN
augurated a plan Of helping relieve
the business conditions in that COM
munity and the plan is a decidedly
novel one and creating considerable
interest throughout the state. Waseca
merchants have already adopted a
similar plan, and other cities are con-
sidering it, The condition is similar
to that all over this section where
the low price of corn on top of a
bumper crop, gives the farmer no
chance to pay his store accounts or do
much buying of those things he needs
To relieve this situation the Madelia
merchants have united and for per-
iod of twenty days will buy corn at
ten cents above market price. They
agree to take $4,000 bushels on that
basis with the desire to help share
the farmers burdens, square up &C
counts and put money into circula-
ton. They will resell the corn at
once and take the loss.
The plan as formulated is present
ed thus in the Madelia Times-Mes-
senger:
"The proposition is that the mer-
chants shall buy corn from the far
mers, for period of twenty days be-
ginning on Saturday, November 26th,
and continuing until Thursday, De-
cember Is, both days inclusive, dur
ing which time they will pay in mer-
chandise for such corn as is delivered
at the elevator, price of ten cents
per bushel over and above the mar
ket price on the day delivery is made,
and guaranteeing that the price shall
at no time within the twenty days be
less than 40 cents per bushel for
shelled corn, and 35 cents a bushel
for ear corn.
I'm order that a few farmers who
may have a large amount of corn
may not flood the market and thus
deprive others of the advantage Of
fered, each farmer is limited to the
sale of 100 bushels, unless, by special
arrangement with the merchants, in
which case it may be possible that
larger amounts of corn will be taken.
The Equity elevator has agreed to
handle the corn at a nominal COST
and the farmers will be required to
haul the grain to that place, where it
will be weighed, graded and unload
ed A due bill will then be given the
farmer on any merchant whom he
may designate, provided that mer-
chants quota is not already filled.
When the quota of any merchant is
taken it will be marked off and that
merchant will not be required to buy
more corn. 1t is up to the individual
merchant as to what proportion of
the amount received shall apply on
the payment of old accounts, and
business. Of course, it is his desire
to apply as much as possible on the
payments of old accounts, and as it
is believed that most farmers are anx-
ious to pay their bills, especially
when the merchant allows them a rs
per cent advance above the market
for their product, it is not likely that
there will be any difficulty along that
line
"Since the decision of our mer-
chants last Monday night, there has
been considerable comment on the
proposition, and it is generally agreed
that the move is a good one for all
have expressed themselves as well
pleased with the spirit of co-opera-
ton which the merchants have mani
tested and have predicted that the
farmers will be glad to take advan-
tage of the opportunity to market
their corn at a reasonable figure.
''The merchants are sincere in
their desire to share the loses of the
farmers, which, they admit, are ever
more serious than those which they
themselves, have sustained. 1t is now
up to the merchants and the farmers
to cooperate in an unselfish manner
and to work together to bring about
better conditions"