The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1921-06-09
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= ,, = FROM THE PEOPLE X
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Sr ~sa writer happened to be one of
!, :, few farmers that attended the
'nu hv Ex-Mayor Hindley, of Spo-
'aiA last Friday evening. Returning
.'A Renton / happened to notice on
y. 11s bill board in front Of #, the Princess
~. 'as announcement of Mr.. Hindley's
VI. ud decided to "listen in" I will
tal. s. a to admit that I did so from
Dc ;asitv. knowing that Mr.. Hindley
eu ua n the employ of the Spokane
u uab Merchants Association. Nat
he' ,,r 7 assumed that he would talk
ufA .bs interests of the retail mer-
u Its of the state generally. In this
. : mas not disappointed in the least.
rAs speaker urged on the merchants
-. ~ necessity of concerted, organized
- if they were to obtain justice
-,o+ters of state. But he did not
u .n lH there. was agreeably surprised
sD W ba turned his talk to a story of
v WI trim to the raisin growing center
DIS raiifornia. He described in detail
q. sxtent of the cooperative market
:ar e system that has made the raisin
my su,er prosperous and happy and told
sOI listeners that one of the funda-
n ss,taI reasons for its success was
METH y - tha farmer and the business men
ua. ..at state were working hand in
IA His plea for closer cooperation.
otter understanding and a more
friendly spirit between the small
.aun business men and the farmer
w,s eloquent and sincere and i'm addi-
finn he told his hearers that it was
m 10 the business men to help the
isrmer establish his marketing sys-
tsm not only financial help (perhaps
the least essential of the two) but
moral and executive assistance to the
and that the lack of leadership and
business experience which has so
hampered these organizations in the
mast could be overcome. -... >..s.
The events of the last few months
eliminating in the failure of the Ken
nevick-Richland Marketing Union
and the financial difficulties of the
Cooperative Creamery company has
caused me much thought and consid-
cradle loss of sleep. Co-operation in
this valley has been hurled back furth-
er than it was twelve years ago in
one sense, that is the effect of the
failure on the minds of many of the
r1-
in the first place as to the chances
Of success and then just when it
looked as though everything would
turn out right the whole thing is
hurled to destruction. No man here
today is in position to realize the
destructive effect of this condition,
A few weeks ago we had our organi-
mtion, splendid warehouse. cold
storage plant. and the best site for
the nnrnose in town, and now
NOTHING. 1t is true that the farm
rs themselves are in mart respon-
sible. A few far-sighted men sub
scrbed the monev, mere pittance,
against the growth of the organiza-
ton and after it. was under way two
or three hundred other farmers decid-
ed to take advantage of the benefits
offered. assuming Il can Mace no
other construction on it) that they
we're shrewd in that thew were reap
mo the benefit without HAVING any,
thine involved. The result as it now
stands is a pitiful reminder that we
must all stand together to shoulder
the burdens before we can reap the
benefits.
The creamery is in the same shane,
II has but fraction of the necessary
capital and that is held bv men who
DO not patronize the institution. The
present patrons i'm the majority OF
cases have no other interest but the
size of their cream checks.
But the farmers are not all TO
blame. Mr.. Hindlev's talk, was vlr-
tuallv an indictment of the attltude
Of the business men in the mast. When
the union failed and the things he
came known it seemed to me that the
majority of those men not directly
Interested looked upon our difficulties
as almost amusing. at least the fuli
gravity of the thing was not then an
preciated. From what row hear the
tide has changed and ever. cre J" the
valley is putting his shoulder to the
wheel 1t could have been done for
the Union, to the untold ADVANTAGE
Of many hundreds more of the people
Of the valley than the creamery can
ever help. God only knows why it.
was not done but a mortal mans
small opinion points to one thing at
ileeast-indifference. We oil had everv
hing to cain and an institution that
merlted the entire support of every
one---city man and farmer alike. Re-
gardless of mistakes in management
or any other criticisms that can be
urged against its management the
TACT remains that we have got to start
all over again with more odds than
ever against us unless we can benefit
gy past experience and remember
mat I'VE must ALL hang together
er ALL hang separately. am pleased
. know that you have in the Mer-
wants Association a man that can
zee the light and is just and fearless
lla IN to give voice to the truth as
ne sees it.
GEO. E. SELLICK.