Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1921-03-02
SENATOR DISCUSSES !.
COOPERATIVE LEGISLATION

80 ST. Paul, Mimi, Feb. Is, 1921.
Editor Willmar Tribune: 49,. W.
l stated if time permitted would
write an occasional article on pend
ing legislation. I am devoting my dis
cussion chiefly to agricultural mea-
sures for the reason that I happen to
be more closely affiliated with this
class of legislation than any other
this session. \, za....>>
! Several weeks before the opening
'Of the session, was chosen as one of
the members of committee of four
senators to cooperate with a com
mittee of members of the House to
consider and formulate an agricultur-
al Legislative program. In view of
this situation, it is natural that my
attention should be devoted chiefly to
this feature of legislative activities.
Aside from the other constructive
things like Tonnage Tax and High
way legislation that this legislature
stands pledged to put into effect, am
ong the most outstanding measures
are the ones that aim to improve and
simplify the marketing machinery for
the farmers of the State. OF course,
everybody realizes the fact that no
Legislature can legistate prosperity to
anybody, but it can help, by legisla-
ton, the farmer to establish market
ing conditions which will benefit him
as wei! as the consumer. 1t is a rec
ognized fact that better marketing
facilities and conditions are vital to
agricultural production and to the in
terest of both the producer and the
consumer. Notwithstanding the fact
that some of the Minnesota press,
known of course to be antagonistic to
the present state administration, are
attaching small significance to our
cooperative law, the true situation
is, however,that our law ON this sub
ject-by reason of amendments en-
acted this sessions the best coop
erative statute Of any state in this
country.
Our cooperative law, passed in
1919, was patterned after the Wis
consin law which was considered the
best of it's kind at that time, Due to
the experience of Wisconsin, we were
able to profit by her experience and
incorporate some desirable improve
ments. Now, our 1919 cooperative
law has been amended this session is
such manner and along such broad
ideas that other states, like Nebraska,
Kansas and even Wisconsin, are now
copying it.
Under this law, local cooperative
associations can unite or federate
themselves into state or central CO.
operative organization and can join
and unite with other corporations, be
fI1x Nfl on
such central organizations can even
federate with nationally formed asso-
Citations or corporations. Under the
law, there is considerable margin as
to the amount of stock that local
cooperative association may purchase
in central company that may be
formed as a selling or marketing ag-
ency or otherwise. The amount of
stock that a local cooperative COM
pany can hold in a central agency is
limited to $5,000.00.
The bill declaring "Iive-stock Ex-
changes, Chambers of Commerce and
Boards of Trade" public markets, has
passed the House and there is no
doubt but that it will also pass the
Senate. The bill provides machinery
for the admission of Cooperative cor
porations to membership on such ex-
changes and enjoy equal rights and
privileges with all other members:
Such law is in force in Nebraska,
but it happens that she has no law
authorizing the formation of central
cooperative selling agencies, and
hence cooperative companies in that
State have not as yet taken member
ship on terminal grain exchanges, for