The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1923-04-11
COOPERATIVE
MARKETINGLAW
TO BE DRAFTED
Indiana Governor FavOrs
Model Bill For Middle
West Farmers
WILL NOT BE SUPPORTED

Indianapolis, April 11.-GovcrnoI
Warren II. McCray, of Indiana, hopes
that out of this state may come the
model coope rative marketing law for
farmers of the middle west. He
vetoed measure, known as the CO.
operative marketing act, which was
passed by the Indiana legislature,
recently adjourned, and now pro-
poses u committee to draft Il model
cooperative marketing law.
Governor McCray owns and farms
5000 acres Of Indiana prairie land
and in explanation of his veto, de-
clarcd that the bill would hurt those
intended to be helped. Half of the
provisions of the bill were singled
out by the governor as "objcction-
bic and furthermore u. S. Lcsh, at
torncy- general of Indiana, declared
the blil, as Il whole, unconstitutional.
The governor proposes a commit
tee of practical farmers, agriculture
, al experts, legislators and authori-
ties on constitutional law to create
the model law. He suggests that
enough farmers be on this commit
tee to give them the deciding voice.
Need Fair Law
THE farmers of the middle west"
declared the governor, "need law
first that is fair to them, and I hope
to have such bill ready for the
next legislature in time for every.
one to have an opportunity to study
1t, and know what it contains, so
that no one need be captivated by
the title as was the case in the one
just vetoed"
Il am farmer and I favor the
principle of cooperative marketinh
properly safeguarded, but | know
only too well some of the past ex-
perlences of the farmer, such as
that with elevators Il decade back;
with the scoop shovel corn move.
- ment that followed. and with some
so-called cooperative marketing
agencies that seem to have disap-
pearcd after the farmer paid his
lee to the promoters. AS a farmer I
Know that farming has been prof.
table to some one other than the
farmer.
Il firmly believe, if the drastic
provisions of the proposed act had
been Incorporated into law, that true
cooperative marketing would have
y been set back at least 20 years. As
between those who might control
the associations organized under it,
ana the producers entering into the
marketing contracts with such asso-
Citations, there was no balance he
tween the powers conferred and the
obligations imposed. Three person..
or more, according to the proposed
law, might form an association with
or without capital stock; the pro-
ducers entering the association
might be tied to it for ten years,
and everything IN produced would
go to the association for marketing.
Subject 10 Jail
"A farmer joining with an asso-
citation and later failing to market
all he produced through it could not
only be fined, but sent to Jail. Their.
was no limit to the amount of debts
which the association might incur,
and for the payment of which the
marketing members (farmcrs) might
be made liable. On the other hand,
there were no obligations imposed
on the associations to account to the
marketing members for their Just
and equitable share of any profits
That might be derived from the sale
OF their produces. Anyone now in
business dealings with farm pro-
ducts could not, under the proposed
law, even offer to buy the products
OF Il farmer who belonged to an as
soclation without being subject to
Jail"
Apparently Governor McCrays
program for drafting the p,odcl law
VIII ont have the support of the In
diana Farm Bureau Federation. !
which backed the bill he vetoed. I
President W. II. Settle, of this organ
lZatlon, has announced that he
would not confer with the governor.
to arrange for drafting new bill.
The farmers, according to Mr.. Settle.
are "disgruntled" by the veto. He
said the bill had the approval of
recognized national farm bureau
men.