The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1923-09-20

AUDITORIUM friday evening Oh last
week, demonstrates quite clearly that
the businessmen of Sank Centre and
the farmers in the territory adjacent
to Sank Centre are not as greatly in
terested in the cooperative market
ing plan as outlined by Mr.. Sapiro,
national leader, as they should be.
Were it not for the large delegations
sent from various points of Todd,
Pope and other counties, the audience
to hear Mr.. Sapiro speak would have
been woefully small.
The meeting was presided over by
County Agent, P. w. Huntemer who
introduced Dan Wallace, brother of
the Secretary of Agriculture and edi-
tor of "The Farmer" st. Paul. Mr. :.
Wallace stated that they had been
making history for Minnesota agricul-
ture during the week because of the
splendid meetings and addresses deliv-
cred by Mr.. Sapiro. Much has been
said about what could be done to
bring back prosperity to the north
west, and ne claimed that Mr.. Sapi-
ro's plan solved the problem if the
farmers of Minnesota would work
shoulder to shoulder in carrying out
his recommendations -. NJ.
The Sank Centre meeting was for
the primary purpose OF organizing
the potato growers of this section.
The editor of "The Farmer" said that
the people should realize that this is
the first step along the idea of CO.
operative marketing of not only po-
tatoes, but. that dairy products and
everything raised on the farm can be
successfully organized by marketing
comparatively and proftably. Mr..
Wallace then introduced Mr.. Sapiro
as the principal speaker of the eve
ming.
Mr.. Sapiro claimed that co-opera-
tive marketing was nothing more or
less than high grade merchandising
which was divided into six steps
grading, properly packing, extending
markets, advertising, and control of
flow of products to market in order
that any commodity would not be
dumped on to the market all at one
time.
Mr.. Sapiro said that the govern
ment would not relieve the agricul-
tural situation of the country but
that the problem could be solved by
the farmers themselves if they would
follow the cooperative plan used by
the farmers and fruit growers of
California. These are organized by
communities and all merge into one
large state organization. They are
organized on an absolutely non-pro-
fitable basis and the commodity raised
is the only capital stock required. He
reviewed the success made by the
California Fruit Growers and num-
erous other organizations in that
state. He said that the California
farmer did not speculate and that
he kept out of other business; that
they did not handle a pound of any
product for any nOn-member and
that all members were on the same
basis.
In the course of his address, Mr..
Sapiro devoted considerable attention
to the Blue Valley Creamery Com
pany which has recently opened its
creamery in Sank Centre. He said
that this organization was operated
by. businessmen, but he admonished
would likely pay more for butterfat
now tolbuild up their type of institu-
ton which ould eventually put the
cooperative creamery out of business
unless the farmers stood shoulder to
shoulder. He said the plan Of mar
keting butter in pound packages I'M
der certain BRAND as carried out by
the Blue Valley Company was the
absolutely correct method of market
ing this commodity, and he urged the
cooperative creameries of Minnesota
to have their butter handled by one
large organization, sent out in pound
packages under brand that would
eventually become famous the world
over, and that instead of this butter
being dumped onto the market when
the price was low, that it would onlv
be fed out to the public as II could
be consumed. and the price kept up
to reasonably high level during the
entire season.
In discussing the contracts that the
farmers would be asked to sign, he
said that they could not be tor less
than a five year period and that the
contract should be strong and one
that would hold. He said that it
would take time to bring up sue
cessful organization but that the
grower must deliver all of his pro-
duct to the cooperative marketing
organization, except such as required
by local consumption or his own need.
Mr.. Sapiro stated that the country
banks are the best friends the coop
erative marketing organizations ever
had. He said that the small bankers
of California have financed with safe
ty the numerous organizations in
that state. The head of the potato
growers or any other marketing or
ganization in Minnesota, should be
the biggest man that could be secured
Ia merchandiser with big brains.
He said that California paid as high as
$4,000 year for men managing
some of their marketing organiza-
tons.
During his stay in Sank Centre
Mr.. Sapiro visited the Parker &
Cass Potato Warehouse in this city