The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-04-30
G0vE RNOR SEEKING PRACTICAL r \ R M
 MARKET STATUTE
Indiana Executive Working Open Law To Be Made
 Model

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind April 29.- Gov. Warren T. McCray of Indiana hopes that out of this state may come the model cooperative market ing law for farmers of the middle west. He vetoed a measure. known
 as the cooperative marketing act which was passed by the Indiana leg islature. recently adjourned, and now proposes a committee to draft a
 model cooperative marketing law. Governor McCray owns and farms 1000 acres of Indiana prairie land and in explanation of his veto. de- clared that the bill would hurt those intended to be helped. Half of the provisions of the bill were singled out by the governor as "objection- able" and furthermore U. S. Lesh. at- torney general of Indiana. declared the bill. as a whole. unconstitutional.
 The governor proposes commit tee of practical farmers, agricultural experts, legislators and authorities on constitutiooal law to create the model law. He suggests that enough farmers be on this committee to give them the deciding voice.
 New Bill Prepared.
 ''The farmers of the middle west" declared the governor, need law first that is fair to them. and l hope to have such a bill ready for the next legislature in time for everyone to have an opportunity to study it, and know what it contains. so that no one need be captivated by the title
 as was the case in the one just vetoed"
 T am farmer and I favor the principle of cooperative marketing,
 properly safeguarded. but I know only too well some of the past expert ences of the farmer. such as that with elevators a decade back; with
 the scoop shovel corn movement that followed, and with some so- called cooperative mark keting az encies that seem to have disap-
 peared after the farmer paid his fee to the promoters. As farmer
 known that farming has been profit able to some one other than the farmer.
 II firmly believe If the drastic
 provisions of the proposed act had been incorporated into law, that true
 cooperative marketing would have been set back at least 20 years. As between those who might control the associations organized under it. and the producers entering into the mar ketlng contracts with such associa- tons, there was no balance between
 the powers conferred and the obli- gationS imposed. Three persons or
 more. according to the proposed law.
 might form an association with or without capital stock; the producers
 entering the association might be tied to It for 10 years. and everything he produced would go to the associa- < tion for marketing.
 Make Contracts Binding.
 "A farmer joining with an assol citation and later failing to marker all he produced through it could no}
 only be fined, but sent to jail. There was no limit to the amount of debt, which the association might incur and for the paymasnt ofA,which tne marketing memb 1rs (farmers) miSnt be made liable. On the other hano there were no Obligations imposed o1 the associa' ions to account to ths marketing members for their just ane equitable share of any profits that might be, derived from the sa!e o1 their products. Anyone now in busii ness dealing with farm products could not, under the proposed iaw' even offer to buy the products oL farmer who belonged to an associat tiop without being subject to jail"
 Apparently Governor McCray's rxTorram for drafting the model law will not have the support of the !n- diana farm bureau federation. which backed the bill he vetoed. President W. H. Settle, of this Norganlzation, confer with the governor to arrange for drafting a new bill. The farmers. a according to Mir. Settle. are "cis- gruntleA" by the veto. He said the bili had the approval of recognized national farm burep~ men. E