PROCEEDINGS CORN BELT MEAT PRODUCERS' ASSN. 531 



operative organizations cost so much money. We have collected 

 from our farmers about $15,000, and we have ahead of the boards 

 about $27,000, so that we have just about doubled what they have 

 paid in, and are nothing out today at all. 



Q. Do you give your men who are bidding on stockers and 

 feeders preference over the scalpers? And I might add to that it 

 is not true in Omaha. I have been in Omaha twice within the last 

 three weeks and I have been unable to buy thru the co-operative 

 society without first having the scalpers cut in with a 2 per cent 

 premium on them, and I want to say that before this body of people. 



The President : Is that true of the co-operative association 

 there ? 



A. Yes, sir; I tried to buy them from the co-operatives and I 

 had to pay 15 cents a hundred premium to the scalpers. 



The President : I am surprised to learn that. 



Mr. McKerrow : Here is what I understand that the South St. 

 Paul people, and I won't say it is an Exchange action, but they 

 have, 1 understand, had an agreement with each other whereby the 

 commission men said, "You can not operate with the Central," and 

 the other fellows have said, "You can not sell to the country buy- 

 er," and the result now is that everything is passed thru to the 

 scalpers before it goes to the country. But that is a situation, if 

 it be true, if you farmers of Iowa and Illinois and every state oper- 

 ate in your central and co-operative or terminal marketing agency 

 the way you should, you will not let that sort of thing creep in 

 and continue, will you? I would be surprised at the integrity and 

 intelligence of the farmers if they would let that condition arise 

 and continue; so if it may be true in one case, gentlemen, we are 

 not going to let that condition exist on these large markets for any 

 length of time. We can not do it ! 



Q. Do you have any split shipments with the other firms? 



A. Yes, many of them. We have got a lot of farmers that are 

 doubting Thomases, you know, but I want to say this, we have no 

 discrimination from the packers, no discrimination from the stock 

 yards company. No firm on the market has a better lot of sales- 

 men than we have, so why should any farmer put in split shipments 

 and doubt the ability of his own organization? But they do it, 

 and they will probably continue to do it. I don't expect ever to 

 get 100 per cent at South St. Paul. 



Q. Do you take care of feed cost? 



A. Absolutely. 



