450 Kansas State Board of Agriculture. 



dealer in the community, was elected president and Charles Greicher was 

 the first secretary. 



The value of the association was demonstrated immediately. An or- 

 ganization known as the Hay Exchange had been organized by some 

 stockyard people, seemingly for the sole purpose of exploiting the busi- 

 ness which the hay dealers had been building up. They built a ware- 

 house that would hold about 1500 tons of hay, and the railroads helped 

 the plan along by issuing an order not to allow any hay to stop on team 

 tracks. All the receivers had to pay the Hay Exchange 50 cents per ton 

 for handling the hay, and if the hay was not removed within ten days 

 there would be a further charge of 25 cents for each additional ten days. 



This was very pleasant, in theory, for the Hay Exchange, but as a 

 matter of fact they could not make deliveries, and so the Hay Dealers' 

 Association took it up with the Railroad Commission, who ordered the 

 railroads to set the hay on team tracks. This put the Hay Exchange 

 out of business and stimulated the association to further effort. The 

 lesson of cooperation had been learned. 



The next step that the association took was to put in three sets of 

 team-track scales for the use of members, and within a few years an 

 inspection service was organized, which marked the real beginning of 

 that efficient system which has put the Kansas City market in the lead. 



In 1899 a constitution and by-laws were adopted, and were amended 

 in 1904. These rules were milestones in the path of progress, and were 

 the substantial basis of the splendid rules which govern the market to- 

 day. During all these years the railroads had made frequent attempts 

 to raise the rates or to increase the minimum car weight. In every 

 emergency the association was on the job and induced the Interstate 

 Commerce Commission to frustrate the attempts. The most threatening 

 catastrophe occurred in 1905, when the state of Missouri passed a law 

 to inspect all hay offered for sale in Missouri. A state inspector was 

 appointed, but the hay men refused to pay for the inefficient service 

 offered. The next year G. Peters, who had been inspector for the asso- 

 ciation, went into the state service, and matters looked very gloomy until 

 1907, when Mr. Peters was elected secretary of the association to fill the 

 vacancy made by the resignation of E. R. Boynton, and at the same time 

 took up inspection again for the hay dealers. The next year the state of 

 Missouri sued a member for back bills for inspection. The suit was 

 thrown out on demurrer, and as a result state hay inspection went out of 

 business. From this time on, through the activity of successive presi- 

 dents and the devotion of Secretary Peters, who has continued in that 

 office, the association has gained in strength and prestige. The mem- 

 bership is limited to sixty, and at the present time each membership is 

 valued at $800. 



RULES OF THE ASSOCIATION. 1 



The rules of the association have grown through a process of elimina- 

 tion and addition till they are models for strict justice and fairness be- 

 tween buyer and seller. Every provision is made for the protection of 



1. See "Rules of Kansas City Hay Dealers' Association," in index. 



