Page Eighteen 



THE I. A. A. RECORD 



March, 19)1 



"In early days plans were presented 

 but each individual member could co- 

 operate to any degree he saw fit. Plans 

 were placed before them and thorough- 

 ly explained and co-operation urged. 

 Some would — some 100 per cent — some 

 50 per cent — some 25 per cent — some 

 5 per cent — and some no per cent. It 

 was soon found if any plan was to sue 

 ceed it could only be done by having 

 all members agree to follow in every 

 detail all the plans formulated by head- 

 quarters organization — and failing to 

 follow such plans they automatically 

 excluded themselves from the benefits 

 and could not remain a member. Once 

 the idea was established of having a 

 powerful headquarters organization 

 which all would respect and whose 

 plans would be put into effect 100 per 

 cent, success became apparent immedi- 

 ately. 



"By actually pooling their buying, in 

 the truest sense of the word, they sud- 

 denly found that from the point of 

 buying they had equal advantage with 

 their most powerful competitor. When 

 it came to the identification of their 

 stores and the type of store that would 

 meet with public favor, they discovered 

 that by having complete identification 

 on a uniform basis throughout the 

 country — both inside and outside the 

 store — they immediately began to se- 

 cure advantages and benefits equal to 

 that of their strongest competitor in 

 this respect. People began to say: 



"' 'Why, Frank Smith must have 

 great buying power — I see stores like 

 his everywhere.' ;.'• - ■_ ■- 



Advertising Helps 



"Soon powerful advertising was en- 

 gaged in. No single individual retailer 

 could possibly hope to present his case 

 to the public in a strong enough man- 

 ner with constant continuance that 

 would eventually work its way into 

 the consciousness of the people, but 

 banded together it was possible with 

 small income from each one to begin 

 that powerful advertising which today 

 stands as a miracle in our modern mer- 

 chandising. Further, because of this co- 

 operation of thousands of independent 

 merchants funds are available in such 

 amounts that full page advertising in 

 national magazines is now being en- 

 gaged in to top off the complete ad- 

 vertising program. 



"This organization has grown until 

 last year sales of independent retailers 

 in the I. G. A. exceeded five hundred 

 million dollars. It is operating in 37 

 states with thousands of retailers fol- 

 lowing most carefully all the plans 

 worked out for their benefit. Increase 

 in membership is growing at a rate 

 that is hard to believe. 



"Advertising is conducted in over 

 350 newspapers weekly. Every mem- 



ber mails out a miniature newspaper 

 containing specials, new ideas on foods 

 for the family's use and household 

 hints, recipes, and other matters of 

 interest to the consumers — and the cir- 

 culation of this medium, which is is- 

 sued twice a month, is approximately 

 two and one-half million copies per 

 issue. 



Uniform Sales Methods 



"Window display experts are engaged 

 at headquarters to work out displays. 

 These arc photographed, reproduced 

 and sent to every member, and. win- 

 dows are changed every week, ^any 

 have marveled that in a small store they 

 could engage such expert window trim- 

 ming service, but it is easy when great 

 numbers are co-operating together. 

 Posters, price tags, and every conceiv- 

 able device that is necessary for the 

 store in present-day merchandising, are 

 furnished." 



In closing, Mr. Grimes told his au- 

 dience that farmers' local co-operative 

 marketing enterprises were comparable 

 to the local independent grocers'; that 

 their hope for gaining control of their 

 products lay in merging their resources 

 and strength through larger centralized 

 organizations which could do for them 

 what they never could do working 

 alone. 



Insurant 



By L. A. "Larry" Williams 

 Women in Life Insurance 



MRS. MIES of Livingston county, 

 president of the Illinois Home 

 Bureau Federation, read a very interest- 

 ing resolution at the annual meeting 

 which has caused me to give some 

 thought to the subject of life insurance 

 for women. Although our agents have 

 never solicited farmers' wives particu- 

 larly, their selling nevertheless has been 

 consistent so far as that sex is con- 

 cerned. ■■;;•. :'.':--i-: ^•^-■■.: ■.■.. :■•,;:'■■■■.; .-^.r-j' 



This, however, is not exactly true in 

 farming. There is a greater need of the 

 farm wife to protect the interests of 

 her family with insurance than there is 

 for the cky wife. The standard of 

 living in many farm homes is notice- 

 ably lowered upon the death of the 

 wife and mother. Proper care and 

 schooling require funds. Many of the 

 finer things in life are overlooked be- 

 cause of the need for money and it is 

 reasonable to assume that the plans of 

 a mother for her children will at her 

 death have to give way to the more 

 important plans of making the farm 

 go even to the sacrifice of proper edu- 

 cation. 



On the farm a wife is really a part- 

 ner with her husband in the farming 

 business. It, therefore, should be con- 

 sidered as a partnership aflFair. Partner- 

 ships usually protect each other. In the 

 event of the death of one partner, the 

 other is left the insurance to help main- 

 tain the business or to clear up the 

 estate without too great a loss. 



I have always maintained that the 

 man should carry the greater proportion 

 of insurance on his own life. I feel 

 that it would be more diflScult for the 

 woman to get along after the death of 

 the husband than it would be for the 

 man to get along after the death of the 

 wife even though there be children. 



A woman may take a policy and spe- 

 cify in that contract that in the event 

 of her death so much a month shall be 

 paid to her children for the purpose of 

 education. By this method she can see 

 to it, even after her death, that some 

 of her dreams and hopes are realized. 

 A portion of her insurance may be 

 made payable to her husband. The 

 proper insurance program will give her 

 a greater feeling of satisfaction as well 

 as a greater confidence in the partner- 

 ship which is too frequently a real part- 

 nership so far as work is concerned but 

 not when the cash returns come in. 

 On many farms, however, the woman 

 spends the greater share of the money; 

 she is the shopper, the planner, and the 

 budget maker. 



I am grateful indeed to the women 

 of the past convention for their reso- 

 lution and I am hoping that Home 

 Bureaus will work with the General 

 Agents in trying to bring about a more 

 successful distribution of information 

 on the matter of life insurance. I am 

 suggesting to General Agents that they 

 set aside two weeks or a month out of 

 the year for the purpose of specifically 

 bringing the advantages of life in- 

 surance before women. It is my further 

 suggestion that they appoint sub-agents 

 for that two weeks' period during which 

 every policy written will bring a com- 

 mission to the Home Bureau. Also that 

 these women agents solicit only women 

 and children, and that the General 

 Agent and all regular agents co-operate 

 during that two weeks' period to make 

 possible the greatest success. 



Illinois Agricultural Mutual Ins. Co. 



"Your check for $66.48 in re my claim re- 

 ceived January 11 and I am acknowledging 

 same in the spirit of a satisfied policyholder 

 and happy in the knowledge that the truth pre- 

 vailed regardless of the strange attitude of the 

 bus driver. Strange to relate that we never 

 carried any insurance on cars owned by us pre- 

 viously and never had an accident of account. 

 However, I will be doubly cautious in future 

 and hereby tender my thanks for your business- 

 like and courteous treatment." 



M. A. Neumeyer, Edinbiirg, Texas. 



lU 



