The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1873-10-24
FARMERS CLUB.

-AS OAuO met hG Lne OCnOOl HOUSE az LIND
sey, on Saturday last, at one o'clock p NJ,
DR.. A. R. Ferguson in the chair.
Mr.. E. S. BoWersox was chosen Secretary
pro TEN.
DR.. Ferguson said the object of this ad-
Journed meeting was to wake up an interest
among the farmers about Lindsey, who could
not well attend the regular meetings of the
club at Fremont, and be invited all to speak
their minds freely on any subject of interest
to farmers.
Mr. Burgner, being asked for an essay re-
Piled that he had not had time to prepare one
but that he had thought of writing upon the
present outlook of the farmer. He contrasted
the present comfortable circumstances of most
farmers with the hardships and privatious of
pioneer life, and looked forward with hope to
the near future when farmers united in clubs
and oranges will be able to demand and get
Just return for their labor, of which thew are
now IN great measure deprived by the Or
ganized rings of middIe-men, who huy their
produce or furnish their supplies. At the
present market prices many farmers, with all
their industry and pinching economy, are not
able to make the farm pay, because hired help
is too scarce and wages are too high; and the
result is that in order to make ends meet they
are led to pursue a ruinous system of farming,
to skin their land and run it so hard by con-
unual cropping, without using fertilizers, clo-
yer or manure, that light soils soon become
D2rrnu and l.
When farmers are once thoroughly organized
and work together for their own interests
as men do in other pursuits and callings. and
get as good return for their labor, skill and
capital, and when the rich will help the noor
SO that there need be no sacrifice of produce
at ruinous prices, then may we look for better
times among farmers; better buildings and
fences, and more intelligence resulting from
more time devoted to reading and study. The
farmers boys and girls will then take pride in
being such, and will not be tempted by the al
lurements of city ife.. Let US take COURAGE
and go on to secure these results.
Mr.. Tucker said that the farmers of Sandns.
KY county for want of proper organic alton
have this season lost $4,000 in marketing their
apples They were at the mercy of specula-
tons. Apples are very scarce in many sections
and selling in few places as high as IS Der
barrel, and here we have been selling chem
for SIPS. So it is in regard to marketing
other products. We are also imposed upon by
peddlers and agents who sell articles TO us at
two and three times their true value.
DIR. Ferguson said if any one present was
not in favor of this farmers movement he
should be glad to hear from him.
Mr.. W. overmoyer said that he had made
more money at numbering than at farming.
and that this farmers movement was a new
thing to him, and that he had not as vet
formed any opinion in regard to it.
Mr.. Philip Overnoyer said he had made his
money honestly, by hard work On the farm
and in the lumber business.
Mr.. ]. L. Luse said he had made mora
money by dairy farming than by raising grain,
'ut that at present he could not get milk
'nough to make it profitable
Mr.. D. B. Overmoyer said he favored this
armers' movement and thought it a good
hing. He would not advise farmers to 90
nto the dairy business unless they could have
ne milk OF 300 cows, constantly He said
Or. Daniel Waggoner intended organizing a
armers' club at this meeting, but was called
way to Wood county on business.
Dr. ferguson, by request, stated the objects
I the club at some length, the same in sub
tance as heretofore reported.
Mr.. Luse did not see how poor man, in
iced of money, could wait to sell bis grain
18th his rich neighbors, who could afford to
Iait for higher prices.
DIR. Ferguson said that in the West the
ranges have common fund from which they
1Vance money to poor man and take his
rain until they get enough for car load, and
len always give him the benefit of any rise
/ the price.
Mr. Tucker said the main objection to
ranges IS their secresy, but he knew that the
idlVlduals and churches who opposed secret
'cieties have secret plans among themselves.
e said the Grangers are doing good work
'lping their poor neighbors, caring for the
ck and unfortunate, and saving millions of
'llars by prudent cooperation in making
les and purchases
DR.. Ferguson said that Oranges are secra I
oieties, but he thought that was no valid
lection. Boards of Trade are secret. Mer-
ANTS have secret rings, as he once found out {
his entire satisfaction, by selling oats which i
had stored,to some one outside of the ring.
Lrmers must organize in rings to beat these
ngs. He had never belonged to any secret
ciety, but thought the time had come for
rmers to form oranges. A club is good, but
grange IS better. A man in Fremont told
N The other day, 81 care not how many
rmers' clubs you organize-we know all you
9 doing-but d-n these oranges" From
is we may infer that oranges are accom-
shing our object better than farmers clubs.
e must organize as others have organized
ainst US. Shippers tell US that cars are
snty this fall because the Oranges in the
'st are holding on to their wheat until Z
lights shall go down and prices 90 up, and -
ing united they are able to do SO. live =,
ing organization against capital we can save =
'm 80 to 40 per cent. Oranges in the west NJ
buying reapers and mowers for $50 less
IN we do here. Some say these oranges are
Iltlcai' That Is not true. They are strictly -
hidden to discuss politics in their meetings
ey have nothing to do with politics as an
5anlzation. They also exclude all persons 4
10 are not farmers. Several oranges have y
an suppressed for violating these rules.
DIR, Burgner said the committees on town Il
p organizations wished to know whether "
3 must all adopt the same constitution, and u
charge the same fees, and be under the y
ltrol Of the county club. Dl
)r. Ferguson said each township club could n,
'pt such a constitution as it saw fit, and
rye any fee or no fee just as they chose u
that each township club would be inde- Bi
dent of the county club, but they would %
expected to cooperate with it in all mat lie
which are of general interest. M
lr, J. V. Beery asked whether members
hese clubs are under obligations to COM
3 together in buying and selling as the Ca
myers of the west are doing. He thought Pr Pr
hey did so in large numbers they would Ma
the opposition of all other classes of COM Ip1
lity, beca use they would have the power DDu
un up the prices of wheat so high that poor -,
pie in towns would have to starve. He al
aid that butchers must live, and if they
obliged to pay more for cattle they will
,ge more for beef, and if the cost Of living Pa,
Used in this way the wages of laboripg stat
will advance still higher. ben n
r. Ferguson said ho could not see why it of {
more wrong for farmers to raise the price q
leir products than it was for blacksmitbs