The Benton democrat. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1871-18??, 1873-04-12
FARMERS, MEETING.

cuss the following resolutions :ass
Resolved, That the farmers of Benton
county club together, and build ware
houses at convenient points along the
Willamette river, for the purpose of
storing their surplus products.
Resolued, That it is best for the far
mers of Oregon to attend to their own
high calling. and prosecute it with en-
ergy and skill, and leave the business
of shipping to foreign ports to men who
make commerce the business of their
lives.
Judge G. z. Moore opened the dis
cussion, and as we have reproduced his
address. on our. first page, we will not
make any report of it here.
N. P. Newton favored the first reso-
luton, and argued in favor of farmers
cleaning and grading their grain, men,
tioning the many advantages arising
therefrom. Farmers, he thought, would
save the price of warehouse in one
year. They should clean, sack, store
and control. their own grain, paying no
commissions to any one.
A. G. Mnlkey was in favor of farm
ers controlling their own wheat. thus
occupying an independent position.
instead of being the slave of the specu-
lator and shipper. He was in favor of
the farmer shipping his own grain, if it
became necessary, and strongly con-
demned the system of borrowing
wheat. He said wheat was stored at
Albany, last year, when no price was
set upon it, and the wheat was sent to
England, without ever being purchased
of the owner, or one dollar advanced
upon it. He showed up the difficulties
arising from Mr.. Moore's plan of build
ing granaries through town. and pro-
nounced the plan impracticable. Was
in favor of building one large warehouse
on the river bank, and forming corpo-
ration.
E. Hairless dissented from the posi-
tion assumed by Judge Moore, showing,
from the Judges own figures, that the
shipper, who, the former gentleman
claimed, made but seven cents per
bushel, would lose three cents per bushel
after paying Comstock and Hewett
Wilson & Co.'s commission, and at so
cents-the highest price paid here this
season-he would lose Is cents. He did
not think shippers did that kind of bus.
mess. He favored farmers shipping for
themselves. Last year was an excep-
ton; a tremendous combination had
put wheat down, chartered all the ship
ping available, and robbed the farmer
of his grain, paying enormous carrying
freights. Fifteen dollars per ton was
an ordinary freight from Portland to
Liverpool. At these figures, farmers
could realize handsome prices for their
grain. He favored the organization Of
clubs, and the building of warehouses,
urging farmers to clean, sack and grade
their wheat into classes. He showed,
by quoting Liverpool prices, that our
farmers lost from seven to nine pence
sterling per GENITAL by mixing their grain
here in bulk. Among other advantages
of cleaning wheat, the farmer would
save the screenings for provender fol
his stock. or could chop them and sell
them for as much as wheat was worth
here Every other business in the
world had its protective combinations
and there was no reason why farming
should not also have safeguards thrown
around it. Fortunes were made by
middlemen every year, every dollar o
which was taken from the pockets o
the producer. Wheat should bring the
farmer in this county from S5 cents t,
ST. per bushel. LIE favored the ware
house proposition, but this was only hal
the duty of farmers. They should b,
prepared to ship, if necessary. III
wanted to see organizations for protec
ton not only in wheat, but in stock
wool, and every other branch Of indus
try.
Both resolutions were then adopted
Mr.. Elliott requested that the dele
gates to the Salem Convention be in
structed to acquire all possible informa
ton, from the Commissioner, relative t
Farmers Oranges.
Messrs. Elliot, Moore and Nuke
were appointed committee to draft al
ticles Of Incorporation for building an
shipping purposes. and submit the sam
at the next regular meeting.
u The Executive Committee was il
1 4 = II