Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1873-05-29

1 1850 w bh oAd w w Ia w al "a iOA
what he has to sell. Reaper making
is open to all, says Me-, as is farming,
II we don't like the price of -four,
there is no law compelling us to buy.
Let us examine that statement and
see how much truth there is in it, Cor
rather whether there is any truth in
it). In the first place reaper making
is open to all, so says the man who
has had monopoly of the business
to patent rights and renewals of pat
ents, and who has had the manufac>
ture of reapers paying him royalty
drring the last generation. Open to
all when 10 man knows better than
he does, that ever reaper is covered
all over with patents, and TO make q
reaper would be most likely to get
Us into lawsuits with some patentee.
1t is absurd to talk about it being
open to all. [ hope that the time
Will soon como when it will be lawful
Tor any one to manufacture any
article. l believe the patent laws
should be so amended as to permit
any one to manufacture what he
chooses, by paying royalty to the
patentee, said royalty to be fixed by
law, by per cent. on cost Of manu-
featuring the article patented:
The time may come when persons
will unite in forming companies to
manufacture their own implement so
as to have them at cost. The present
high prices will help to bring about
such state of things. Mccormick
tells us that farmers viii not sell be-
low the market price. Who makes
the price of our products? Not the
farmer. Whoever heard of dealer
asking q farmer what he would take
for his wheat. We have humbly to
ask what are you paying and take
what they choose to give. The old
adage that it takes two to make
bargain has become obsolete, in other
words played out. Farmers are so
numerous and scattered over such a
vast extent of country, that it is diff
ticuit to have them to cooperate,
even in their own defence. Talk
about farmers not selling below mark
ct prices. A farmer in some portions
of Iowa would have to sell 1900
bushels of corn after hauling it many
miles and paying for Smelling it, to
get money enough to pay Mccormick
for one of his reapers. And in some
portions of Kansas (where it costs
more TO carry corn to market than it
will bring in st. Louis), it would take
1000 bushels of corn to pay for one
Advance reaper. Is this just Is
the farmer getting just recompence
for his labor.
What we farmers want and what
we must insist on having is q just
share of the profits of our labor, and
OF the products of our farms. We
ought to receive the same income
from the capital invested in our bust
ness, that others do that are engaged
in other persuits, and as we arc the
originators of nearly oil wealth, we
should not be satisfied with less. The
prices we receive are too low when
compared with what we have to pay
those engaged in other professions
For instance if an Iowa farmer steps
into lawyers Office and asks his
advice which may occupy half an
hours time, it will tax from so to
100 bushels Of corn to pay the bill,
after spending one TO two days of
himself and team to haul it to mark
ct. Or take another case. If a Kan
sas farmer wishes to have tooth fill
ed and steps into q Dentists office, if
it don't take 100 bushels of corn to
fill the tooth, it will take the money
that no gets for it, to pay the bill.
L have neglected to notice McCoro
mick's impudent recommendation
when he says that he would recon-
mend US to go step further and ap.
point clerks for the various country
and city stores; when farmers want
Mr.. McCormick's advice we will ask
for it. Who but a purse proud aristo-
crat would insult the men who made
him what he is in that way? No one
proposes to hire or name clerks for
any one. Mccormick can appoint
whom he pleases for clerks. But al
though we pay his clerks wages, and
all his employees, and have made him
a rich man, all we ask in return for
this service, is that he and his clerks
shall not discriminate, and charge us,
a higher price than he does others.
Will any honest or just man say that
is asking too much l did not think
that any man would be so thickhead-
ed as to claim that clerks W ere special
agents, or that farmers ought to OBJ
ject to both when they object to one
of them.
In conclusion | want to say to my
fellow farmers Organize and unite
and stand together like q band of
brothers, and do all you can to put
down every form Of tyranny and op
preston. Our oppressors are organ
lied and wealthy and being principal
ly located in cities, they can meet
often to devise plans to continue their
robbery of the hard working farmers.
We must strike the hydraheaded
monsters--railroad implements and
all other monopolies, or they will
compel Us to work like slaves and let
them have the profits of our labor so
long as we live, and allow them (Jim.
Fisk like) to riot in luxury and pleas
ure, when we and our families have
to do without many of the necessa-
ries and nearly all of the Injuries of
life.
Farmers if you want times to con-
tinue as at present, stay at home and
do not organize either Oranges or
Clubs but If you want to be freemen,
and want to receive fair recon-
perce for your capital and labor,
arise and shake off the stupor that
has been serpentlike controlling you,
and declare, cost what it may, that
you will use your influence, and if