, 1881-02-26
Farmers IN Council.

From all parts of the Pacific Coast We
gather the glad tidiDgs that the farmers
ar. bucLling on their armor to nshs
apaiust the terrible freight charges I'M
uosed upon them by the merciless trans
porta.ion companies The tonnage lmpo-
,i,;on has now reached point when the
worS.r can get no returns or proht Tor
the capital or labor invested The TAR
mers a: Umpqua, Oregon have recently
met in council and hereafter resolved to
r si.t such oxtor,ion. To the farmers OF
Eastern Oregon and Washington we re-
commend a thorough study Of the folieW'
ing address, delivered at Rose6urg, Ore
gon. 1t applies even more to our farmers
than to those of Oregon, BY reason that
We are 40 much further from the seaboard
and freight charges higher in proportion'
TIE ADDRESS
RosEBuKe, Feb 5, 1881
An Address TO the Wheat Producers OF
Orey.,n:-This movement which 5" largely
! interests the entire State, which IS 50
nearly Simultaneous in California and Or-
yon, Is brought about not by the desire oi
the whea, producers of th.ss States. but
by other combinations, which hnd their
explanations in conditions and dangers
20 the industry IF each State almost aen-
neal in their nature ard effect, and must
be met by united s.el.On If success is e1-
pect--A.
That so important an industry as the
nr.duction and expectation Of wheat frsm
tie State # Oregon should he throtIi1d
nv any class OF combination whatever,
that an industry which is the pride and
hoast of our people, which draws millions
from the Ole world to repay our prpducs
ers for their energy, industry and enter
prise, and enriches the State at large; an
industry which stands tirst on the list OF
our vast agricultural productions, should,
by combination of capital and shipcwn-
ers. be made a means of impoverishlng
its producers while it enriches the manip-
ulators of foreign channels, appeals direct
" to the people at large, for q remedy.
Are the demands now made by ship own
ers for sos to 85s per ton for transporta-
ton of wheat from Portland. Oregon, to
Liverpool reall Are these demands
which are SO exo-bitant as to paralyze
trade, destroy future confidence OF the
farmer and threaten the whole country
with bankruptcy, actual legitimate de-
mandr, when farmers are called upon to
pay go dollars per ton|CO cents per
bushel-before their gran can be placed
in the markets of the worldl This extra
charge of s. per ton means $o,OOO on
every l 600 tons ship loaded. This Is &C.
tually the bonus farmers Of Oregon are
called upon to make to this combination
of exporters. 1t means Is cents per bush
Ell on all wheat in Oregon for export Are
farmers expected to calmly submit to this
mastery effort on the part Of reckless
adyenturers to rob them without = muir
murl Are vessels so scarcel Are the
demands 50 great in other parts OF the
world for ships as to draw awsy from Us
the tonnage necessary to move the crops
of 1892 If so, what answer has the ring
combination to offer for the largest fleet
Of vessels that ever sailed for the Pacific
Coast, now on the way to San Francisco
and Portlandl
If G4 or sos is the actual demand
brought about in a legitimate way, and
wheat cannot be carried from Portland,
Oregon, to Liverpool for less. then what
answer have the manipulstors OF foreign
charters to make for the loading of 20
ships, from January 2, 1880, to December
~, 1897 OF these 6O ships loaded, 5S
seem to have, on average, received less
than e3, one "a, ,ne "a Is Cd. Has
anything remarkable transplred to en-
hance the cost of transportation, and JUS
tify this sudden ominous advanced If
not, then this extra 15 cents per bushel is
The Shylnck's demand for the pound of
flesh. 1t is the last feather that breaks
the camers back, and passes even the en-
ldsssaeaos. QrsaNa. faEmesS apd @ s salls uEsr fSr
servatlon. Thus We h.h-,i q yIgas."-
rers sitting one of the most lucrative in
dustries hitherto known in the history of
he State, by one single act, spreading
decentralization and bankruptcy broadcast
over the land, depreciating at one FIJI
blast the value of every acre of agricul-
tural land in the State. Should this gi
gantic effort OF few capitalists to enrich
themselves at 81 fearful cost be allowed
to succeedl If not what means can be
employed to counteract the effect Of these
combinations for the present and for the
future against the State, and to enable
the farmer to obtain living Irice for his
grain-honest earnings of his hard labor
earned by the sweat of his brow, and
days of ceaseless toll, and nights Of watch |
tui carel Ii sho lld pay him reasonable |
return for his labor, otherwise the pros
periiy of the State is blasted. We an
swer tnat farmers have felt it in their |
power to make this united effort felt, and |
that, at once, by holding their grain until |
a fair price is offered. Those who are in |
immediate van, Of money can obtain res-
sonable advcnc-s. and holding their wheat |
for a fair price, compel ship grabbers to
pay heavy demurage, on their empty
vessels for a few months, bringing
them to terms. Their success this year
means and promises you repetition Of
the same thing again until they are taught
to realize that combination of charters
carries with it also combination Of far
mers. Let the adventurers and specula-
tors who attempt to corner the farmers,
beware lest they find themselves cornered
as in the late instance in Chicago, which
resulted SO disastrously to the buccaneers.
While Oregon is the remotest place on
the face of the earth furnishing bread to
European markets, nevertheless, en'er-
PRISE and superior natural advantages
have enabled you for years to contend
against distance and overcome obstacles
until you have won for the
State as wide reputation for bread and
other products of agriculture As Cal.for-
MIA secured for her gold. But there is
limit beyond which burdens cannot be
borne; limit beyond which wrongs
be imposed, even on Oregon far
mers and that limit has been reached. As
long as freight and other charges left you
even small margin you SAID nothing.