The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1881-03-03
Why Farmers Should Organize.


Correspondence Of the GAZETTE.
Wishing to forward the cause of
the farmers in this section, we would
like to see Farmers Alliance organ
lied in every township in the State,
but as it is a new organization its
object may not be fully understood
by the farmers. The enclosed from
the Western Rural gives all neces-
sary information. By publishing it
you will greatly oblige,
DELHI FARMER.
The farmers are responding nobly
to the suggestion of The Western
Rural to organize themselves into
Farmers Alliances, and we are glad
to iin,l them so thoroughly aroused
to the necessity Of such step. The
matter of protecting himself from
the encroachments and tyranny of
railroad and other centralized capital
has resolved itself into question of
life or death to the farmer. The
lack of union in our farming com
munity has exposed the producer to
every sort of combination, and capt.
tai, (which should be his friend, is more
and more inclined to concentrate
to his injury. The railroads are alb
sorbing the profits which properly
belong to him, and in some sections
his family is stinted, his children i'm
perfectly educated, and his indebted
mes, is accommodating, simply because
no profit remains alter he submits,
as he is compelled to, to the arbitrary
assessment of railroad capital. And,
when at this terrible sacrifice, he
reaches a market, he finds it .lutted
with authorizations and limitations
which centralized capital has forced
upon it, and he must enter into ruin
oHs competition with these Scounter-
felt pre>entinents." His butter must
sit beside oleonargarine and lard but
ter, which capital has combined to
manufacture, and which can he sold
at Il handsome profit for from ten to
fifteen cents per pound. He offers :.
good, pure article Of diet, which he
can not afford to sell for less than
twenty-five or thirty cents per pound,
while this centralized capital offers :,
compound of worms and general
filth, but of whose composition the
consumer is ignorant, for one-hali
that sum, and sometimes for less.
While the country is hoping for a
more extensive cultivation of sugar
cane, that we may stop the vast over
flow Of money which annually goes
for imported sweets, capital is rush
ing into the manufacture of glucose
and has adulterated most of the
sugar and every gallon of cane syrup
in the market, hindering, of course
the progress of a more general
growth of cane and injuriny those
who are already engaged in its cul
,urc. Our honey comes to market
only to find it filed with honey-fa.
vored glucose. Cider vinegar must
come into competition with CHEAP
and poisonous acids, and thus We
might go Oh detailing the extent Of
the illegitimate trade which is fos
tered by centralized capital, and
against which the farmer, withon,
Organization, is utterly powerless t.
protect himself.
| We want laws to establish an equi
table relationship between the farm
ers and the railroads, and we wan
the law to compel centralized capital
which is determined to load our mar
ket with imitation products, to Sc
brand them that child will know
whether it is getting oleomargarin'
or butter, pure sugar or adulteratet
sugar, glucose or syrup, cloth or |
shoddy imitation. Farmers, if yo,
will organize yourselves into ALI
ances, we can have all that we wan
that is just, and we do not want any
thing that is not.
The late Fernando Wood was 81.