Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1882-04-19
Proceedings of the Farmers' Alliance,
SATURDAY.. April IL.


Saturday, April Is.
Before coming to order, an informal
discussion on the enormous amounts vir
tually stolen by the Millers' Association
from the producers, took place among
some of the members. It was claimed
that none of the mills ground for one
eighth toll as prescribed by law. That
the price of wheat was fixed by the Mil
| lers' Association last winter so as to take
at one blow millions from the farmers.
AT 2 r. NJ, in the absence of the proper
officers, W. I. Brown was elected presi
dent pro tenn. The proceedings of the last
meeting were read and accepted. VIM.
Cowan, Vice President, coming in, was
called to the chair by Mr.. Brown. Cowan,
chairman of the committee on new men,
bers, had forgotten to bring the list of
applicants at last meeting, and on motion,
| further time was given to report. After
some discussion motion prevailed that
the Secretary also keep list of appli
cants for membership. Quite number
of applicants for membership were then
handed in. The discussion of the resolu
ton on stock versus grain raising, then
came before the Alliance. A lively and
instructive discussion followed, of which
we note only the more striking points
made. Senator Clough opened the dis
cussion by portraying the condition of
the country, the tenantless houses, the
farmers foreclosed upon, and the farmers
going west, as the result of too exclusive
grain raising. He could not speak from
any extensive experience in stock raising,
he only knew he had not succeeded in
raising grain. A. Dickerson, the leading
disputant on the other side, abounded in
figures. To make good yearling you
must feed about II bushels of oats and
half a ton of hay; the second winter he
will require II tons of hay, and will cost
at least $28 by the time he is three years
| old. Mr.. Dickerson showed that he had
cleared 5000 the past season above ex-
penses from 100 acres of wheat. He had
not included the interest on the land,
as expenses either in raising wheat or
stock. In reply to the query, how he
would keep his land in good condition,
the speaker replied he would seed to
clover with his wheat and pillow it in in
the fall, or let the clover grow till next
summer and turn under the full grown
clover. 1t would be better than a good
coat of barn-yard manure, and a good
deal easier for the back.
J. B. Revord made the point that less
capital was required for grain, and he
believed there was more money
in it in the end. Jonas Hancy had
raised wheat for Is years, including
the war times, and era of high prices, and
as net result grew poor. For the past
five years had relied on dairy and stock
for his main income, and had made more
than during the Is years. The money
loaner who lives on the interest of his
money is all right till he lets his expcndi-
lures encroach on his capital, then he
must sooner or later fail. The grain
raiser was encroaching on his capital and
must ascertain how much he was taking
out of his farm before he could tell how
much he had made raising grain. But
his farm with stock was in high condition
and growing better. He would seed to
clover and NOW and pasture or 4 years.
VIM. Cowan had had experience in both
grain and stock and gave a detailed &C
count of his marked success in grain rails
ing and spoke Of the long time it took to
get returns from stock raising The
means he had adopted to keep up his
land with comparatively little stock was
to haul in his old straw stacks to receive
the droppings of his stock through the
summer, and he had made great deal of
manure. w. l. Brown had to say that
$40 worth of pork was much easier mar
keted than $40 worth of corn. The r. r.
freights were much less on the products
of farm in the shape of fat hogs and
cattle than of raw material. AS the sub
ject did not seem to be exhausted, the
debate was adjourned to the next meeting
which it was agreed should be held in two
weeks in the court room at 2 p. m. sharp