Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-06-10

that. His Complaints fall upon deaf ears and
fail to reach hearts hardened by seli-inteTest.
COMPLAINTS are not the remedy for the stu
alton in which the farmers find themselves.
Action is the only thing that Will relieve
them of tie embarrassments they labor under
And. wha. is the first step to the line OF
action? The farmer feeds the rest OF the
world. He raises the supplies Tor the too 20!
markets of the world. And yet in his indi-
v;dgal capacity he is not only ignorant
Of the situation of the supply and
demand in these markets, but he is
powerless to obtain correct information
In regard to this supply and demand.
The wheat-grower TIT wool-grower, the hop
grover, the fruit grower, the wine-grower,
and the grower Of each and every agricult-
ural product has to go to his commission
merchant to learn what he ought TO ask for
his produce. Being at the mercy OF every
other class he is liable to hold his produce for
better prices when there is no prospect for
better prices, and he is liable to sell his pro-
duce when the prospects Of better prices war
rant his holding that produce for those prices.
The first step then for the farmer to take is
in the line Of information. He must know
at all times the present condition of the
worlds supply and demand for all the articles
he produces to sell. He must make himself
independent Of those who stand ready at
every corner to take advantage of his ignor-
ance. He must inform himself Through his
own agencies, and not through the agencies of
OF those who speculate out OF him
upon their superior information be
must step in front Of the commission
merchant, the Spectator and the COM
mon carrier, and talk directly with the
consumer or his true representative, wherever
that consumer may be. Each farmer cannot
do these things for himself. Each set OF
producers, as wheat-growers or hop-growers,
cannot do these things without considerable
cost for and in the exclusive interest of that
set. 1t would cost too much to the individual
or to one class of farmers to perfect the necss-
sary arrangements for collecting and trans
hitting this necessary information from the
commercial or market centers of the world.
But suppose the farmers OF all classes-the
representatives Of all kinds Of agricultural
products-were 10 associate themselves into
cooperative association for the purpose of OBJ
tanning this information, and form an incor-
poration without capital stock. with proper
officers and a principal place of business in
San Francisco and branch Offices in every
important farming locality in the State.
Such an organization properly managed could
90 to first sources of information in every
produce market in the world and could learn
the probable demand for every farm product.
It could also go to sill the principal sources
of supply and learn the condition OF trade.
This information, being tabulated, could be
laid before each and every incorporation in the
State at q cost merely nominal This in
formation could be constant and embrace
every farm product. 1t would be the private
property of the corporators, and each would
act intelligently upon the part Of it that in
terested him or related TO his particular in
terest.
1t is not necessary to pursue this detail OF
8 plan further. We would remark, however,
that to secure faithfulness and business dis
erection and secrecy, membership TO such
corporation could be required to come through
the Grange. 1t will be readily seen by all
that the information proposed TO be obtained
would constitute the key to the whole situa-
ton in the standpoint of the farmer. The
many mistakes and losses that have attended
the business efforts OF the farmers heretofore
have arisen from the fact that they lacked
the key. While the spectators held the
key the farmers had to go in the dark, and
were purposely pnisled by those spectators.
These mistakes should not be repeated, and
need not be. First get the information, and
then act upon it. First combine for obtain
ing necessary information, and then, if neces-
sary, combine for making that information
available. Be not afraid of corporations.
Corporations are but legal forms of co-opera-
ton. Business combinations must be met by
similar business combinations. They can be
met in no other way. But these combinations
must be controlled by necessary information
and business skill and judgment.