Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1884-03-06

II does not make q cents worth of
difference TO us individually, whether
Bohemian oat stock is up or down, and,
since some ofoar farmer friends are In
for IL, any further statement Of what we
consider the scheme to be may be
thought wholly gratuitious, uncalled
for, injurious 10 their interests and not
sufficiently beneficial to others to war
rant the trouble of exposing 1t. But
honest indignation at the trick of the
scheme, ingenious as that scheme is,
almost compels one to open upon it; If
for no other reason than that people
may know what they are doing.
Now any person that pays for an ar
ticle more than it is worth, is swindled,
either by his own want of judgment, or
the representations of Others, to just the
extent of the difference in the actual
value and fanciful price paid. He may
be able to shove the article off upon
others, at even "a better price than he
himself paid; thus making good spec
ulation; but that only transfers the
swindle to another party, who takes his
chances upon catching another sucker,
or suffers the loss. This, in nut shell,
is the Bohemian oat scheme. Every
body who pays $40 for bushel of them
is beat just $3.50, because that is 50
much more than they are worth, not
being as good for feed as the common
oats. If he, by means of the Associa-
ton, or otherwise, succeeds in selling
his increase at the same price, he makes
profitable speculation, but somebody
else is beaten out of what the specula-
tor gets over and above all the crop it.
self is worth. The agents are careful to
get their pay; while with the farmers
some do, perhaps; but Others do not;
because from the very nature of the
transaction somebody must lose, else
nobody could gain.
The following reply from Ripely, to
the Daily Reflector, dated Jan. 10Th,
gives fair sample of the latter sort:
IA Mr.. Scheid, Pontiac, Peru town.
ship, has made two unsuccessful at
tempts to deliver Bohemian oats to par
ties in Ripely. The former was made
ten days or two weeks ago, and the lat
ter was made yesterday. Mr.. Scheid,
although stranger here, had the ap-
pearance of being an honest German
farmer, for which the township of Peru
is noted. He informed your cores
pondent that last year he bought twen'
ty bushels of the oats at $40 per bushel
the company agreeing to sell forty
bushels for him this season at the same
price per bushel, charging commits
sion of $3.50 per bushel, which he paid
the superintendent of the company
Geo. Beatty, or his representative, from
whom he obtained the Ripely parties
orders that he tried to fill as above. He
also said that up to this time they hat
not sold bushel of his oats.
Yesterday when Mr.. S. found it inn
practicable to deliver his oats, and had
concluded to return home, he went tt
get 20 bushels he had left on his former
trip with Walt. Keefer, the company''
local agent, but was informed that al
Beatty had not paid him (Keefer) hi
per eentage, he would keep the 20 bush
els then in his possession, and did so.
Mr.. S. paid 5000 for his seed, s75 com
mission for selling, has made two trip
from his home, distance of 20 miles
has paid the expenses such trips woult
incur, and has accomplished nothing
but on the other hand will be 20 bush
els of oats short if the agent succeeds il
holding them in this questionable way
II the Bohemian oat business is not tn
basest of swindles we fail to understand
the meaning of that term. J. H. d.