Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1886-08-20
Co-operation Among Farmers.


Matters have come to such pass among
farmers that they certainly must begin to use
their brains to protect themselves against the
rapacious middlemcn. In the large cities de
cent Strawberries have not been below ten
.cnts a quart; very poor ones at that; they
we're mostly withered, half-rotten specimens
nearly to the top, glazed over with a few fine
ones on the surface. The brazen statesmen say
thev can't help it, because that is the way
farmers send the fruit to market 1t is a lie.
Farmers do nothing of the kind, yet they have
been obliged to sell berries this year t. the
commission men for two and Il half and three
cents a quart So discouraged have many of
thc large growers become that they have
plowed up their beds and declare they can
raise strawberries no more.
1t Is not the consumer or farmer who gets
che benefit of prices either low or high; it is
always he middlcmen.
L s. the same with butter Twenty
cent, "A pound is the lowest rjt, that con
sumers have got goo! lItr"r Cor this sum
mer ~ cities. 1t ua. oi.''."" been higher
Than own to that pir'. Vet ten cents
pound l. all that the ta."A people have got in
many cases for gilt edged butter 1t is
shame and an outrage. The farmer is the
pillar that holds the world up. Now let him
20 work TO obtain his rights.
Every year there are meetings Of all kinds
If manufacturers to set the price at which
their good, shall be sold They hang together
ike thieves to keep prices up TO Just where
hey have fixed them, Everybody but the
arncr He loads his grain, tobacco, pota-
oes or fruit upon Ms wagon and goes to the
commission merchant, who is the middle
man, ,ni humbly and apologctically asks
him what me VIII give for the produce SO
commission mon become milliOnaircs and
armer- grind and toll on till they die.
Let their joe am end O. th, Farmers, band
rogothcr and holI like iron. Form organiza.
tons, got every farmer in the Union into
hem Then lis Your own pY.1,aa.2 hang ~
hem to the death. Further, have your own
lired agcntS-mon from yourselves, with in
erasts the same rs your own-tO distribute
Ycur goods in the consuming ccnters, Pay
hem n regular salary, watch them and hold
hem O a strict account for all their doings.
As far rs possible get private customers for
rour butter fruits, etc. Put She middle
MANS profit in your own pocket
DO you know tho enormous profit an
agent gets for travelling throu,A tnc COIN
try and .uduciug you tmid and unknowing
ones 10 tuy farm maChneryf In the case of
WI N'N'''l 'Ill'ollIlS Illdtulllt StlNl IL Is
something like s225, Other things are in pro
portion Wake up, will your The world Of
.rade seems IN league to fleece YOU
A number Of you band together, buy a
steam thresher for neighborhood and de-
mand the agents commission Off You will
get it if you stand firm
Employ cooperation in all your large en-
'erprises Cooperation is the true solution
IF your troubles Work at the problem faith
fully and unsclilshly till you solve it. 1t has
oeen tried successfully. For ton years in a
certain locality, "A few farmers have been
organized into what they call the Union
Threshn2 and Saving company, There are
eleven members. They have board of three
managers, annually elected by the members
The company owns complete machines for
hulling clover seed and threshnS aHl saving
1t IS n regular sock company, with sharcs,
and pa. .t dividends. only mcmhcrs uss
tho machu. Whau several want them
ut the sam4 due the foreman draws loft, t0
decide which shall have Them FIRST A small
price Fixed only mnog r. 20 b'chsr-cl