Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1886-05-20
Pres. Dakota Farmers Alliance.


EDITOR REPoRTER AND FARMER have
few thoughts that have occurred TO me
that wish to give to my farmer friends
to consider in connection with the call
made i'm last weeks issue; as / will only
see a few thought best to communicate
through your valuable paper. There is
no doubt but this is great question that
we rs a class have 10 deal with, and ono
of vital importance TO us financially one
that many think we cannot control.
for one don't think so. The only ques-
ton IN my mind is, can we agree upon a
plan of attack. And when we have
made the attack, can we follow it up
again and again without break in ranks
mill we meet with perfect success? My
object in writing this is to correct many
erroneous ideas that / hear of since my
call for meeting. Some seem TO think
that | an going to lead on to stimuli
taneous attack on all other branches of
business. No, gentlemen, / am not that
kind OF hair-pin; for this is business
world and unless we start out in bust
ness like way we can expect nothing but
Q failure. Now as / said Before on our
agreeing as 10 plan and executing 1t de-
ponds our success. | am sorry to say
that / have fears in that direction, be-
cause we have tried so often In various
ways and failed. Let us adopt the word
success" as our motto, and never allow
the word failure" to be recorded against
us again. There are many things against
which We must guard. For instance. i
met man that called me to one side and
said, "well, you called that meeting, am
glad of it. / had notion TO, but have
to get some credit of these fellows for a
while longer and you know it wouldn't
do" No, gentlemen, | did nothing but
what was Legitimate and honorable;
neither am l ashamed or afraid of my
action. You don't need to pluck me on
the arm and take me to one side to talk
on this very important subject, for l
think IL we are successful we will do
nothing but what we can do openly and
honorably. The idea advanced that
struck me most forcibly was that we
organize and then combine and say TO
our creditors there is our wheat, when
YOU give us one dollar per bushel we will
pay our debts and no sooner" they viii
have to come to terms. Now, gentlmen,
If that is the principles to be adopted,
just SO state and then count me out.
Another one says, we will elect good,
honest farmers for Railroad Commission
ers, and we will get better prices for our
wheat and cheaper freights. Another
wants to elect farmers to our legislature
and thus secure the point; another sug-
gests that we seed down and raise stock;
another Il going to quit the business-it
don't pay anyhow; and yet another is
going to continue in the same old rut,
hoping something will turn up to help
him. This last is the worst of all-the
others have noted that this is a progress
sive age, and the day for man to 20 to
mill an horseback, with half bnshel
OF corn in one end of the sack and a
stone in the other, has passed. If either
or all Of you gained your wish, your
remedy would leave you selling at the
same old price. Thinking men compare
the past with the present, and as this
age is ahead of the last, SO they Justly
conclude the next will be ahead of this,
and so they have educated their chill
dren, while the man who follows the cid
ruts, doing his business in slipsaod, in.
different way, without system, as if this
were world of chance, never dreaming
they were made higher than the brutes
they drag along, a burden to themselves
and to the enlightened world in which
they exist, thus teaching their children
to be burden to the next generation
beg OF you gentleman to stop and re-
fleet. Just so sure as we continue this
every man for himself policy--in the Old
groves, it will sink us as class beyond
redemption. Well, you ask, what are we
10 do? Why, do as every branch of the
business world does-organize! protect
yourselves by opposing your united
strength to aggressive monopoly and "a.
pital, then you can expect competitive
standing in the world, to have your just
claims recognized, and not till then.
From the banker on Wall street and the
4. k. king down to the hod carrier and
boot black, save the poor stupid farmer.
Excuse me gentlemen, l don't wish to
hurt your feelings, but have longing
desire to say or do something that will
arrest your attention and cause YOU to
stop and think before it is everlastincly
too late. Turn out Saturday and organ
lie and do your business in business
like way and 1 win guarantee success.
Understand, don't promise one dollar
per bushel for wheat, for unless we have
a great war or failure of crops gain will
command but low price for years; but
organize. sell in bulk as much as possible
70 the highest bidder; buy the same.
That is on legitimate and scientific
principles. That is the principle our
home dealers have adopted, why not we
adopt the same. i had intended TO saw
more but for fear We editor may think !
am using too much space for the money,
l switch off until Saturday. Don't forget
IL. &. EcKEf.