The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1886-08-14

Matters have come to such a pass among
farmers that they certainly must begin to use
their brains to protect themselves against the
rapaciouS miillemen. In the large cities de
cent Strawberries have not been below ten
cents quart, very poor ones at that; they
We're mostly Withered, half-rottcn specimens
nearly to the top, glazed over with few fine
ones on the surface. The brazen statesmen say
they can't help it, because that is the way
farmers send the fruit to market. 1t is lie.
Farmers do nothing of the kind, yet they have
been obliged to sell berries this year to the
commission men for two and half and three
cents quart. So discouraged have many of
the 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
the benefit of prices, either low or high; II Is
always the middlemen.
1t is the same with butter Twenty three
cents a pound is the lowest rate that CON
sumers have got good butter for this sum
mer, in cities. 1t has oftener been higher
than down to that price. Yet ten cents a
pound is all that the farm people have got in
many cases for gilt edged butter. 1t is a
shame and al outrage The farmer Is the
pillar that holds the world up. Now let him
scrape the moss Off his back and set his brains
TO work to obtain his rights.
Every year there are meetings of all kinds
Of manufacturers to set the price at which
their goods shall be sold. They hang together
like thieves to keep prices up to just where
they have fixed them. Everybody but the
farmer He loads his grain, tobacco, pota-
toes or fruit upon his wagon and goes to the
commission merchant who Is the middle
man, and humbly and apologetically asks
him what he will give for the produce, So
commission men become millionaires and
farmers grind and toll on till they die.
Let their be an end of this. Farmers, band
together and hold like iron Form organiza-
lions, get every farmer in the Union into
them Then fix your own prices and hang 10y
them to the death. Further, have your own
hired agents-men from yourselves with in
terestS the same as your own-to distribute
your goods in the consuming centers. Pay
them a regular salary, watch them and hold
them to a strict account for all their doings
AS far as possible get private customers for
your butter, fruits, etc. Put the middle
mans profit in your own pocket
Do YOU know the enormous profit an
e'agent" gets for travelling through the coun-
Cry and inducing you tim!d and unknowing
ones to buy farm machineryi In the case Of
every steam threshing machine sold it is
something like S225. Other things are in pro-
portion, Wake up, will youf The world of
trade 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 viii
get it if You stand firm.
Employ cooperation in all your large en-
terpriSeS. Cooperation is the true solution
of your troubles Work at the problem faith
fully and unselfishly till you solve it, 1t has
been tried successfully For ten years, in a
certain locality, a few farmers have been
organizel into what they call the Union
Threshng 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 threshing and saving.
1t is regular stock company, with shares,
and paying dividends Only members use
the machines When several want them
at the same time the foreman draws lots to
darile which shall have them first. small
price Is fixed Oh BY the manag 70 10 b. charged