The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-05-03
THE FARMERS TRUST.
A Scheme That Seems To Be Near Relative
of Emf Kennedy's Peoples Railway.

Kansas City Democrat.
The Hon. Walter N. Allen, of Meriden, Kan,
the originator of the farmers trust movement
was in the city yesterday. Mr.. Allen came to
Kansas thirty two years ago. and has ever since
been identified with the agricultural interests
Of the State. He is now about forty seven years
old During the past eighteen years he has
been actively engaged in farming and stock
raising near Meridsn. jefferson county. At in
tervals during the past twenty years he has
held several posts of trust. He is one Of the
most energetic and enterprising men in the
State, and asserts with pardonable pride that
he has never failed in any undertaking ne has
begun. He is frank and fearless in the express
sion of his opinions, and is regarded az the soul
of honor by all who know him.
In response to inquiry relative TO the
Farmers Trust, which he is 30 earnestly en-
gagged in promoting and which is Of such vital
importance TO the agricultural classes OF the
Northwest, Mr.. Allen said: THE formation Of
trusts is Of modern origin, and they are great
educators. The beef. hog and grain trusts
have taught the farmers how to protect them
selves. Having by agreement wiped out COM
petition on their own goods, they now enter the
public market and buy without competition.
The prices fixed upon what 10 purchased as
well upon what is sold. We furnish them
our crop reports through government officials.
together with an inventory Of all We have to
sell. and from these data they are enabled to
figure prices down and enlarge their profits.
The Legislature can give us no relief and We
can gain nothing by denouncing these trusts.
The remedy is Ia our own hands, and il We fail
to apply il we deserve to be slaves
Hitherto nothing has been published in re-
gard to the details of the Farmers Trust to be
submitted to the convention to be held in Topeka
on May ]. These are substantially as follows:
1t 10 our plan TO appoint agents TO sell
produce and local agents to gather il together
and to ship it to the various markets; to create
executive board and . bureau of statistics,
which shall collect crop reports, regulate ship
mepts and establish prices We may have an
overproduction. but by keeping the surplus off
the market We can always maintain fair prices
for what there may be demand. OF course,
il will take q very large amount of money to
put this plan into practical operation, and we
expect to raise the operating expenses necessary
in this way: A proposition will be submitted TO
to the coming convention TO incorporate the
trust. with a capital stock of $20, 600 000 to be-
issued in $40 shares, 80 DOC, 600 of the stock
be held in reserve and $40. 000, 900 to be cold to
actual farmers and stock-rasers at fifty cents
or less on the dollar. The stock is to be proper
toned to the respective States and Territories
according to their farming population and pro-
ductive power. and equally distributed in couu-
ties. townships or districts. The money received
in this manner will be used In inaueurating the
Farmers Trust
THE agents who will be appointed at Kansas
City. St Louis, and other commercial points to
sell our produce all have fixed salaries, but will
DO required 20 collect the usual commissions for
selling produce. Tho commissions paid for
marketing cattle swine, and sheep at Kansas
City, Chicago, and ST. Louis in 1887 was So $685.
S16 add to this sum half much more for Gin
cinnat. Omaha, Indianapolis, Cedar Rapids,
Louisville, aud ST. Joseph, and we have the
total OF commissions for selling cattle, swine
and sheep of the Mississippi valley-A 325, 725
M nal nrnd inn nf ~ Qaf ~
fax, and barley in the Mississippi valley 10 ssti-
mated at g. 000 600. 900 bushels 1t is safe to say
that three-ifths of this amount is sold in the
public markets. on which the commissions are
paid by the producer, amounting to about
Sc, 100000 making grand total Of commissions
paid on live stock and cereals Sl0,000000 annu.
ally;
under our proposed trust system at cost not to
exceed 81. 000.O annually. The sum collected
by our agents as commissions, after deductirg
the amount necessary for the payment of sala-
ries and running expenses of the trust, would
be paid into the treasury for the benefit of the
stockholders and should this plan be generally
accepted, aud the farmers and stock raisers
market all their produce through our agencies.
IL would Affect o saving In commissions of
$4,000 600 Annually. and in two years = a. IT. this
rate, we would have in the treasury SIS. 600 900
| placed TO the credit Of the stockholders which
could be paid out in dividends appropriated
| 10 the purchase of stockyards and grain eleva:
| tors. and thus another great saving would be
| complisbed by reducing stockyard and elevator
| charges.
II think the convention will adopt the munic-
| ipal township as auxiliary district trusts, num-
berine them l. 2, 8. and SO on, designating the
| county and State. When ten or more farmers
| in q township associate themselves together
| and make application for stock. sending so cents
| the dollar, paid-up stock certificates will be
| furnished to each member of the local associa-
I ton, with charter establishing them as an
farm truS mi Ia
| transferred by a stakeholder except by resoln-
ton OF the executive board.
1.-THE keystone to the arch Of this combina-
ton is the local shipping agent, who can always
| be reached by te!egraphic communication. aud
| through whom all shipments of farm products
will be directed by the executive board At the
| present time there are less than per cent. of
| the farmers and stock-raisers who do their own
| shipping. They are obliged to depend upon
local buyers to gather mp their produce and
/ ship upon the market. Under this system no
| outside local buyer could compete with our
shipping agents. II so per cent of the
/ farmers should refuse To subscribe stock
and remain outside of the association, they
| would only deprive themselves OF being equal
| henefciaries of the trust. but could not defeat
| the object for which the trust was .inaugurated
| for this so per cent would be compelled through
| interest and necessity to market their produce
through the trust agencies, thus giving the trust
| control over shipments and power to regulate
the supply and govern the market, while the
entire agricultural class would be benefited by
| receiving a more uniform and reasonable price
| for their products. but special pecuniary sdvan-
tages would accrue to the stockholders CT the
organization.
| Governor Martin has already appointed the
delegates from Kansas to the convention, aud
have received letters from several others stat
/ ing they will make the appointments / expect
| large attendance at the convention. The
| farmers. think, are awakening to their inter
ests, and it 10 important that we have az least
one representative from each State and Terrific
~ named in the call to sign the articles OF incor-
poration as charter mem bers, and who may be
DESIGNATED tn sell stock and organize tie farm
| ers IN their respective States
Proceedings of the Convention.
TOPEKA. Kan, May 2-Tne convention called
for the organization of la Farmers Trust met
! here yesterday and was attended BY about 200