The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-05-05
The Farmers Trust.

A convention of farmers met in Topeka,
Kan, on Wednesday last to organize a Far
mers' Trust 1t was well attended, repre-
sensations being present from about all the
Western States. The trust was formed and
will soon be in operation.
The originators Of this trust believe that
farmers can, to very great extent, con-
troll the prices Of their products by limiting
competition. They will do this by watch
ing the markets closely through their
agents. When the markets are dull, and
the supply fully equal to the demand, they
will withhold their products, and when it is
active, and the supply insufficient, they will
furnish what is needed in such quantities as
will not cause break in prices They also
propose to save commissions by employing
their own agents to handle their products.
They estimate the saving in commissions
alone at millions of dollars annually
This trust is certainly big business I'M
dertaking, the success of which is extremely
doubtful. The originator of it is Col.
Walter N. Allen, of Kansas, who has been
a leading farmer in that State for many
years He is very enthusiastic, and has in
duced great many farmers to believe that
the trust is feasible business enterprise.
He doubtless got his idea of it from the
numerous trusts which have been formed
within the last year or two in different
parts of the country, such as the Standard
Oil Trust the Sugar Trust, the Coffee
Trust, ETC., but to make the farmers Trust
a success it will require great deal more
business talent than is necessary to direct
any one of the other trusts.
The Sugar Trust, for instance, only EN-
braces a few sugar refineries and the Cot
ton Seed Oil Trust about ninety cotton seed
oil mills, but the Farmers Trust, in order
to influence the market in the least, must
control the products of tens of thousands of
farmers. How will it be possible to bring
so many men into an organization so that
they will act tremendously togetherl OF
course there will be agencies in all the cities
and larger towns, and it may be that the trust
will have representatives in every county
in the district within its jurisdiction, but
will it not be difficult, if not impossible, to
get competent men for all these positions,
and if they can be obtained, will it not be
extremely difficult to so direct them that
they will act in harmony and secure the OBJ
jects aimed at
The other trusts which are now attract
ing so large share of public attention are
no doubt robbng the farmers, and the
farmers feel that they must do something
for selfArrotection, but can they get the de-
sired protection from this trusta The chances
are they cannot. The trust is certain to
be unwieldy, and it will be about impossi-
ble to bring into it enough farmers to affect
the market benefcially. The necessities of
four fifths of them will compel them to ac-
cept whatever prices they can get. They
cannot afford to hold their crops
until they can command satisfactory prices,
aud, besides, the competition with which
they have to contend is not wholly domestic.
The prices of their wheat is fixed in Liver
pool, and there they have to compete with
the wheat producers of India and Russia.
The trusts which are robbing them are pro
tected from competition by the high pro
tective tariff, and hence they meet with
some success.
The farmers are much more likely to be
benefited by having the tariff duties re-
duced so that they can get many things
which are necesSaries cheaper. If they can
get the prices of things they have to buy
reduced they will be just as we'll off as if they
should get better prices for what they have
to sell. There is another thing they can
do. They can insist upon legislation that
will destroy the trusts which Cypress them.
The development of their trust scheme will
be watched with great interest, but it is
doubtful if confidence in the success Of it
is very strong.