The morning news., 1888-04-07

the farmers and stockmen of the Mississippi
Valley, including those of Texas and Colo
rado. to meet the farmers of Kansas in con-
vention at Topeka Tuesday, May l, 1888.
| Mr.. Allen has received letters from farmers
and stockmen in all parts of the West and
Northwest indorsing the movement. and
/ from the interest already taken there is
every reason to expect a large convention.
After the convention has perfected the
organization and created an executive
| board agents will be appointed to organize
the farmers, stock growers and feeders into
district and sub-district associations, re-
qulrlng pledges and obligations to obey the
orders OF the Executive Board with respect
to sale and shipment of produce. 1t is
thought that by Aug. l fully 60 per cent.
of the agricultural classes of the
Mississippi Valley can be duly organized.
The movement would then 90 into
erect by the designation of central agen-
cies at Chicago and other commercial
points TO receive and market the products
of the association. The plan also contem-
plates local shipping agents, and no ship
ments are to be allowed except upon per
mission from the Executive Board By this
means it is sought to control shipments,
prevent the supply from exceeding the de-
mand, and be able to contract and sell pro
duce before it reaches the public markets
OF the country.
The Executive Board will also constitute
a bureau of statistics, to whom the secre-
tarles of the suh-district associations will be
required to make monthly crop reports,
showing the number of bushels of wheat,
corn, oats and other cereals raised; the num-
Der OF cattle and hogs on hand, their condl-
ton, when ready for market, etc. and by
comparisons with the demand OF previous
years the board can determine whether
there is an overproduction or shortage,
and, II the former, could order only GER
tam percentage on the market, requiring
that the surplus be held over to meet the
contingencies of bad seasons. In this way
fair prices can always be maintained.
Secretary White estimates that the farm
ers and stockmen of the Mississippi Valley
States pay in commissions $780, 900 an
nually for marketing their produce. BY
the aid of this Farmers Trust the agents
contemplated in the plan could do all this
work of caring for shipments and making
sales for the farmers at an annual cost not
exceeding $1QpOOO, which would be an an
nual saving of s., 10000 to the producers
of the country-amounting in three years
to enough to pay the original cost of all the
stock yards and grain elevators in Chicago,
st. Louis and Kansas City.
The Governors of the States embraced in
the Mississippi Valley, including Texas and
Colorado, are requested to appoint eight
After stating the general object of the
con invention the call recites the following de-
tails
THE plan contemplated: First, the es-
tablishment of ten central agencles-to.. wit:
Chicago, Cincinnati, Kansas City, Indian
apolis, Omaha, st. Louis Cedar Rapids, st.
Paul, Milwaukee and Louisvilie-these
agencies to do all the selling for the MEM
bers of the association, for which they shall
be paid stated salaries
Second, the territory tributary to these
commercial points to be divided into eight
| principal districts and sub-divided INTO sub
| district associations by counties.
Third, the principal of each central
| agency, together with a general superin-
tendent of the association, to be appointed,
shall constitute an Executive Board with
power to regulate and control shipments of
| our products upon the markets, and to do
any and all other things that shall in their
| judgment appear to be to the best interests
OF the associations.
This plan, we think, with a little expert
| ence can be made practical by means of
| telegraph communication with the Secre-
taries of each sub-district association. To
| Illustrate, should it at any time appear to
| this Executive Board that the farmers were
| not getting a reasonable price for their
wheat, cattle and hogs, ard in order to Sc
cure or force the payment Of reasonable
prices it should become necessary for the
board to issue an order discontinuing all
shipments and sales of these products tor a
period of ten days or until reasonable prices
| could be Obtained-will anyone doubt that
the order would be obeyed by every re
| spectacle member of the associations This,
then, might be called farmers strike, but
it would hurt nobody, yet it would be the
most effective one the world ever knew.
"Chicago to this country is what Liver
pool is to Europe in regulating the markets
for food supply. The price of gram, beef
and pork in CnicBgo is the price at all other
marketable points in the West less the cost
Of taking these products to Chicago Now
if we can, 10y this proposed organization
stop the shipment of commodities on the
markets of Chicago, even for the period of
| five days, no one will doubt our power TO
control the Chicago market, and thus will
the question of fair prices for farmers be
solved"