The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-11-13
4 FARMERS CONVENTION.
First Meeting of Its Kind Ever
Held in This Country.
What the Farmers of the Miss
issippi Valley Hope to Effect.

The wheat-growers of the Mississippi Val
ley assembled in convention at Central
Turner Hall, st. Louis, few days since to
organize for future action. Walter N. AL
len, President of the Farmers Federation,
called the convention to order and made q
long speech. He said that it was the first
meeting of the kind ever held on this conti-
nent. 'We are not here" he said, 'for the
purpose Of denouncing trusts and combines,
but to meet the issue of now systems and
ual feebleness, and the great Importance Of
unity of action as class, we
have been called together to con-
slider the proposition to delegate
to power of our own creation, the exclusive
right to market the products of our farms
and to take such measures as will afford
present relief and future protection to the
agricultural interests of the Mississippi
Valley. The farmer is the only producer
who sends an over-supply of his wares to
market to he sold by some one else, and, like
the goods of the bankrupt, at some one elses
prices and, when he dareS complain of the
sacrifice, the answer of the master is, Over
production Over-production cannot, in
justice, be wealth for the nation and slavery
for the producer
IF farmers would organize, like manufac-
the output in the public market, they could
in common with all producers, set the price
on their own products irrespective of over
production, or the power Of the Liverpool
markets The unavoidable tendency of the
present established trade system is to bring
the price down to the lowest limit at which
food supply can be produced under the
most favorable conditions of soil, sea-
son and climate. Now, in order to advert
- ~
der by substituting new system, fixing the
price of farm products at the cost OF produc-
ion on lands that produce only thirty fold.
This will restore the natural law Of exchange
with equal and exact justice to all. In other
words the difference between the present
trade structure and the system proposed is,
the one tends to the minimum price that
food supply can be obtained without check
ing production, while the other seeks the
maximum that food supply can be sold at
without diminishing consumption.
'The power to establish the value Of one
bushel of American wheat and one barrel Of
mess pork can control the markets Of the
world. This power is to be found in the cen-
tralized agency of the the Federated Farm
ers of the Mississippi Valley, q company le-
gally chartered with a capital stock Of S20,-
700, GOO, and as your servant this company
awaits your bidding to enter upon its work
of redemption"
Ex-Governor Charles Robinson, of Kan
sas, was made Temporary Chairman, and ne
addressed the convention, strongly urging
unity Of action and organization of the TAR
mers throughout the grain-growing States.
Norman j. Coleman, of Missouri, ,ex-Secretary
of Agriculture, was made Permanent Chair
man: Walter N. Allen, of Kansas, Vice-Presi-
dent: T. G. Wilson, of Minnesota, Secretary,
and j. P. LiInenbener, Of Kansas, Assistant
Secretary.
Mr.. Robert Linblood, of Chicago, spoke
briefly to the delegates, stating that he SYM
pathized with them in their cause which he
thought was a good one.
Resolutions were adopted setting forth that
farming, under existing laws, is losing
business, and that Congress and the PreSl-
dent be asked to make such reciprocity
treaties with foreign nations as will cause
such nations to remove customs duties from
farm products shipped abroad, thereby re-
sulting in n higher price for the product.
Congress was also requested to pass laws
throttling trusts and monopolies A reso-
lntion was also reported requesting Congress
to pass laws declaring option trading c
felony. The resolutions were adopted. AT
the afternoon session the Wheatgrowers' As
sociation Of the Mississippi Valley was organ
lied. This is a sort Of all annex to the
Farmers Federation. Norman j. Colman
was elected President, and an Executive
Board, consisting Of two members from each
State or Territory, was named. The Execu-
tive Board is to have full power to transact
the business of the association. 1t will fix
the price of wheat, build granaries and store
wheat until the fixed price is obtained.
Agencies will be established in Chicago, st.
Louis, Kansas City and Omaha on December
for the purpose of handling the product Of
the association. The convention then ad-
Al