The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1890-05-23


Resolved, Thst after the first day
Of December, 1890, we will pay no
more taxes, coupon interest, or mort
gage Indebtedness. unless the govern
ment aid us in procuring the money,
as above mentioned, or in any other
manner equally favorable.
Resolved That this organization
OF home defenders should be general
throughout the United States, and
that every honorable means should
be used in pushing the organization.
Resolved, That the success of this
organization is the only hope of
mortgage-cursed and tax-ridden peo-
pie, and we appeal to our brother
farmers, laborers, and other pro-.
ducers, to join us in our effort to be
free.
Crookston Journal:
The discussion that has been going
on through the columns OF the
GREAT WEST has clearly proven that
a great wrong exists in our market
system, showing clearly that those
who handle our wheat receive an I'M
due share OF the profits, and shows
us clearl y that the system should be
changed in order to insure prospect
ty. 1t is difficult matter to esti-
mate the exact number of bushels of
wheat that was raised in Polk Coun-
ty last year, because nearly all the
wheat raised along the entire west
side finds a market in Dakota, and
that along the north end iu Mar
shall Country. Grand Forks County
claims yield of 4, 100000 bushels,
and Polk County certainly produced
one-half of that amount, which
would be 100000 This we do not
think is far out of the way. Taking
this amount as a basis, it is easy to
calculate what the loss of a grade
means, what the loss by undue
dockage. Only one cent per bushel
less than our grain is actually worth
means loss to the farmers and
business men of our county OF $2O,-
600 ]! Is there man among us who will
pretend to say that the loss has not
been at least ten times that amount,
or 100000? If Mr.. Pillsbury's
statement is correct, 100000 is
correct, 100000 is not one-half
the amount that the system exact
ed! Andyet there are men who seem
to be filled with establishment that
the farmers complain Of Injustice,
and they desire to see a market
wherein they may have chance to
get what the markets OF the world
will warrant them. Think of this:
when wheat in Liverpool was worth
$l.2Oper bushel in Polk County they
would pay but 60 cents per bushel
for No. 1 Hard land no No. l Hard
allowedD Mr.. Pillsbury claims that
it costs "a cents per bushel to get
the wheat to Liverpool, including
all ostsfor freight, insurance, profits
and everything else Well, allow
ing that (which is at least 4 cents
too much) you have a balance of SO
cents that the producer should have
received, but did he? Oh, no! The
average price paid for all the wheat,
in Polk County during the last season.
would not exceed As cents! Where
has that 81 cents per bushel gone to?
1t belongs to the farmers who did
the work necessary to the wheat, it
belongs to the business OF the coun-
ty; it means only 81 900, 900 less in
the county than we were entitled to.
This estimate supposes every bushel
to have been No. 1 Hard, but shows
no greater difference between what
we got and what we should have got
than has been made in the grades
they have allowed us. The amount
per bushel that we lose is practically
the same on every grade, so that
while lower grades made showed a
less sum total, our losses
REMAIN THE SAME, 49,.
and here is where the shoe pinches.
The farmer has to take his chanches
on the kind OF crop he will get. He
has no sympathy that will insure
him positive per cent of gain, and
here is all OF the difference between
him and the buyer. Under the sys-
TEN, if there is any wheat at all the
buyer is absolutely certain OF large
per cent, OF gain. We object to that.
We say that it is wrong and that tits
running this country, and it must be
changed. We demand q market
wherein Independent buyers may
freely exercise their judgement as to
the quality of our wheat, and if then
we see no change in the condition of
the farmers. we will frankly admit
that we were wholly mistaken in our
views. Under such a system at least
the farmer will have no good reason
to complain if he does not get Justice.
Mr.. Pillsbury's estimate of "a cents
includes all of the exorbitant freight
charges occasioned by watered stock
and this must be squeezed out. Give
us free and open market, with rea-
sonable transportation charges. Mr..
Pillsbury, and we will see that Won