The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1890-05-02

We have interviewed Pres't 81. &.
Loucks on the situation Of the Bust
ness Department Of the Alliance. 1t
was found to be in q very unpromis-
ing condition for this year, and Mr..
L. was not willing to repeat the ex-
pertinent of last year in which the
Alliance officers made the remarkable
promises all over the state which
were notfulflled. "No," said Mr.. L.,
s.if, when / was appointed Business
Agent last fall, by the Executive
Committee. had been permitted to
have made the machinery contracts,
matters would have been in good
shape this spring and summer. Mr..
Sprague came in the way and issued
q circular over the name OF Secy
Haigh, and published it in this pa
per, removing Mr.. Loucks and APP
pointing Mr.. keenan,, of Austin. OF
course this circular was not official.
It amounted to nothing, but Mr..
Loucks would not enter upon any
quarrel, and quietly dropped out.
But after all that has been said
and promised by Mr.. Keenan, in re-
gard to prices. it turns out that he
actually has had no contracts all
this time, and that he can quote no
prices on any given line below those
of the local dealersl 1t looks as if the
whole matter at the state. meeting
and subsequently at the Executive
Meeting had been q buster to retain
some buncombe relationship to the
Alliance.
Mr.. K. has q letter in the GREAT
WEST this week on Irvine. We trust
that he has some really valuable Of
fers to make to the farmers now.
Jute Irvine OF good quality will
be shipped from the Patterson Mills,
New Jersey, for 9Hc., with say zc.
additional for freight. STANDARD
can be furnished for from II to 13h1c.
That the most vital interests of the
farmers movement should thus be
whiffeted about and demoralized for
personal interests is q matter disas-
trous in the extreme. The tendency
to whitewash offenses of this char
acter is fatal to the best interests oil
the Alliance.
Mr.. Loucks is not willing to add to
the shameful power of monopolists
obtained by the credit system, if he
can prevent it. The difference be-
tween what cash will do and credit
will do, is the difference be.
tween slavery and liberty and care
and lightness. He is already at the
head of an Alliance Elevator system
with a capital of SIS, 900 already in,
and with terminal facilities at Mime.
apolis, Duluth, Milwaukee and Chica.
go. This alliance Elevator Com
pany" has the privilege OF enlarging
capital up to two million, with the
idea of finally shipping to Europe di
rect. Now let the farmers do here az
they did in Dakota-take $40 shares
of stock, cash or note, in the com
pany, and unite a general purchas
ing plant'in the shipping business
and thereby make the machinery
contracts in the fall for cash. Mr.. L
states that it is only occasionally
that any advantage in prices can b.
obtained in the credit system-that
it is better to borrow money al
usurious rates and buy machinery fol
spot cash. The experience of Bakots
in building up their great purchasing
system ought to count with us il
Minnesota. The farmers had to put
up capital-and they did it.
The present idea that a man cal
go into the monopoly-secured mar
ket, and on the credit system, and
make any great reduction in cost, il
a general way, is an error. Mr.
keenan, found it so-and cannot nov
show up the contracts for his ma
chinery. Every one will find it so
People can't get something for moth