The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1891-07-09
COMING STRIKE OF FARMERS
Report that the Grange Organizations
Will Refuse to Sell Their Wheat.
Effort to "Corner" the Market by Holding the
Cereal Until II Is Worth 81 80 Per Bnshel
in New York-Quarrsl in Minnesota.

CHICAGO. July ga morning paper de-
votes three columns to the publication of
what purports to be q secret circular to be
issued to the farmers of the Nation. unfold
ing the development of Q plan to force up
the price Of the present crop of wheat. The
paper says: 1T lie proposed to withhold
this years wheat crop from the market I'M
til the farmers can get their own price, or
at least q price considerably above the
average. 1t suggests q great combination
of the six million members of farmers or
CARNATIONS, including the 1000, 700 member
of the Farmers Alliance and Industrial
Union, the 100000 members of the COlored
National Farmers Alliance, the 1000. 900
members of the National Farmers Alliance
of the North. the 100000 members of the
Farmers Mutual Benevolent Association.
the 100000 members of the Patrons of Hus-
bandry. the 150, 600 members of the Patrons
of Industry and the 10000 mem bers OF the
Farmers League.
worth option bill and other measures to
prevent trading in futures on farm prod
uots. the farmers are now. through their
official advisers at least, proposing TO go on
strike for higher prices. Legislation is de-
clared to be too slow and Intellectual. and
as the conditions of the crop and the mar
ket appear suspicious the producers. when
organized. may hope to form q combination
that will result in profit to all agricultur-
lists.
The circular makes an argument on the
evils OF Option-dealing, ana the tricks to
which speculatOrs resort in order to pre-
vent the farmer from realizing good prices;
gives the government estimates on the
present crop; estimates that the country
will rave IA. 600. 600 bushels of wheat for
export: sets forth the shortage in the crops
OF Europe; declares that there is no chance
of failure in the attempt to realize higher
prices: urges all members of the farmers
OrganiZa tiOns to hold their grain until the
price shall advance to S1.35 per bushel at
New YORK, and points out that by 80 doing
a profit of 500 OO0. 600 is sure to accrue to
them within q few weeks. 1t urges them to
take this stand. even at the expense of be-
ing pinched for money for a time.
The Alliance men at Topeka profess to
know nothing about the proposed scheme
outlined above. At the office of the Alli-
ance Advocate 1t was stated that no such
circular had been received there. and SEN
atOr PETER declared that the knew of no
such Alliance plans.
A dispatch from ST. Louis says: Refer
ring to the circular puTpOrting to come
from Alliance sources as to the storing of
wheat and other farm products to shorten"
the market, President j. b. Dimes, of the
National Business Agents Association of
the Alliance, to-day said that the national
officers had given some attention to the
matter. Mr.. Dimes said he did not believe
that the movement would be general. As
the matter stands now tests are to be made
In two states-Kansas and Georgia. In q
section of the former grains will be stored,
while the farmers of Georgia will hold
back cotton. This movement will nave
the cordial support of the united Alliance,
and the result will be watched with inter
est by the farmers every where throughout
the country.
Not Smooth Sailing for Donnelly.
ST.. PAUL. July s.-The State executive
committee of the Farmers Alliance met. yes
terday, in this city, and later a conference,
for the purpose of organizing the new
Peoples party in Minnesota, was hsld. Mr..
DOnnelly. who had been appointed chair
man of the Minnesota State committee by
the Cincinnati conference, presented the
names of a full State committee. and hoped
it would meet with acceptance. Senator
Hompe. leader of the antl-Donnelly faction,
objected to the new committee. because it
ignored the existing. Alliance campaign
committee. He held that the Cincinnati
convention proposed new committees only
in unorganized States, while Minnesota
was already organized. The debate then
grew warm. and finally a motion was made
for q committee of five to report a comprO-
mise, three of said committee to be tho
three appointed at Cincinnati. Donnelly
objected strenuously. but the motion was
carried. The committee of five announced
q new committee late in the afternoon,
divided between the two factions. An
other fight then arose on sOme members of
the committee, in the course of which ex-
President K. j. Hall denounced editor
Fish. of the Great West. as q traitor. and
called him a liar when the latter attempted
to defend himself. The report was adopted
and the new State committee met last
night.
Wheat Destroyed by Squirrels and Gophers.
TACOMA, Wash. July 8.-Wsshington's
wheat crop is in danger of partial destruc-
ton by gOphers and squirrels. For several
days wheat buyers have been receiving ad-
vices that for five or six days these animals
have been appearing in large numbers in
the Big Bend and Palouse distrIcts. In
some instances not less than 10 to 20 per
cent. of large fields of gram has already
been devastated. Arsenic is being spread
over the fields mixed with grain, and Is
killing large numbers of the rodents. If
the devastation continues it is estimated
that not less than seventeen million bushels
of grain will be destroyed.