The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1894-03-21
IMPORTANT LETTER

The Union of the Farmers i'm Sell.
ing Wheat.-Let the Discus
sion go on.
CLIMAX, Feb, Is, '4.
HON. IGNATIUS DONNELLY:
In the Representative of the 14th I
saw an article, by John NJ. Hetland,
which seems to me, exactly strikes
the nail on the head 1t is very GER
tain that the alliance is organized
for cooperation; and if we shall CO.
operate, we must go into business.
The trouble SO far has been that we
have not been we'll enough posted;
but believe that the agitatiOns of
the past have somewhat increased
our knowledge ON the subject; and l
think we are probably ripe for move
of this kind. l do not exactly agree
with Mr.. Donnelly, on the plan of
starting this move by organizing
every county, and holding public
meetings and SO on. We have had
public meetings enough and we have
elected our officers, and | think that
the alliance members have now con-
sidered this motion long enough, and
it is very probable the officers of the
Alliance could almost be sure of sue
cess if they start the move now;
and it is wise and proper for any Alli-
ance member to express his views on
this subject in the columns of the
REPRESENTATIVE; SO that the Off
GERS of our organization, and also the
members, may hear all sides, and
choose from the best ideas: and for
this reason 1 will make suggestion.
First, let every president of the
Alliance, in every wheat growing
state, come together, and form a
grain-growers department.; whose
business it shall be to increase the
demand; and, if possible and neces-
sary, to decrease the supply, and to
lessen the expense of distribution
This organization should have an
agent in every county: and this
agent, again, if advisable, wheat
buyer at every station in his county
where enough farmers could be got
associated to pay the wages or such a
buyer, and their local buyer could
have dealer on the board of trade,
who would take care of the wheat
when it arrives; and if the parties
selling the wheat wanted cash on the
delivery of the wheat at the station,
the agent could have his man on the
board, sell wheat to arrive; and in
that case the price could be fixed in
the morning before the wheat arrived
at the station. | can inform you
that a wheat dealer in Duluth, put a
man to buy wheat on the track in
Fishers. This man would the pre-
vious day, sell wheat to arrive in Du-
luth, and when this sale was made
he would, telegraph his agent at
Fisher, Of the sale and price of same:
and on these figures the buyer here
would fix the price to the farmers.
always be the amount of wheat they
expected to buy that day: this man
in this business got three carloads
day during the brisk trade: and he
raised the local market at Fishers
from four to six cents per buShel
above the prices in the neighboring
station: and when business got dull
and receipts got small he drew out
with a nice profit: but when he did
the market in Fishers commenced to
decline, and at present [ hardly
think the prices is above the average
stations. So we can see from this
that the prices could be raised at
least five cents per bushel, byputting
a buyer at every station; and as this
wheat could be sold at it's destina-
tion to arrive, there would be no pos
Sible risk, and it would not take a
cent of an investment. as the money
would be furnished by the man that
was allowed to handle their wheat at
it's destinations: and, as every village
has village scale and weigh-master,
these could be used as they inspire
confidence to the seller, and are safe
to the purchaser. / have dwelt on
this advantage because it would be
the nearest in our reach: and l think
amply large to inspire and warrant
the move. There are other advan-
tages to come after we have be-
come strong which would of course,
be of greater Importance, such as the
control of prices on the board Of
trade, by selling certain per cent of
our wheat every season, and put it
into options. and thus raising the
market by fictitious demand. BY
selling little more than the surplus
in foreign markets and thus make
the millers hustle to get enough
grain to keep themselves busy. BY