The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1894-08-15
1S94

steal without Justification, is wiped
out, and the eleyating charge is re-
duced from one and quarter cents to
one cent, making a net saving, left an
the farmers pockets, of one cent per buShel
on all the arhedt of the North,cestv We
say, "On all the wheat Of the North
west" because the other railroad lines
will have to cut down elevating charges
to the same level or lose the business!
The total wheat crop of Minnesota
and the two Dakotas is estim ated at
10000, 90 bushels; of which 5O,000,000
bushels are raised in Minnesota OF this
great crop l25, 900. 900 bush. at least seek
transportation. A saving of one cent
per bushel is therefore equal to one
dollars, taken out of the pockets of
the elevator ring and restored to the
farmers echo raised the grain.
This is tremendous. In ten years it
will amount to $l2,500.00O; in twenty
years to $25,000,000. This will go
great ways towards paying off the
farmers mortgages and making their
homes beautiful and their lives happy
1t will help lift them from the status of
struggling peasants to that of prosper
Gus ycOmen.
But this is only the entering wedge:
the first act in prodigious drama.
A tremendous battle is on. The
men out of whose jaws this 81, ,25O, 900
has been dragged are frothing at the
mouth, with impotent wrath. They
fairly howl with rage. The Duluth
Board of Trade sent word to Mr.. Hill
that they would throw out and dis
credit the wheat checks issued by the
Duluth elevator, and therefore no one
could afford to store in their house.
The reply was, "Do you want to go be-
fore the people on that issue?" And
the Board dried up.
A holy war is on. PonderOus blows
will be struck on both sides. and we
expect to see another$l, ,250, ,0JO thrown
back into the pockets of the farmers
We are assured that if the Grain
Growers Association selects gentle
man to represent them at Duluth he
will be recognized by the Great North
ern company and every facility will be
given him. The great elevators, A
and Y, belonging to the Great North
ern, with a capacity of 5000 900 BUSH
els, will be at the selrice of The Grain
GrOlcers' association, and every facility
will be given for the storage Of grain
therein, and every effort will be made
to get the highest price therefor
Temporarily the association is head
ed off from the Minneapolis market:
but so much the worse for Minneapolis.
! When the millerS find the supplies for
their legitimate industry passing 100
miles north of them, and leaving the
state, they will be compelled by dire
necessity, to furnish us with an eleva-
tor, even if they have to build it ex-
pressly for the Association. We are
not fighting the millers so long as
they treat the farmers fairly.
Mr.. James j. Hill and Mr.. Samuel
Hill have, of course, let loose a horn
cts nest about their own heads. They
have smashed the biggest and most
heartless combine and trust in the
United States, and the uproar is
fearful
Some of the Republican papers are
attacking the motives of these gentle
men. We care nothing about the mo-
tives. The people get the results.
Suppose the purpose is, as charged, to
turn the greater part of the wheat
crop over the Great Northern lines.
| SO be it. The farmers are ready to help
| those who help them. The selfishness
which makes for us is a thousand
times better than the selhshness which
makes against us. But we do not
think these gentlemen are actu-
ated altogether by selfish motives.
Mr.. James j. Hill perceives. as
clearly as any man in the United
States, that his customers are being
ruined to enrich small coterie who
are no benefit to the state: but who
carry their ill-gOtten gains to the
great cities or enjoy it among the ar
| istocracy of Europe. And it may be
that drawing towards the dark cur
tain, which shrOudS the exit of the
| oOuSO VI lilO. llO iCdllL|S UuuU UIlc SIdU-
itude of vast communities is a nobler
heritage to leave his children than all
his millions.
| But whatever his motives, he has
done grand work for the people of the
Northwest. He has broken the Ring:
he has crushed the Combine; he has
opened up a vista of hope for the al
| most hopeless farmers. For so much,
at least, we can thank him.
| And so, friends, we conclude with an
earnest hope that you will push the
work of The Gram Gr0,uars association.
This great reform you owe to their in
itiative. Organize everywhere. Build
| your grain houses everywhere. You
can be the mast ters of the situation if
| you are only true to one another.
| While railroad company may help us
| to-day it may abandon us tomorrow.
You can depend on no one but your
selves. OrganiZe-organiZ organize.
And don't forget the little bit of
gratitude due to the REPRESENTA-
TIVE. If this paper had not existed
therewOuld have been no Grain Grow
ers Association. 1t is the first and most
effectual step to all possible cO-operdd-
tlonS. Stand by it and spread it every
where. 1t is your friend. 1t will do
| you good. Id.
REMEMBER.
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