The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1895-03-13
AN IMPORTANT LETTER.

A Discussion of Flat-HOuses and Ele-
ENTHUSIASTICALLY of Incorporation
or COmpany-Cheaper Machinery
and Higher Prices for Wheat.
To the Editor:
L am glad to see the Alliance agent Mr.
PoWeli, preparing for business. 1t is the
only way to build up the Alliance.
wish to take exceptions to few state
ments in one of President Vermillia's let
ters In regard to shipping grain, he said
nat warehouse where farmers could load
their grain was the proper thing; that
tnere was no need to incorporate; that the
grain buyers would combine and run an
Alliance company out of business, and it
would bankrupt the company, etc.
Now, l am sure that Mr.. V. meant all
right, and probably for his locality he is
right. but his plan would not be applicable
to the western portion of the state More
than once, in good grain years, 1 have
counted from my door as many as six
steam threshers at work, with from seven
TO ten teams to each thresher hauling grain
to the Alliance elevator You see it would
be impossible to handle so much grain
elevator
is run by gasoline engine which needs no
engineer, and except in the busiest season,
one man runs the whole business for
salary of $50 per month We have DUMP
not the old-fashioned lever dump which
lets wagon down ''ker chuck" but a.
crank with which wagon can be let down
or raised with one hand. The grain is
elevated by the threShing machine into the
wagon boxes which hold from 60 to 80 bush
els, with end boards which open on hinges
In TINS way wagon is unloaded in about
two minutes without any work, therefore
II Is an easy matter to handle so to 100
or more loads per day.
Then again. suppose the grain buyers
should run the price up the Alliance
could not afford to buy, would not our OBJ
Ject be gained, viz, getting all our grain
Is worth? Cannot two or three hundred
farmers afford Ito pay $50 per month to
price? ii j.
I can prove that one firm of wheat buy
ers made $3.50 pei day. clear profit for three
months during the busy season. What is
day? ISL II
There is no dahger- of failing in business
II you incorporate and do not speculate.
VI course where there is but little small
grain raised fat house for individual
shipment is sufficient there is no need to
incorporate. But if q company is organ
lzed for buying grain it is better to do SO
as you have your commercial rating as
company, and individual members are only
liable for the amount of stock they own,
and the same amount in addition, while
as an Incorporated company each indiv-
idual is liable for the company's debts
Another advantage Of incorpora ton, the
company can do any business, such as
handling machinery, coal, wood, etc. and
as machinery is generally bought on time
the company can deal direct with manu-
facturers, while as individuals having no
rating, such business cannot be DONE only
as 1T is done at the present time. 1 am
sorry to say that my experience leads me
to believe that four-fifths of the farmers
prefer the present SYSTEM and would rath-
er pay $14O for harvester to a slick agent
and take 10 cents per bushel less for their
grain than 1T Is worth. than to risk $40 for
share IN cooperative company, and
thereby buy harvester for 500 and $40
of that go to the company on which he
would draw a dividend, and save the 10
cents bushel on his grain, besides having
the satisfaction of doing business for him
self. But they have been robbed so long
they like to be fleeced.
L. c. LONG.