The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1896-03-04
Editor Representative.

Editor Representative.
BY request of this Alliance, / enclose
you copy of our proceedings at
the last meeting. The suggestion
made by THE REPRESENTATIVE to
hold wheatmeeting, was responded
to most heartily. a large gathering
OF men, who represent the best farm
crs in this county, assem- bled at the
residence of S. B. Smith on the even
ing Of Feb. %. All were of the opin-
ion that an elevator at Duluth, or
some terminal point. was necessary to
the farmers Of the Northwest. Their
exerience with commission firms con-
vinced them Il the impossibility Of
shipping their own grain without
some one at the point Of consignment
whose selfish interests were not neces-
fairly concerned against the pro-
ducerS.
Several members spoke of the grand
work of The REPRESENTATIVE, in
helping the farmers to fight the ele-
vator companies.
Every load of grain hauled to mar
keJ cOnvinceS us in one way or another
of the power they have. If the old
line companies should pass decree
that the farmers should leave their
sacks with every load it would have to
be done Yours very truly,
WALTER c. BORRILL,
Secretary Alliance No. 553.
Donnelly. Mimi. Feb. %. 1896.
Lack Of space prevents us from cop.
ying in full the very interesting re-
port Of the proceedings; but we extract
the following as touching the ques
tion of terminal elevator:
The sec retary then read commu
nication from THE REPRESENTATIVE
upon the wheat question, all of the
members taking great interest and
two hours. Several members offered
to take individual shares to the
amount of $40 per share, in anelevatOr
to be erected at some terminal pOint t.
The following resolution was pre-
seated:
"Whereas, there is evidence of gross
fraud in the handling of our grain at
both local and terminal points, there
fore be it
Resolved, that we, each and all of
us, pledge ourselves to take stock, as
far as lays in our power, and to help
and assist, in every possible way, in
building and sustaining elevators,
both local and terminal, wherever
there shall be sufficient interest dis
played by the farmers throughout the
Northwest to make our interest felt.
Also be it further
Resolved, that the secretary of this
Alliance be authorized to pledge this
Alliance to take one share of stock in
terminal elevator as soon as the
movement is started"
Upon request of the president, that
every member present vote on the res
OlutiOn, it was carried unanimously.
Moved and carried that the secre-
tary be elected as correspondent from
this Alliance, and to write Mr.. Frank
Hoskins, chairman of the State Grain
committee, acquainting him with the
position this Alliance takes on the
elevator question, and ask him for
information as to how to proceed and
when to proceed.
Moved and carried that the secre-
tary make thorough report of this
meeting and send one copy to THE
REPRESENTATIVE. and one to the
chairman Of the State Grain commit
tee. WALTER G. BORRILL.
Secretary.
We also received the following let
ter from Mr. J. S Nichols, of Fertile,
Mimi. who has the honor Of being
the first to start the movement to
build a state elevator at Duluth:
Editor Representative:
l enclose communicate on from one
of our tOWnSmen to myself in regard
to the terminahelevator scheme:
l find the majority Of the farmers.
whom / have had a chance to see per-
sonaliy, are in favor Of the elevator:
but it is a new subject to them; they
do not read as much as they should and
have not caught the idea fully. | be-
lieve plan something like the fol-
lowing would be the best and quickest
way. | believe there is not a town
ship in the state but what has large
number of REPRESENTATIVE readers.
Now, let each one make out SUBJ
ScriptiOn list, to read something like
this: 1--WE, the undersigned, farmers,
do agree 10 take so many shares CT ten
dollars each in terminal elevator, at
the head of the lake, one-fourth to be
paid as soon as sufficient funds have
been subscribed to build Suita BILE
elevator and the directors have been
elected by the Stockholders; the bal
ance to be paid as needed for the work
of construction"
Then have Farmers Alliances of the
the different counties appoint a
man to receive subscriptions:
and the party in each county
forward a duplicate list of the amount
SO pledged to some person to be named
as state committee; and when suf-
fident fund has been subscribed, set
date for state meeting. to be made
I'D OF delegates from each county, whJ
shall act as directors fer the year.
Why, I am sure. If three or four
good farmers in each county will take
hold of this plan and work couple Of
DAYS in canvassing and explaining to
their brother farmers the benefits to
be derived by placing regulator at
the head of the lakes. a fund ample
for present needs will be at once sub
scribed.
II this plan meets with your ap-
proyal, or you can devise better one,
lets go at it. | find the farmer is slow
to turn out to meetings, but l will
not be afraid to guarantee three hu's-