The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1898-12-14
CAN WHEAT RAISERS COMBINE2

A Proposition From a True Man and a
Practical Farmer-DOn't Despair,
But Read This and See What Can BE
Done.
FAIRFAX, Mimi, Nov. 21.-Editor
Representative: Experience should
nave taught the farmers of the North
west that if they do not intend to con-
tinue raising wheat at loss they must
organize. There is not manufac-
turing establishment of any kind
that is not organized to es-
tablish profit making prices upon
their goods, and politics cuts about as
much figure with them as does the dead
languages in our present civilization.
1t is a matter of necessity for the farm
ers to organize in order to make it pos
sible for the combined trusts of the land
to live. Cor experience has taught
us you cannot kill them off, AS the
land is the base from which all other
values should be regulated, the
farmers interests must be protected
and there has not been time in 20 years
when conditions have been so favorable
for wheat to bring good price as now.
The granaries of the world were never
as near empty as they were before this
crop was threshed, with short crops in
parts of Europe. The farmers of the
Northwest should have received for last
years and this years crop ST per
bushel, if their interests had been look
ed after as we'll as other kinds of bust
ness. Mr.. Letter handled only 80, OOO,-
600 bushels of wheat from the time he
started his great gambling deal until he
went broke, and if he could have hand
led twenty million more the present
crop would have started in at 81 per
bushel. Down In Nebraska they start
ed movement to build monument to
Mr.. Letter for his gambling in wheat,
which caused spasmOdic fiuctuation in
the price, to the interests of some
wealthy men that had been able to hold
it until that time, while the poor farmers
with mortgages on their farms had to
sell at As cents per bushel. How we
have improved upon the earlier civili-
cations. Then tyrants compelled the
people to build them monuments; now
we build them voluntarily. 1 inquired
out five per cent sinking fund at so
cents per bushel on the mount of wheat
that will be shipped from Fairfax, and
it would amount to $4,000 Fifteen
thousand dollars. It takes about So, 500
to build an elevator, so that amount
would build two elevators at Fairfax
and leave $4,000 to build terminal ele-
vators at Duluth, St. Paul and Minneap-
oils, and if the farmers of the North
west would use very small amount of
horse sense they could organize and con-
troll 100000 bushels Of wheat and es-
tablish the price at 80 cents, and the
combined sharks of the world could not
break it. I know the parties that are
making their millions upon the farmers
products will say the plan is inconsist-
ent. Farmers have to sell to pay Off
the interest on their mortgage and
other debts, we will say. The world
will continue to eat. 1t matters not
who handles the wheat, and every
farmer that has money to loan will loan
it to his association, and that be loaned
to farmers on the wheat that they de-
post. in the elevator, and the moment
farmers get organized and the price of
wheat can be brought up tor living
profit, money will bring only 2 or per
cent. I would recommend that the
states of the Northwest be divided into
seven districts for each state, and elect
directors for the several districts, as we
elect our school officers. Every local
elevator to be composed of board
| of seven, as that number signifies per-