The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1899-02-15
EOW TO ORGANIZE.

Mr. Hamlin V. ,Poore, of Bird Island,
Mimi, practical farmer and reformer,
writes the following letter, which should
be read by all farmers in the state
Editor Representative: In your edition
of Feb. s I notice comments article Ill.
of Grain Growers association. I fully agree
with Mr. Donnelly's views, and must take
exception to Bro. Hopkins We have the
most successful creameries nd cooperative
elevators at this time run and controlled
tirely by farmers. If there is any point
where a cooperative elevator is needed q
think they are needed at every shipping
point of grain in this state), where the farm
ers are not sufficiently educated to run the
business entirely, then I think they would
not make success Of the elevator bust
ness If they took in local business men.
Again, if there is a point where farmers
try to start cooperative elevator and
they are not encouraged by every business
man in the place, I for one believe the bust
ness men Of that place will bear watching.
l do not believe there is an honest business
man who would oppose or fail to encourage
the farmers to sell their grain through ele-
vators owned and operated entirely by farm
ers; nor do I believe any such business
man as oppose the farmers cooperative
efforts upon any and all lines would
not burn their books before they would
have them inspected by committee of
farmers. If the past experience of the
farmers has not been bitter school of edu-
cation for them. and they are yet too stupid
and dull to realize that they must cooper
ate, and that quickly, or they are doomed,
then they should continue their education
with bitter experience for their tea her.
One suggestion 1 would make if the Grain
Growers association Is to be state organ
ization. and that is the state, district, coun-
ty and local constitutions should have
clause that any person holding an official
nnc in, no nintin "a to hnt
stion if he runs for or accepts any nom
fnation. political or appointive. That will
keep politics out. HAMLIN V. POORE.
We learn that at Sank Center the
farmers raised money enough, by sub
scription, to build an elevator, but some
of the business men Of the town got hold
of the matter, and SO ran it that the
farmers refused to pay up the money
they had subscribed. Similar reports
reach us from different quarters. The
business men naturally, too often, SYM
pathize with business men, and look up
on the agricultural population as their
legitimate prey. Mr.. Rahilly told us
the other day, that at Lake City some
years ago, the farmers built warehouse
and some Of the business men ran it into
the ground. The wheat disappeared,
and Mr.. r. was sued as one of the stock
holders, and judgment obtained against
him for $4,000, and he had to call upon
all the other members to contribute and
help him pay the debts Of the old con-
Germ.
AS Mr.. Poor, says: If farmers have
business ability to make creameries sue
cessful, they have sense enough to make
warehouses profitable. But they must
have the thing right under their own
eyes. A farmer in Houston county can
not run an elevator in Polk county, nor
can any other body Of men.