The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-01-04
Farmers and Their Products.


Just now, while much is appearing in
print regarding the Industrial prosper
ity of the country, words of wisdom as
to the best means of maintaining that
condition ought to be acceptable. Good
times come in the life of every indus
try, but they have a fashion of float
inS away even before their actual pres
ence is fairly recognized. How to keep
them with us, If not in their complete
fullness, at least in a measurably ad-
vantageous degree, is the problem.
The agricultural Northwest through
representatives of it's population, has
in the past erdeavored to make the
most out of hard conditions; and In
doing so the section has received more
or less of criticism in the East, where
the people do not comprehend, and do
Tot always seek to dc so, the nature Of
the burden which the producer is re-
ouired to bear. 1t is all we'll enough
for the Spectator in Chicago or New
York to dip into the wheat market,
for instance and buy in the hope of
selling at a profit But In advance of
his appearance in the trading world
is the creator of the material in which
he trades. To the farmer the earth
yields, in varying degrees, her fruits.
He pours into the granaries of the
world the product of his labor. 1t passes
from him, or a certain basis Of value,
into the more enlarged markets, and
in its progress, by reason of interme-
date storage and transportation
charges, that value is in process of con-
slant accumulation. The farmer is apt
to pause and think, as he looks over the
prices current of wheat sold for eX
port, either in Chicago or in New York.
and to attempt to figure to what degree
he might have reserved for himself an
increased modicum Of profit. He is
ait to feel that in view of the cost
and labor involved in production he
fails to receive a just equivalent. In
the main, his judgment in this regard
has been correct, in the past. He has
been inclined once in a while to argue
that he is the victim of an organized
system of robbery. On this line of
reasoning he has at times advanced too
far The fact should always be borne
in mind that unless an outlet to a gen
eral market is afforded for produce, il
is practically valueless. 1t requires
the investment of large amounts Of
capital to provide him with a channel
for the liberation of his produce and
the conveyance thereof to the point at
which it shall encounter the arteries Of
the worlds commerce. The capital
thus invested has it's rights of COM
pensation as a carrier equally with
these which in the nature of things
belong to the producer. There ought
not to be hostility between the two.
for the reason that they are practically
cooperative. Without the one, the
other would not find justification for
existence.
A convention is now in session in the
capitol building in st. Paul, having for
Its object the organization of a grain
growers association in this state. AL
though the title would seem to be eX-
elusive, as limiting cooperation only
among those who produce and market
grain, this is not the purpose outlined.
The proposed grain growers associa-
ton is intended to be an offshoot of
the former Farmers Alliance of Min
nesota, and the proposition was adj
vanced in yesterdays session that
membership in good standing of the
old Farmers Alliance of the state
should be a recognized initial qualifi-
cation of membership of the new or
ganization. But, allowing all disputes
or this point to adjust themselves, the
fact remains that an intelligent move
ment has been Instituted looking to the
petterment OF the condition of the
FARMER by means OF cooperation The
discussions have in all respects been
temperate and unaccompanied bv any
flights of fancy into the realms of the
impracticable.
The session yesterday was conspicu.
Gus by reason of the address of Mr.
James j. Hill, which will be found in
another column of this issue of The
G o e. Mr.. Hill demonstrated the
theory which he has previously ad.
vanced with respect to the payment n,
bounties for the building up of the
trade between the United States an6
Asia. on-the basis of bounty of 50 ne,
ton of cargo carried in American ships
Another feature of his address which
was especially interesting to the dele
gates was his plan for the establish
ment of an elevator grade certificate
in connection with deliveries of grair
at country elevators. By the process
outlined by Mr.. Hill the certifcat,
would become negotiable collatera
and would insure the return to tn,
farmer of the highest market price 70,
his grain, provided always that hi
judgment should not mislead. TIL,
plan proposed by Mr.. Hill is So bust
nesslike, so fair and just in all it;
bearings and so inexpensive that tn,
wonder is it has never been introduced
Into the statutes of wheat,producins
= states in the Northwest as Nwen a.