The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1899-03-01
HOW IT WILL WORK.
We have received the following letter

HOW IT WILL WORK.
We have received the following letter:
Corona, S. D., Feb. 2Ist, 1899.
In your paper you speak of the farm
ers shipping their wheat to some ele-
vator and receiving certain per cent.
cash, and the balance when the final sale
is made. Of course this means some ele
vator owned by the society. Now, l
would like you to tell, through your
paper, where the money is to come from
to start with, before our sales are made.
l want to keep posted, and to do that /
subscribe for your paper.
Respectfully,
THOMAS HARRISON"
In reply we would say that if our cor
respondent desires to avail himself of the
Grain Growers Association, all he would
have to do would be to ship his grain,
by carload, either singly or in co-opera-
ton with some of his neighbors, to the
commission merchants in Minneapolis or
Duluth, who will be agreed upon and
designated by the State Grain Growers
Association. If he desired to get part
of the money at once, he could do as IS
done in other cases, send the bill OF lad
ing for the car to the consignee, and
draw a draft on him through the local
bank, for, say tWo-thirds or three-tourths
Of the probable value OF shipment; this
draft would be at once honored and the
money sent to the local bank.
Then it is expected that some arrange
ment can be made with the commission
merchant, so selected. that he will give
one-half of the commission, which is al
ways charged. back to the society to be
expended in such way as the board of
managers may direct for the benefit OF
farmers. 1t may be that the board of
managers may conclude that shippers
from certain point need farmer
warehouse more than anything else, and
may turn in the one-half of the COM
mission upon grain shipped from that
point for that purpose. Our friend can
readily see that if the society can be made
a success, the receipts from the one-half
OF the commission would amount to hun
dreds of thousands of dollars annually,
which would be practically put back into
the pockets of the farmers who raise the
wheat.
We think, however, that the question
asked by Our correspondent relates to
statement made in connection with the
work, which is not positive part OF the
program, but something to be thought
over and considered aftl- the society is
organized. 1t has been suggested as the
breaking down OF the price of wheat, in
the fall Of the year, is d,e to the neces-
sites OF those farmers who are compel
led to sell at once, that if the Grain
Growers Society is thoroughly organic
ed IN given county, they can, through
their local board probably arrange to
furnish such money as might be needed,
to farmers who are SO situated that they
h, to oil lat %1,1 IL,
wheat, which is given as security until
the price improves. All these will be
matters to be regulated hereafter. If
local society can produce wheat tickets
for five thousand or ten thousand. or 500
bushels Of wheat. placed in farmers
elevator, there will be no trouble in get
ting money enough to help the poor
farmer through his pinch
1t is we'll understood that the speculat-
ors and wheat buyers count regularly,
every year, upon receiving the first ship
ments of wheat at good deal less than
the regular price.
But the farmer alone can do nothing;
cooperation is needed in this as in every
thing else. If we can have a great
brotherhood of agricultursts embracing
the greater portion of farmers of the state
we will have machinery by which they
can act together without any risk to
themselves, and at a very trifing eN-
pense.
What will be needed is insight, intell-
gence and fair dealing. If any man at
tempts to go into the society to make
grab, stamp him under foot. There must
be intelligence and virtue enough among
the agriculturists to defend their own
rights-if they have chance
Let all men that can afford the ex-
pense. and desire to help great work,
attend the meeting on March 9TH, in room
16 OF the Capitol building, St. Paul 1t
might not be bad idea to conclude the
labors OF that day with meeting in the
hall of the house OF representatives, to
which the legislature and the governor,
etc, will be invited to be present, and
we can then discuss the question OF the
Duluth elevator, and all other matters
that may interest the farmers OF the state