The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1899-02-08

for & per bushsl o. b.. from Lake City.
Inc other farmers in the vicinity Of Lake
CITY went into the deal with Mr.. Rahtlly
and they froze the commission men out and
got 20 cents per bushel more for their an
tire crop than they otherwise would
M. p. Moran. of Graceville. corroborated
the statement made by Mr. Rahilly Such
farmers cooperative scheme would put
money in the farmers pockets. II success
fully worked 1t would reverse the or0er Of
things: instead Of the ia: mer asking the
commission man how much he was paying
Tor wheat. it would be the commission man
who would seek the producers trade.
He said:
M. P. MORAN's SPEECH.
Mr.. President:
We have arrived at a point at which we
must organize in self-defense or drop the
word citizen and become serfs. Is there
anything so unreasonable as to see
farmer coming up to the elevator with
load of wheat. the very thing that sus-
tains life, and yet powerless to place q
price on the staff Of life. and asking the
elevator man What Is the price Of wheat
today?'
A man engaged in any other branch of
business places a price on what he has to
sell. The farmer alone is excepted.
The remedy for all this is to organize
and keep out of debt. The last speaker said
THE banks are not favorable to the farmer
get capital to build an elevator"
My answer Is that the farmer furnishes
the capital for both the bank and the ele-
vator, and that those are the only two
branches Of business that can be run with
out capital or brains. A neighbor of mine
sold his farm for 5000 and deposited the
money in the bank at four per cent per
annum interest. In the course Of few
months the farmer wanted to get SIS of
his own money from the bank; the banker
wrote out a note and showed 1t through
an iron railing that stood between the
farmer and his money. He told the farmer
to sign that, get good man to sign with
him and that he, the banker. would give
him SIS, less 10 per cent interest In ad
vance. 49,"
Another neighbor Of mine hauled 5000
bushels Of wheat to the elevator and when
all was hauled the elevator man told the
farmer that If he left that wheat with him
for six months he would only charge him
five cents per bushel for storage. AS
wheat was only SO cents per bushel that
would make 20 per cent per annum the ele-
vatOr man would charge tho farmer for
taking care Of his s., 500.
Now, in the name Of all that Is dear to
man. does 1t require much capital to do
business at this rate, or much brains to
know that both the banks and elevators are
making money with the public furnishing
the capital?
Henry Feig thought it not practical to
buy wheat off the wagons and load it on the
cars. as grain was very rarely Of a uni
form character, and for that reason eleva-
tors were an absolute necessity. Mr.. Feig
thought the organization shCyld perfect a
plan instead of leaving 1t to the committee.
Mr.. Donnelly asserted that the resolution
declared the grain growers association
duly organized, and that which was left to
the committee were the details, which could
not be perfected on legal basis without
a SCi ia nf OF
Mr.. Hanley stated that the first annual
convention of the grain growers associa-
ton could be called at any time by the
officers of the provisional organization.
S. w. Powell, Of Saltwater, said there were
100 farmers elevators in the state, all were
formed on the stock plan. He inquired If
1t was the intention to make these eleva-
tors members Of the grain growers asso-
citation, and issue 100000 shares of stock to
these granaries scattered through the state,
operated by the farmers.
DISCUSSION ON BONDS.
J. S. Shields of Meeker county. thought
that the elevators should not be required to
take these bonds, and If anything Of that
kind was attempted the association would
fall of it's own weight. He thought each
farmers elevator should be operated on the
same plan as carried out by the patrons Of
the 700 cooperative creameries in the state,
nearly al of which were money making
schemes and eminently successful. 1t should
be strictly cooperative movement on the
part Of the farmers
Mr.. Hopkins further explained for the
information Of Mr. Powell that, under his
plan. elevators would issue shares Of $25
each, and no more than one share was to be
issued to each member. A commission Of
5 per cent would be deducted for handling
and selling the grain A reliable man would
be employed at the terminals, temporarily,
until elevators could be constructed from
the surplus funds Of the association, to take
care of the shipments and dispose Of the
grain, this giving an absolutely open mar
ket. The earnings of the house would soon
pay large Dividends and the farmers would
get higher price for their grain, ranging
all the way from cents to 10 cents per
blshel
The expenses Of the terminal elevators
would be met by a prorata assessment Of
the country elevato.s vino would also share
in the dividends of the terminal elevators,
which would more than pay the assess
ments. The elevator men got rich at the
expense Of the farmers, who had stood 1t
until they would put UP with it no more.
Mr.. Hanley thought the idea Of stocks
and bonds for the construction Of these ele-
vators was far from the intention OF The
majority Of those interested in the move
ment. He shared the views of Mr.. Hop
kins that the scheme should be purely a
cooperative one.
Mr.. Donnelly suggested that some MEM
bers of the association wcro trying 20 cross
bridges before they came to them. Tho
terminal elevators were contingencies Of
the future, they could not expect to Sc
cure enough funds to build them until tne
scheme had been in operation in the coun-
try for some time. Mr.. Donnelly thought
If the convention succeeded in putting the
plan in operation In time to market next
years crop, they would be doing all that
| was required of them.
The morning session Of the Farmers AL
| lance wound up the business Of the an
nual session, after disposing Of some routine
| matters Of minor Importance.
vote of thanks extended to the St.
| Paul daies for courtesies shown during the
| convention. Secretary Hanley introduced a
| resolution, which was passed. authorizing
| the executive committee to appoint gem
| eral business agent, whose duty 1t should be
| to appoint assistants to distribute binding
| Irvine among the farmers. at the least pos
| sible cost.
An auditing committee was appointed con-
| sisting of John K. Cook Ignatius Donnelly
and George Hail. to go over the accounts of
| the secretary and treasurer.
| ]. .. Hanley was appointed delegate to
| the National Farmers Alliance convention
which will be held next month In Washing
| ton. D. c.
The alliance adjourned sine die and imme-
| diately the session of the grain growers
association was called to order by Mr. Hop
kins.
Little business was transacted other than
| the appointment Of the committee to draft
| a form of organization.
| The following representatives Of farmers
elevator companies were registered on the