The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1899-04-25

farming W. f. Massey, in Christian
Advocate.
TIE FARMER AND THE TRUST,
In letter to the editor from Thos
Ready, Secretary of the Illinois State
Grange, that keen observer Of the
tendency of things says:
I'VE have long boasted about the
home owning and independent farmer
being the conservative bul wark Of the
republic, and should be on the alert for
continuance of conditions so full Of
the promise Of peace and safety, for the
trust makers are abroad in the land
and are consolidating their colossal
millions of money to control our Ameri-
can industries. What il these greedy
grabbers should mark agriculture for
their prey, absorb the farms and turn
the farmers into wage workers, with
woeful burden OF strikes, locEouts,
blacklisting and subgervience to money
king bosse@9 Is there anything more
than fancied danger in that direction,
and do the farmers think it worth
while to bother their brains with con
sidering tie outlook AID the outcome
of truste3'
Some Of cur readers may smile at
the thought that the great agricultural
interests of this land Of the free could
ever be absorbed by the great con
spiracy of wealth which is now max
ing it more and more difficult for the
individual business man every yWhere to
continue in trade. We are not alarmed
at any immediate prospect in this
direction, but we do not conceive 1t to
be an absurdity to say that such re
suit is possible. The commercial side
of agriculture is steadily developing;
the farmer is becoming more and more
involved in the Comple kites Of fscommer
cial life. For instance, the farmer who
SKINNED his cream and made it into
butter few years ago now is factor
in the commercial enterprises which
supply the world with it's butter and
cheese. In one Illinois city condensed
milk company has refused to accept
any milk from a certain breed Of COWS,
compelling many farmers to sell their
herds and buy other breeds at a great
loss, although the ultimate results may
be we'll. We cite this instance to show
the power of organizated enterprises to
force their peculiar rules upon others.
The sugar trust already is conspir
ing to render the hopes of the farmers
in the direction of beet sugar impos
sible of realization, and now controls
most of the factories west of the Mis-
souri,, save those belonging to the
8preckles. 1t was as easy to do that
as to form q soap trust. Billions of
money ere lying idle in the banks Of
the country. If the conspirators against
the people should find it to their sd
vantage to control wheat production
in this country, there is no doubt they
could do so within a years. They
know how to put On the screws in just
the way to bring about desired results,
and the billions would be theirs for the
asking. Already whole counties in
Illinois are owned by alien landlords,
of whom the trust is natural ally.
We speak only Of the possibilities of
the case. But this We may say: If
the farmers of the country desire to
make such results absolutely impos
sible they must get together and stand
as rock against the furt 1er encEoach
ments Of this system so long as it is
conducted for the benefit of the few
and against the welfare of the com
mon people. They must do more than
get together. They must join hands
with honest producers everywhere
and stand with them in a common in.
terest. Just 80 far as the trust teaches
the lessons of CO operation, it is good.
But to day it is in evil hands; greed,
desire for power, dominate it every
where. The people should take the
principle of the trust and make it their
own, having for their great purpose
the good of everyone, equal and exact
justice for all. This is one of the re-
suits The Farmers Voice hopes to see
flow from the new farmers movement
just now being inaugurated in this
State. Farmers Voice.