The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-10-22
Farmers FIRE MOI
Scared by Trdsts

From a Chicago Letter.
q OMETIAIE AGO James Butler, OF Kansas, and
y those associated with him in the project
~ announced that they had made long steps
toward perfecting an organization OF Kan
sas farmers intended to collect and market the
grain of hundreds, perhaps thousands OF their
fellow agriculturalists In other words, the busi.
ness functions OF collecting and marketing their
product was to be taken away from the railroad
men and elevator men and kept in their own
hands; so that they, the farmers themselves
might make (and distribute among themselves)
those large profits, estimated by some to be as
high as seven million dollars year. From all
accounts this proposition is proceeding favor.
ably; il the capital with which to organize and
push it, and the administrative ability required
to hold 1t together and develop it, all prove to
be forthcoming.
Now, under the Bryan plan to crush "trlists'
any association or union Of farmers Of this kind
to seek or secure better prices for their wheat,
or seeking in any other way to make this and
other transactions Of advantage to themselves
rather than to somebody else, would, immediate.
ly upon its organization become "a criminal
conspiracy" Every farmer interested in CO.
operative elevator, and there are thousands OF
thcm recognizes that his association would clear.
ly be made to come under any definition OF
trust that would apply to any organization OF
business men for the purpose Of securing higher
prices for commodities than prevailed before.
Moreover, they know that II Bryan should be
elected he would carry out his threat to make
criminal conspiracy out OF every busines organiza'
tion which got its members higher prices for
their products than could be obtained by the
individuals acting separately; 90 that, under
these circumstances, the cooperative companies
would have to fight not only the Independent
grain dealers, but all of the Bryan political
forces, which, under the present condition OF
free competition, cannot touch them.
90
Not only is the cooperative enterprise OF Mr.
Butler proceeding with every prospect OF success
and by lust so much putting itself in danger
of disntegration and confscation in case OF Mr.
Bryans election--but there is another evidence
that the farmers, especially OF Kansas, are seiz'
ing the opportunities which surround them. A
farmers educational bureau has been organized
at Topeka, and a Mr.. W. G. Todd. its secretary,
has been sending out thousands OF circular let.
ters, urging the farmers to settle the question
Of a business organization OF themselves, for
themselves and by themselves, as outlined in a
small twenty. FIVE cent book entitled "The Coming
Trust" The very great interest already mani
tested in this comparatively small enterprise,
is indicated by the fact that several thousand
copies Of the book have already been issued.
The great mistake made by Mr.. Bryan and his
seems to have been in supposing that
the farmers OF the West were inferior in intelli-
gencc in some way to their fellow voters fol-
lowing other occupations As matter OF fact,
they are some OF the most thorough readers and
closest reasoners to be found in any walk Of
life.