The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1900-03-01
A Word to the Farmers.

A@A AAioA " Iuc lever VI the peasant Ia
borer that he hires on his farm. The
laborer, through organization, is able
to place price on what he has to sell,
VIZ: his labor. 1t is only just and
right that he should do SO and the better
price he gets for his labor the better
times are for everyone. Like the farm
er, he never holds his money, but puts
1t into circulation, by improving his
home and by living better, just as the
farmer does
Who ever heard Of farmer boarding
money? Does he not, when he gets a
reasonable price for the product of his
labor, put it all into circulation by i'm
proving his farm, hiring more laborers
building better buildings and buying
better furniture By these methods he
keeps more mechanics employed and
it is to the interest of the laborer
and mechanic to help the farmer to get
better price for his product.
If farmer gets 81 per bushel for his
wheat he would be able to hire a man
to do part of the two mems work that
he is now trying in vain to do himself.
and would not be overworked or worried
to death as he now it.
He would be more pleasant at home
and that home would be a pleasure to
his boys, who would not be running to
the cities as soon as they are able to
do mans work and taking other mems
jobs.
The usual amount of wheat, converted
into -four. that man uses in a year
is eight bushels.
Well, If the laborer pays for that 81
a bushel instead of IS cents, as he now
pays, he would pay out in the course of
year $3.50 more than he now pays, and
suppose by the good times which 81
per bushel for wheat would bring, that
his pay was raised only rs cents per
day, he would have only the increase of
two weeks pay to pay for the farm
er's happiness, leaving himself to enjoy
the so weeks increase, so that the pros
peEity of the laborer depends on the
prosperity of the farmer, as indeed the
prosperity of the entire nation depends
upon it.
Well, you ask, how are we going to
raise wheat to 81 per bushel, with all
the trusts and combines united against
us? 1t is the easiest thing in the world.
We have everything in our own hands,
Trusts, apparently, have come to stay.
We have fought them for over 20 years
and all political parties are now fight
ing them, but they are like the hog
the more you try to make them 20 the
right way the more they insist on going
the other way. Well, the Grain Grow
ers' association means to remedy all
this by building bigger trust. They
can build the greatest trust that the
pages of history have ever recorded. and
what is better, people may dispense with
the products Of other trusts, but the
product of the farmers trust people
must have, as the farmer produces the
staff of life that people will and must !
have.
We have 100000 people engaged in
agriculture. Suppose that one-eighth
of these paid 81 per annum and be-
came charter members. This would
give 100000 to start on, and the other |
seven-efghths, seeing the great benefits /
to be derived, would soon join.
This money would be placed in a
bank organized by the farmers and the
officers Of the bank and all other parties
that had the handling of money to give |
the best Of bonds; place buyers and |
sellers at terminal points and have
terminal elevators as we'll as local ele-
vators such as we have now. Those To-
cal elevators holding to their indepen-
1ence just as they do now and when
shipping wheat to draw on the terminal
elevators, or buyers, on the bill of lad
ng, just as they are now drawing on
he commission men. The only differ
'nce is that they get reports from their
'wn company instead of getting the
,r1ce now made by two or three men
he day before. When wheat was COM
ng so fast as to break the price, the To-
al elevator men could instruct the
armers to hold the wheat in their
until instructed to haul it out
md II the farmer said he was in debt
nd must sell it, he could sell it at the
resent price and hold it in his granerv.
the elevator man knew he was good,
'ut II the farmer was not Trustworthy
le could haul it out at once and get the
hen market value, but the farmers
ompany or trust would not sell BUSH
] Of it less than 81 per bushel. and
Tten that price was offered the farm
rs company, or trust, would then sell
nd pay back the difference to the poor
nan who was compelled to sell. When |
he company sold so or 1O0, 900 bushels
hey would divide the profits between
be local elevators in proportion to the
mount Of wheat they have contributed,
r shipped, to the company ON the lot |
lst sold. Every three months, or 1
Erfier. they would have a proper state Il
'sat furufshed srsry fafmsEs' elevator. Il
q. s. s