The state herald., 1900-05-04
NEW FARMERS LODGE
KANSAS PLAN OF MUTUAL HELP


Busincss Organization Without Poiitio
beinr Formed to Raise Price of
wheat and Other Farm Products Co.
Operation . success.
A dispatch from Abilene, Kansas, to
the Chicago Record says:
Kansas farmers seem likely to enter
on another farmers alliance movement
under another name. They have for
years since the disruption OF the old
organization been without any method
of getting together, and the starting
OF new lodge Is taking with great
favor. In this county has begun the
organization of the Knights of the
Soil mutual organization to which
only farmers ure eligible and which
proposes to act as a gigantic trust for
the management of the affairs in
which the farmers are vitality inter-
ested. The first lodge in the state
will be In operation In few days and
there are hundreds Of farmers In ad-
joining counties ready to follow 1t with
further lodges.
The institution is very new. Not
more than two months ago II was
started In Iowa, but there are now
working In this state, Iowa, Nebraska
and the DakOtns. The objects are diff
ferent from any other institution
among farmers that has been organ
lied in the West. and If X attains the
requisite membership 1t will have II
wide effect on the business interests.
II is particularly intended to extend
the organization through the grain
growing states and TO make the union
OF the farmers so strong that It can
command the prices of grain and COM
pei the holding OF grain for sixty or
ninety days over the whole middle
West. To do this there will be needed
large reserve fund, and 1t is pro-
posed to supply this from the lodge dues
and assessments.
The chief organizer, who is here
making arrangements for the opening
of the first lodge In the state. said of
the objects and purposes of the insti.
tuition: The Knights Of the Soil is
strictly u lodge. Ii Is Il secret organi-
xation and Its purpose is to enable the
farmer TO combat the industrial trusts
that are pitted against him. For this
reason II Is sometimes denominated n
farmers trust. though that is mis-
nomer. II is merely friendly union
by which there shall be concerted ac-
tion on the principal business inter.
ests Of the day.
How may this be done! Why. in
this way, for example: Some poor
farmer finds that he must. for one
cause or akother. sell his crop on n
low market. He realizes that II hu
could hold It for a little while he
could make n fair profit, while If Ii.
Is compelled 80 sell 1t oif-hand he must
make nothing or at most a small
profit. Now there Is where the farm
ers' organization comes In with Its
beneficient assistance. Through IL the
poor farmer Will be able TO borrow
from his richer nciGhbor IA sum suf.
iicient To tide him over the time of
need and the lodge VIII see that the
lender is amply protected. Likewise
by this mutual agreement to hold for
, a higher market the farmers will he
able to regulate TO degree the
market rather than have the prices
that they nre to receive for their grain
regulated by the market manipulation
In Chicago and Liverpool. II Will
give them more OF the necessities of
life and will protect them from the
violent ups and, downs OF the markets
which take from them a large portion
Of their earnings when they need II
most.
An organization Of this sort is abso.
lutely essential and believe that II
tills a long-felt want. The eagerncss
with which the farmers are taking
hold Of II indicates that they think 50
ms well. II is not the purpose Of the
organization TO dabble In politics. That
was what killed the Grange and the
Farmers Alliance. which purposcd In
their beginnings much the same things
that are the objects OF this organlza-
tlon. II is the rock on which the
combinations OF the farmers of the
West have split and II is our intention
TO avoid II as far as possible.