The representative., 1901-05-16
Farmers Organise.

TarAers Organise.
Fairfax. Mimi. May Is, 1901
Editor Representative.
Dear Sir: Having read many letters
Of late in the Representative on the
subject Of organizing farmers. deem
It proper to make an explanation Of
the situation az the last president elect
ed by the Grain Growers association
CT Minnesota.
At that last meeting several plans
were submitted for organization. one by
H. q. Boen. Of Fergus Falls; one by 8.
w. Powell. Of saltwater; one by Igna-
thus Donnelly. Of Nininger, and one BY
myself. The meeting wac a very warm
one. over the discussion of the different
plans. and resulted in the adoption of
H. e. Boen's plan as the business plan
and the plan Of Mr.. Donnelly as the
social and fraternal feature. with my
self as president and the understanding
that both societies were subject to
amendments, change or reorganization
as provided In the articles Of organize
tion.
Neither plan has proved successful.
Why?
First, because these two plans divid-
ed the forces. Second, because the bust
ness plan was not representative enough
Ia that 1t was an Organization Of eleva-
tors.
Now. I believe farmers can tell the
gold from the dross as quick. II not
quicker than any other class of people
They Lave learned it by long years Of
toll to meet the tributes that have been
levied upon them. and they will not re-
spond to new schemes until some plan
Is presented that Is rock-ribbed and as
solid as the existing elevator systems
Of today.
This new plan must appeal to the
farmers as stronger and better than
those now existing.
Properly organized the farmers of the
Northwest would be able to control
300 100000 bushels of grain annually
which would enable our own business
center. Minneapolis, to fix the price OF
wheat instead of the Liverpool market
My plan provides that the unit of the
organization should be the local Grain
Growers association, with price of the
shares at $40 per share, no member to
have more than 20 shares, and each
member to have one vote regardless Of
the number of his shares.
l. All grain handled should contribute
| a fund of five per cent to be used in
building local and terminal elevators
which fund at Fairfax alone two years
ago would have amounted to $1,000
This sum would have built two local
elevators and left 5000 toward a ter
minal elevator.
Have president. vice-president, Sec
retary and treasurer, and board OF
seven directors.
Have every officer who handles grain
or money furnish bonds that would pro-
tect every bushel of grain from the
it is sold and he gets his money.
Do our own banking, and when a
farmer is compelled to sell his grain
at a time when prices are low, let him
haul it to his elevator, get an advance
on it of go or 70 cents per bushel, al
| five or six per cent interest, and when
his grain is sold get the balance, less
the interest on his advance.
Money to handle each crop is now fur
nished to the wheat gamblers by the
bankers of the nation at four to. five pei
cent The same banks would just as
readily furnish it to a strong and safe
farmers organization, the wheat gam
blers would be cut out and the farmer
get what belonged to him.
1t would seem that the farmer should
appreciate the power and value of or
ganization. They have seen all other
business interests organized to fix prices
and, If necessary to do so, limit pro-
ductiOn.
Why should not farmers adopt the
same tactics and save something fol
themselves which they. as wealth-pro-
ducers, are surely entitled to. Believ-
ing that the time is now ripe for such
an effective organization, therefore is
sue the following
CALL