The representative., 1901-03-28
Letter From $. w. Powell.

Saltwater, Minn.
J. c. Hanley, 400 Baltimore Block, ST.
Paul Minn.
Dear Sir: l have received letter writ
ton with a typewriter, which think is
from you. although you do not sign your
name. 1t is dated at your office, March
2. 1901
see by the letter that you object to
being criticised. and asked me to retract
MY article in the Representative of Fec.
2S. request l will refuse to grant.
I did say in the article that you was
city farmer trying to farm the farm
ers. | will acknowledge do not know
how much you are interested In farming
You may have 10000 or 100, 900 acres, or
piece of land 100 feet square; neverthe-
less. you reside in St. Paul and YOU
would come under the title of city
farmer When l say you are trying to
farm the farmers, the circulars you have
sent out over the state the past few
years will prove that I am right. and
your threats do not frighten me- l did
not write the article with any malicious
intent. You have always treated me
kindly and with the utmost respect.
The subject l wrote on is a national
one, subject that affects not only the
present but future. generations. l am
a practical farmer, feed and care for nv
own cattle; plow, SOW reap, stack in
fact. do all kinds of work that falls to
the farmers lot l am an associate of
the farmers and am in position to know
their wants much better than you do
and can say this, and say it truly, that
- OF the thinking farmers out of every
100 are opposed to class or special laws:
all they ask is laws that are lust and
equitable, laws that will keep the in
visible hand Of corporations out of their
pockets
accompanying the letter there were a
1cw circulars that put forth the claim
that you are the representative and
executive agent of seven great agricul-
tural associations, and cite me to a meet
ing held in st. Paul to prove 1t. Grant
ing that your citations are correct. even
'heh you are assuming very grave re-
sponslblllty when you undertake to ex-
press the sentiments and wishes of the
agricultural people Of this great ma
ton. The associations you refer me to
In the palmiest days did not represent
over two per cent Of the agricultural pop-
ulation, and at present represent less
than one-half of one per cent. It ia pre.
posterous that so small a minority
Should presume to speak for the millions
of farmers of this great nation.
The letter also states that you are lust
as much opposed to the steamship sub
sldy bill as | am. If that be true in the
name OF common sense, why do YOU al
low those articles to appear over. your
name In the Representative of Feb. %?
There must be some cause for it. and as
long as that cause is shrouded in dark
ness, you must expect to be criticised
by the way. the more light you throw
On anything that Is really good, the
brighter 1t shines. In conclusion, let us
take a peep at those associations. The
American Fruit Growers association ia
made up OF what? Men who deal in
fruit for profit.
The Cotton Growers association il
ABOUT the same; In fact, l don't know
much about either of them, but TIE
Farmers Alliance Of Minnesota and the
united States is dead, and has been dead
for at least four years, and there is no
one who could give you authority to act
Tor that defunct body. The National
Grain Growers association is another
mammoth organization, made up of it's
officers. You might make it short. and
say the whole list is something of the
past.
Respectfully yours,
n