The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-12-29
Tho Farmers Trust.

Swapping their fingers at the Anti
Trust law which Is and at the hundreds
Of antitrust laws now on the calendars
Of Congress or just Matching in the con-
volutions of the statesmen in Wa"hing-
ton, the farmers Of the United states
have formed trust Of their own. The
incorporators Of this trust. which was
organized in Indianapolis last week and
named the American Society Of Equity
Of North America, set forth in the papers
of incorporation long list Of its objects.
Only two Of these objects need be mem
toned here:
-. To obtain profitable prices from products
OF the farm. garden and orchard.
-? To secure legislation In the interes, OF ayr.
culture. horticulture, stock raising and gardening.
That is, the farmers combine to put
UP or maintain the prices Of their prod
ucts and to secure favorable legisla-
ton. Attributing such nefarious pur-
poees to great industrial trusts, the pro-
fessional spouters against the Octopus
fame to the roofs Of their mouths with
wrath and language. But farmers are
different sort of cattle. 1t is not safe
to attack the farmers. There are too
many Of them. II the farmers want to
form trust. shall they not be allowed to
do it? Remember those kindly anti
trust acts in the West and South which
forbade all combinations save those Of
farmers and laborers: statutes quickly
smashed by the courts. but interesting
as a memorial of the tenderness Of the
trust-scourgers for farmers and laborers.
Some of the laborers have their trusts
already. The farmers seem bound to
have theirs.
Saving in the cost Of transportation is
one OF the first aims Of the society. AT
present" says the president. too much
money goes to the handlers and trans
porters." The trust will strive to bring
producer and consumer closer together,
freeze out the middleman and reduce the
cost of marketing. The trust will have
it's own elevators, cold storage houses
and warehouses. BY an elaborate and
minute system Of crop-reporting, all
values will be fixed equitably" The
method Of fixing prices will be this:
Knowing through the secretaries OF the local
| branches the amount OF any crop produced. and
knowing the consumption from past experiences.
| an equitable minimum price vii, be nxed by the
! directors Of the national body and the same re
ported directly to all members In all parts Of tho
| country. Once price has been placed on q crop,
| that price will rule on that crop during the crop
| year. and the society will not make another price
although the individual owners may use their own
judgment about holding for q higher price. There
! will also be a schedule OF monthly advances over
minimum price sccruing TO holders. The resul,
| OF this simultaneous information to all mem be rs
will be concerted action and the sustalnment OF
the market"
This is perfectly clear and direct. The
trust farmer will not sell below the fixed
minimum price and is entitled to get all
he can over 1t. Here are some equitable
minimum prices for the present.
The society will recommend for the prescn, tim,
the following prices for some staple crops: whea,
81 per bushel; corn, 50 cents per bushci oats. q
cents per bushc all at chicago also cotton 10 cent.
| per pound at New York. The farm price will b,
these prices less transportation and handling. T,
Illustrate; The Irescn, price Of whoa, q, Chicago