Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1903-01-23
TELL LEGISLATORS WHAT THEY WANT
Allege Discrimination Against Them in the
Matter of Shipping Facilities,
ALLEGE A COMBINATION OF ELEVATOR MEN
This, with Favoritism by Railroads, Gives
Producer the Short End
DRAFT A BILL TO MEET THEIR DESIRES
Governor Mickey Has Communications
on Leasing bill Ready, ana it
is said Not to He an
Endorsement.

Endorsement.
(From a Staff Correspondent)
LINCOLN, Jan. 22-(Special)--
farmer has the ear of the Nebraska legis-
lature. That the man who grows the grain
may reap the profits as we'll as the prod
ucts OF his honest toll the legislature Will
be asked to pass a bill already drafted, en-
abling the farmers to build and operate
their own elevators. Such a plan has been
determined on by the Farmers Shipping
association, which is in session in Lincoln
this week, and was formally indorsed this
afternoon at a meeting of many hundred
farmers in the courthouse for the purpose
of perfecting this organization on a CO.
operative basis, with similar organizations
of Kansas and other states. The members
of both house and seenate were invited to
attend the meeting. 1t was an enthusiastic
This association is what has been called
the Farmers Trust" 1t represents the
crystalized sentiment OF the tillers of the
soil of not only this, but other states, for
relief from certain expressions of the rail-
roads and other corporations. This as
sociatlon exists, in an immature state, In
Kansas as well as Nebraska. 1t had its
origin in August, 1899. through the infiu-
ence of farmer named Walter N. Allen OF
jefferson county, Kansas. The prime OBJ
ject of its existence has been to secure to
the farmer more profitable ways and means
of shipping his grain, and this has been
carried into practical operation in the es-
tablishment of elevators that are owned
and conducted by the farmer, for the far
mers benefit. There are about thirty-four
such elevators in the state of Kansas and
they have saved to the farmer every year,
it is held, from 3 to cents bushel on
his grain. This, the advocates OF this sys-
tenn claim represents fortunes, depriving
the grain mems trust of lis unfair ad-
vantages and giving to the man who raises
the grain that which justly belongs to him.
This association is not now, but will be,
incorporated in the state of Kansas, and
when completely launched In Nebraska
that is, placed on a permanently active
basis--wili become an Interstate co-opera-
tive concern
what Has Been Done.
Already there are established in Ne
braska about twenty-five branches of this
association and many more in the parent
state of Kansas. This meeting today, then,
was a sort of ratification or reorganization
meeting and has had the effect Of formally
and substantially setting the organization
on it's feet. James Butler, secretary of
the Kansas organization, and c. b. Hof-
man. director of the Nebraska association,
and the big millers association of Kan
sas-the connecting link between the
farmer and the miller of the west-ad-
dressed the meeting. The former gentle
man is from Topeka and the latter from
Enterprise, Kan. The theme OF their
speeches was for prompt, businesslike CO.
operation =, for the accomplishment OF the
purposes aimed at in the constitution Of
the organization. They expressed a spirit
of confidence in the ability of the farmer to
secure the necessary legislation and urged
the Nebraska house and senate to place at
the disposal of the farmers of the great
corn belt" those advantages OF which
they stood in extreme need and which
have been enjoyed by the corporations to
the serious detriment of the farmer. the
native and characteristic citizen of the
state.
with the weight and influence that is
back of this movement 1t is believed the
legislature cannot resist the demands that
a law be enacted compelling the railroads
to recognize these rights of farmers.
A fair and equitable distribution of grain
cars by the railroads is one OF the essen
tial demands of the Farmers Shipping
association. BY discrimination in the dis
tribution Of their cars the farmers pro-
test that the railroads have imposed in
tolerable hardships upon them and they
have now arisen in their might to thwart
this practice and secure the rights which
belong to them. To this end bill already
has been introduced In the house. II will
be pushed with the same vigor and de-
termination as will that one designed to
secure to the farmers the right to erect
and maintain their own elevators.
What II Expected to he Done.
The bill that has been prepared for in
PRODUCTION in the legislature provides for
the acquisition OF land for the erection OF
these farmers elevators by condemnation
proceedings in the district court And IL
also provides that all elevators and ware
houses erected and maintained under this
act shall be deemed public elevators and
warehouses and shall be subject to legls-
lative control 1t is believed that this
latter provision will have the effect OF
safeguarding against impositions upon
those not directly interested in these con-
Germs.
In his address this afternoon Secretary
Butler of Topeka said:
Our organization has none of the obnox-
ious features of trust. There Is nothing
in the charter nor bylaws that conflicts
with the interstate commerce laws, nor
with the antitrust law of any state.
Neither is there anything In our practice
that conflicts with law. II is not our pur-
pose to arbitrarily fix prices. We are or
ganizing to transact our own business on
legal business lines in order to secure the
market value of our products when mar
keted in the most economic way. IL Is not
our intention TO increase the price of our
products to consumers, but by organiza-
tion we hope to prevent spasmodic huctua-
tions in the market. Our organization Is
strictly nonpartisan and distinctly bus
| iness company. We are firm believers in
reciprocity and ready to deal fairly with
those who will trade equitably with us.
As showing one OF the most serious
causes for the existence Of this organiza-
tion Mr.. Butler quoted this rule OF the
railroads. which he said was In operation
in Kansas and he understood had been es~
tablished in Nebraska. the same having the
effect Of prohibiting the farmers from ship
ping their own grain.