The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-10-07
But FEW FARMERS
ATTEND CONVENTION
They Are Apparently Too Busy
With Fall Work to Organize
a Combination.

what we need is money. This talk
is all very well and it may all have
it's influence in bringing about results,
but l tell you now that without money
we cannot bring about any sort Of
cooperation among the farmers"
This declaration, delivered at a meet
ing of farmers last evening toward the
close of session that had continued
all the afternoon, appeared to strike
the keynote Of the sentiment which
prevailed, and was most heartily APP
plauded.
The speaker was j. S. Mcdonald, Of
Rush City, young farmer, who Off
ciated as secretary of the meeting,
which had been called in the interest of
cooperation.
Farmers Fail to Attend.
The time set for the convention"
as it was originally termed, was 10
o'clock yesterday morning, but at that
hour so few were present at the capitol
that an adjournment was taken until
afternoon. Even then there were but
seven or eight farmers to be found.
but they decided to meet, and as no
other place was available the executive
office of the governor was placed at
their disposal.
The afternoon was spent in discus
sion of cooperation and the desirabiH-
ty of cooperative elevators and cold
storage warehouses was set forth at
considerable length. S. M. Owen, edi-
tor of a Minneapolis farm journal
Charles F. Ceilley, organizer of the
Amalgamated WoodworkerS of Amer
lea, and others addressed the gathering
on the subject of organization, and the
farmers themselves expressed their
views.
1t was nearly o'clock when Mr.. Nc
Donald took the floor and said:
This is the third time 1 have come
to meeting in this city for the very
purposes which have brought US to-
gether today, and each time nothing
has come of it. These same subjects
have been threshed over until there is
nothing left but the chaff, and l don't
know but that 1t would be all for the
best if strong wind should come
along and blow the chaff away.
Takes Money to Organize.
eve have talked here all the after
noon, and some very desirable plans
have been suggested, but the same
trouble remains, and unless we can
overcome it all our talk will come to
nothing. The talk is all right, and it
all may have its influence in bringing
about results. but what we really need
10 IiOHey, ana WITHOUT II we cannot
effect any sort of organization.
1T is all very well to tell me to go
back and organize the farmers of Chi
sage county, and to tell that man to
go home to his own county and or
ganize the farmers there, and our in
tentions may be of the best, but have
my own farm and have my own work
to do and so have the rest of you, and
we really cannot afford to give our
time to this work. We must secure
the services of some person who can
afford to do it for salary, and pay
him salary for doing it, and then we
may have organization"
viii Form State Organization.
Before adjournment it was decided
to take steps toward the organization
of an associatin of the farmers of this
state, and a meeting will be held at
the Merchants hotel this morning for
that purpose.
Those who were present yesterday
were Ole Peterson, New Ulm; Joseph
P. Carey, Glencoe; j. w. Tolbert, Roch-
ester; w. S. Wetherstine, West Con-
cord; c. E. Jackson, Buckman; E. R.
Jackson, Pierz.
Promoters of the farmers combine
movement were disappointed at the
failure of farmers to attend, but at
tribute it to the unfavorably weather
and consequent delay in fall work The
convention was well advertised over
the state, and an attendance of at least
100 was expected.