Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1903-04-02
Organizing a Farmers Trust


Organizing a Farmers Trust
History may be about to repeat
itself. Our people see in the p.o-
posed Farmers Trust II new edi-
ton Of the Farmers Alliance.
Fifteen years ago the Farmers
Alliance was organized in the Mid
die West for the purpose, primarily
of bettering the condition of the
farmers and relieving them from
what they believed was the dom-
nation of the middlemen. The
farmers then alleged that the mid
dlemen were organized to fix the
prices to be paid at the elevator
for corn, wheat and oats; that the
railroads charged excessive rates
for transporting farm produce to
market, that the merchants bought
TIE farmers butter and eggs at
low prices and sold his groceries
at high prices.
At first the Alliance was a busi-
ness corporation and was intended
to remedy these alleged evils
Its purpose was to market the
products of the farm at the high
est possible rate and purchase the
necessaries of the farmer at the
lowest price
1t was not very successful. Co.
operative stores were started, but
soon proved failures, Local
branches of the Alliance sought to
enter into competition with the
elevator men, but found that the
railroads stood by the latter.
Then the Alliance went into poll
tics with the object of regulating
railroads rates and stopping dis
elimination. In time the poll
ticians and the lawers got hold OF
the machinery of the Alliance. it
was absorbed by the populist party
and for the last five years the pop
ulists have been losing ground.
Recently a meeting of farmers
was held in Lincoln, Nebraska, for
forming a state branch of the So
ciety of Equity of North America.
The object of the society is to fix
uniform scale of prices for farm
products and to hold food stuffs un-
til this price can be obtained.
The scale is to be fixed by a board
OF directors in the various states,
dominated by a national board.
The chief move" in the enter
prise in the west is Samuel Vincent,
who was one of the founders of the
populist party. Associated witt
him are men once prominent ir
that political organization. While
the plans Of the society are little
broader than those of the Old pop
ulist party, its aims are practically
the same.
Every farmer in the United
States will be eligible to member
ship, and the standard price
of farm products will be rigidl,
exacted to offset the effect of tn
combinations of manufacturers
wholesalers, retailers and elevate
men.
The farmers maintain that al
the other combinations have di
minished their just share of pros
perity by arbitrarily increasin
prices, and they take the means 0
retaliation. The promoters sa
they have carefully studied tn
plan they propose to work upo
that they will be able to avoid tn
rocks upon which the Allianc,
the Grange and other organiza
tions with similar aims wer
wrecked.
They propose to organize i
every township in tire country
They will take in the stockmer
the apple growers and the markt
gardeners. They will base the
scale of prices upon statistical il
formation they propose to gathe
yearly.
Mr.. Vincent says that the ba
ance between production and COZ
sumption can easily be maintained
1t is intended to have branches
in every city for the purpose (
T securing accurate crop report
! and by this means it will
/ possible for the directors to act il
telligently. The secretaries of I'll
: local branches will keep the nj
: tional board informed as to IL
size Of the crop, and knowing tt
5 consumption, Mr.. Vincent thinl
| it will not be difficult propositic
; for the board to fix a minimu
2 price.
, Once price has been placed u
! on a crop that price will rule for
$ year. No reduction will be mad
. but there will be nothing to pr