The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1904-02-05
Mime sofa Farmers to Steer Clear OF
All National Alliances.
They Are Well Able TO Look After
Their Own Interests.
Exchange Holds Enthusiastic Meeting
in st. Paul Yesterday.
W. W. P. Mcdonnell on Committee on
Bylaws and Constitution.
From Wednesdays Daily.

Lie ulunc5OU0 l0fAkCk0 S0SA3S -
going to fly its kite without any assist
ance from the national farmers co-opera-
tive alliances that have been started in
various parts of the United States. The
North Star farmers have turned down
propositions already to be the tail on
somebody else's kite. They say they
have as much brains and money as the
farmers of any other state, and that
they can steer big corporation as well
as the best of them.
This was the sentiment of most of the
hundred farmers who met in the senate
chamber of the state capitol at st. Paul
to perfect the organization of the ex-
change, which was started last October.
The Minnesota farmers, however, are in
sympathy with similar organizations in
other states and passed a resolution in
dorsing the plan of creating national
association. But until the Minnesota
farmers get their organization on solid
foundation they will not consolidate
with any other association.
The first so-called farmers alliance to
receive cold stare from the Minnesota
farmers was one promoted by several
members of the Chicago board of trade.
This concern had several representatives
at the October meeting of the Minneso-
ia exchange, and they proposed plan
by which Minnesota farmers would get
rich. The concern was to be capitalized
at something like $50,OOo,o00 in small
shares so that every farmer in the state
coluld take at least one. The farmers
were to ship their produce to Chicago,
get fancy prices for it. save the Minneso-
ia midleman's profit and get nice little
dividend on the shares besides. They
would get about 10 per cent dividend
at first and more after the alliance got
in good running order.
The next proposition presented to the
Minnesota farmers is the Farmers Co.
operative Shipping association, of which
there was a representative from Kansas
at the meeting yesterday. This asso-
citation, founded at Chicago some time
ago, the committee on organization sug
gests, should have capital stock of
about $5O,0O0,0O0, and eventually it
should assimilate all other cooperative
associations in America, including the
dairies, cheese factories, township fire
insurance companies, hail and cyclone
companies and various other organiza-
tions. This associat ton will be definitely
organized at Omaha March /.
The question before the Minnesota ex-
change yesterday was whether to join
Topeka, Kan, chairman of the commit
tee on organization appointed at the Chi
cago meeting, made long argument in
favor of consolidation. He explained the
workings of the national alton,
saying it would be strictly stock COM
pany with shares of $40 each, of which
any one farmer may hold from one to
800. The association is to own ware
houses, elevators and memberships on
the board of trade of the principal
cities.
w. S. Weatherston of Concord, treas
urer of the Minnesota exchange, main
tanned that the North Star farmers
should perfect their own organization
before they consolidate with another.
He argued that the purpose of the local
association is solely to enable farmers to
get their emoluments, and that it will
not NEEDLE with politics or any other
question. Farmers want only what they
are entitled to, he said
G. E. jackson of Buchanan, president
OF the Minnesota exchange, appointed a
large committee on bylaws and consti-
tuition, which met at the Ryan hotel last
night, and Mr.. Weatherston said at the
meeting.
eff you want to form national asso-
citation and write national constitution,
we can do it here in Minnesota as well
as by going down to Kansas. We have
got the brains and the money"
j. S. Macdonald of Rush City, secre-
tary of the Minnesota exchange, who
made a powerful address on the necessity
of cooperation among the farmers, said
that branch exchanges have been organ
lied in Glencoe, Mcleod, Morrison and
Polk counties and that meetings have
been held in Sibley, Carver, Steele, Wa
SEGA, Rice, Goodhue, Chisago, Dodge,
Pine, Stearns and Benton counties. Mr..
Macdonald said that the exchange is not
trust in the sense that it plans to get
an unjust share of the product of the
soil.
The temporary officers of the NIinneso-
ia exchange are: President, C. E. Jack
son, Buchanan; vice president, J. p.
Carey, Glencoe; secretary, J. S. Mac
Donald, Rush City; treasurer, w. S.
Weatherston, Concord.
The committee ON bylaws and consti- !
tuition, which was due to report today, !,
consists of J.. H. Coates, Benton county;
N. X. Hunt, Stearns; F. A. Hill, Mcleod; !
p. E. Fenster and w. ]. Swenson, Good i
hue; III. w. Reineke, Waseca; E. R. Jack I
son, Morrison; William Miles, Dodge;
Elias Stevenson, Polk; ]. T. Brady,