Adams County news. [volume] (Ritzville, Wash.) 1898-1906, 1904-04-06
Farmers Organization.

The organization of the Farmers of
Lincoln county with headquarters at
Davenport have sent out this letter which
is to explain briefly the reasons for the
movement in form Farmers Milling
and Warehouse Company. and the OBJ
jects sought to be obtained thereby. to-
gether with the plan of procedure adopt
ed:
"As is well known, during the last two
years the -four milling interests of the
Northwest have been consolidated. The
milling combine operates line of ware
houses IN conjunction with their system
of mills. So completely does this trust
control and dominate the wheat situation
of our state that they are able to arbitra-
rily dictate the price of our grain. In
the word Of T. c. Lakin, prominent tar
mer of Harrington. who is the leading
advocate of the present movement, This
is an age of organized greed. The mill
ing interests have combined. They have
the farmers by the throat and propose to
put price on our grain. We must fight
organization with organization
1T is not to be understood that this
movement is one of hostility to the estab-
lished mills Of the state. 1t is simply a
means of protecting ourselves and of
securing just recompense for our toll.
We recognize the fact too, that the in
dependent mills and warehouses of the
Northwest are in common with the pro-
Queer, made to feel the effects Of the
powerful milling trust.
1T is we'll known economic principle
that the soil is the source Of all material
wealth. The farmer and the miner pro-
duce the cleanest. purest and only true
material wealth of the world.
agriculture is the leading industry of
society. All other industries are incident
to it. This is farming community. We
raise staple cereal demanded in every
market upon the face of the globe.
at is natural and just that the price we
receive for our wheat should be deter
mined by the universal demand Of all the
world. 1t is not natural or just that
subordinate and intermediate industry
should step between the producer and
the the consumer and interfere with the
natural adjustment of the price of the
product of the soil.
in by-gone days our fathers took their
cereals to the mills and the miller took a
portion as toll. This system is supposed
to have been abolished. Nevertheless
today, as our grain passes through the
mills on its way to the markets of the
world. there is extracted by tn manipula-
ton of the markets. a toll for each bushel
that is often greater than the profit real
lied by the farmer himself.
by years of privation and toll the far.
mer has broght the fields of the North
west before the attention of the world.
The hardest labor has been done. The
darkest hour is passed. The day Of har-
vest is at hand. Are we to reap the har-
vest that we have earnestly sown or are
we to be deprived of the just reward of
our life of toll?
1--WE now depend upon others to mill
and market our grain. This intermediate
class will demand as wages all they can
secure. 1t is natural; it is human, for in
dividuals of the business world to act up.
on the principle applied in the fixing of
railroad rates. All the traffic will bear
1--WE are helpless as long as we depend
upon others to market our products. The
present plan is simply to form farmers
stock company to operate system of
mills and warehouses in the interior with
terminal mills and warehouses on the
seaboard.
Lincoln county county club has been
formed. 1t is the duty Of the officers Of
this club to canvass the county in the in.
terest of the projected company. Other
counties are invited to cooperate along
similar lines. When the required $780,
600 of stock shall have been subscribed
for. all interested will meet in Spokane
and organize the company as is deemed
most wise.
THE hearty cooperation of the entire
farming community of the Northwest is
invited.
Yours very truly.
PETER LEHMAN.
JOHN H. NICHOLS.
LOUIE d. TODD.