The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1907-07-13
UNITY AMONG FARMERS
CROWS WITH RAP|D|TY
Successful Meetings of Union La
Dor and Farmers Society Of
Equity Held.
Something of the Extent of the
Movement For Agricultural
ORGANIZATION.
(By w. E. McEwen)

.. MOTTe11, president OIL the MlHHcSOtd
State Society Of Equity, I attended a
county meeting Of farmers at Bethel,
Anoka county on July 4th. had read
and heard much Of the movement Of
the farmers for organization, but had
never dreamed that the Equity plan
had taken such root in the hearts Of
the erstwhile too conservative farmers.
The Minnesota farmer, like his fell
low laborer in the city, has long been
the victim Of injustice. He is charged
exceedingly high prices for everything
he purchases, and is compelled to sell
the products, of his soil at rldiculously
low prices. I was amazed to learn
what the farmers at Bethel were get
ting for butter, eggs, butter fat. pota
toes and other farm products. The
difference between the price paid by
the consumer in Duluth and that re-
ceived by the farmer scarcely 100 miles
from Duluth, is altogether too great.
Commission buyers, brokers and job
bers sometimes make more out of their
transactions than the farmer receives
for his products.
It Is the purpose of the American
Society of Equity to bring the consum-
er closer to the producer. 1t eventual
ly expects through the work Of it's or
ganization to eliminate q series Of
middle men who gamble on the necessi-
ties of life. One of it's immediate pur-
poses Is to build cooperative storage
houses and elevators at certain promi-
IT. j~ko xryl4~ En-
ducts will be stored, and only released
at the rate of 10 per cent. a month.
Farmers who need money to tide them
over will be able to borrow at low
rate of interest on their store house
certificates.
The Society of Equity is divided into
belts. In northern Minnesota we have
the potato belt. All of the farmers In
this belt have agreed to hold their
potatoes, and will dispose Of them only
on terms made by the society," In other
words the farmer will in the future
usurp the trespassed field of the brok-
er, speculator and money shark, and he
will SO control his products that
throughout the consuming year that
commercial gamblers will be unable to
ers and consumers.
In Dakota the Equity society has
spread like wild fire, and several mill
lions of bushels Of wheat have been
pledged by farmers to be held until the
societys minimum price of $500 per
bushel Is secured. Wheat too, will be
marketed similar to the plan outlined
in the potato belt.
That the farmers are feeling more
kindly to organized labor is evident
from the spirit of friendship manifest
ed at their meetings. They are begin
ming to recognize that the cause of the
laborer in the city and the laborer on
the farm Is 1dentical; that their fees
are the same, and their interests are
mutual. The city laborer reeds to
know more about the cause Of the far
mer, who is the prey of the same para
site which saps the life blood from the
wage Garner The farmer too has much
to learn of the wrongs which abound
in the factory life Of the city.
1 can see more in this movement Of
the farmers than is written in their
propaganda literature. can see a
great consuming field for the products
of union labor On the FARMS just as the
farmers can see wage earners in the
city consuming their products. paying
high prices for the same, while the
former receive but pittance for them.
I can see a solution Of the prison
labor evil in an alliance with the or
ganization Of the farmers, because the
big course shoes the farmers wear are
largely the products of our state pris-
ons The child labor evil too will come
nearer being solved by the aid of the
farmers, and the iniquities of our fac
tory system Of which labor 80 fire.
quently complains may be readily abol-
1shed by encouragement from them In
their growing demand for the trade
union label.
Factory owners have ever held that
so long as the farmers cared nothing
for the label Of the trade union they
had no fear for the future of their
business, and 1t mattered little to them
whether or not the factory was oper-
ated by trade unionists. What a
change would be wrought in our in
dustria1 system by the complete unity
OF farmers and wage earners.
The meeting at Bethel was most sue
cessful' Speakers among the farmers,
who knew their grievances we'll. were
fully equipped to discuss the EQUITY
movement intelligently. Trade union
advocates found little difficulty in
reaching the hearts of the AGRICULTURAL
lists, because of the similarity of the
wrongs Of which they both complain.
Another meeting at Pine City on
Saturday last Of the farmers of Pine
county was well attended. I addressed
the assemblage in the court house for
over an hour, and the assurances Of co..
operation received at that meeting
gave me much hope for the coming
success of our joint movement.
Let the members of the citizens al
lance and other open shop societies
bray and snort to their hearts content
against trade unionism, but their ef-
forts will amount to naught, If labor
will arise to the occasion and make an
alliance with its fellows on the farms.
A combination Of the producers in
fields, shops and factories will be q.
unity of producers and consumers who
make and defend nations, an6 pay for