The daily sentinel., 1907-10-22
FARMERS WILL
CONTROL
PRICES
(sentIners Special News servrce)


Indianapolis, Oct. 22.-With the
object of creating a trust" which
will absolutely control the prices of
all the agricultural products of the
country. delegates from thirty-eight
states. representing a present mem
bership of 100000 farmers, assem-
bled in indianapolis today for the
fifth annual convention of the Amer
lean Society OF Equity. Already the
society has succeeded in greatly rails
ing the price of tobacco and other
minor products, and plans will be
completed at the present meeting to
extend its influence over all COM
modlties raised on the fran and in
the orchard ard garden. Great
gains have been made in the last
year and the officers of the organi-
zation are now predicting that with
in year one million active trainers
In the central West will be banded
together in an offensive and defen-
sive warfare for higher prices.
The time of the convention, which
will last four days. will be devoted
largely to trahsacting the business
OF the organization. Aside from the
annual report of President ]. A.
Everitt. the convention will not lis
ten to any set speeches. No practi-
cal politicians, singing the praises of
the "horny-handed sons of toll
and with an eye out for votes, will
appear before the convention. The
meeting will be strictly a business
one. The members of the American
Society of Equity are "on the make"
They want plans that will put mon
ey In their poekets-not platitudes
In his annual address, J. A. Ever
lit, president and founder of the SOC
iety. will recommend the establish
ment of marking system for the
society. whereby members may dis
pose of their products direct to the
consumers In the large cities, thus
eliminating mIddlemen. Up to this
time the efforts of the society have
been largely directed toward educa-
tion and organization, and ii Is now
said to be in a position to install a
machine for marketing that will bring
home to members the material bene-
fts that such plan promises.
The present convention will be
the most important and noteworthy
gathering of agricultural interests Of
the nation ever held" declared Presl
dent Everitt. I'VE are now la a
position 10 bring to the farmers of
will open their eyes. BY securing
better prices for the growers of farm
products 1t does not mean that the
consumer viii have to pay advanced
prices for his supplies. or the CON
trary, IL is our intention to eliminate
some of the toll-gates that now stand
between the producer and the consul
mer. The middlemen are now get
ting more than they are entitled to.
Our society intends to divide some of
the middlemen's profit in an equita-
BILE manner between the producer and
the consumer.
The plar of the society is to con-
troll the supply of agricultural pro-
ucts In the hands OF the first owners
and hold II until the price demanded
is paid. Up TO this time the most
aggressive work has been done in sec
tions OF the country producing large
ly of certain crop, as In the tobacco
growing districts of Kentucky. Ten
nessee and Virginia. There the SOC
iety Is IN almost absolute control and
the tobacco, trust" is forced to pay
the price asked. The plan has also
been worked successfully by the
Farmers union of the South In con-
trolling the cotton crop.
At the present meeting minimum
selling prices will be established on
all farm products and the members
will then pledge themselves to hold
their stores until the market price
reaches the coveted figure.