The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1907-05-03
EQUITY SOCIETY
HELD SESSION
A Progressive Delegation Me
at Fargo Dollar Wheat Was
Their Slogan.


the American Society Of Equity
held sessions in Fargo Friday and
Saturday of last week. The
delegates were among the
brightest and most proges-
sive farmers of the state.
Their slogan was dollar wheat.
The object of the society-to ad-
vance the price by controlling the
probationary seem Utopian to
many. Judging from past exper-
fences with farmers organizations
it would appear to be an impos-
sibility to get sufficient number
to stick together long enough and
closely enough to bring about their
objects. While the future in
many respects can be judged by
the past, it is not necessarily the
case in this instance. The far
mers are getting wiser. They will
make such mammoth organiza-
ton more possible than it would
have been score of years ago.
The promoters of the society may
feel that if they can get so per
cent of the wheat growers into the
organization they can control the
production and incidentally the
price of wheat. Their plan is to
control a sufficient quantity of the
grain to regulate the price. There
are many difficulties to overcome
The spring and winter wheat pro-
ducers are antagonistic. Thar in
terests are so widely apart that CO.
operation is not an easy task. The
other farmers, not grain growers
don't enthuse over the plan tc
have the price of grain and in
cidentally bread advanced. Buy
ers and users of bread in othel
lines of employment are opposed
The greatest obstacle, perhaps, il
the uncertaintG of the wheat yeile
and the difficulty of an exact ane
accurate estimate of the future
crop. The task of financing the
plan is also an immense under
taking. These and many othe]
objections are understood by th'
promoter of the society. The!
appreciate the difficulties in thei
work but believe they can over
come all obstacles. Complete or
gar. .ization, of course will spell
success for the movement. 1t il
an area of successful organization
and the farmers believe their tim'
has come. The price of their pro
ducts has been regulated by othe
interests ever since Adam began t.
peddle spuds in the Garden o
Eden and they now think it i
time for them to control their Owl
business. North Dakota is {
strictly agricultural state and thu
success Of the farmers means tht
prosperity of the state. 1t woul'
be a difficult matter to find re
sident Of the state so blind to hi
personal interests that he woul,
not hope for the successful out
come of the plans of the grail
growers. Sentiment in it's favo
is practically unanimous. Selfsl
interest, if nothing more, woul'
cause that. But even if the sc
ciety fails of it's primary object t
advance the price Of wheat to
dollar.there are many other feat
ures thatsare side issues to the OF
eanization which cannot help bu
be beneficial. If the wheat acre
age is kept down, the rest of tn
land will have to be farmed il
something. twill cause diversi
fication, will result in more kind
Of crops, more live stock, NOR
dairies and creameries. Th
& movement will create more conf
dsnce in themselves among til
farmers. It will be the cause 9
better farming methods and wi
place the handling Of grain on