Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1907-10-22
farmers TRUST
TO CONTROL PRICES

the object OF creating trust. :"
which will absolutely control the
prices OF all the agricultural products
or the country. delegates from thir-
weight states. representing a pres
ent membership of 800. 900 farmers.
assembled in indianapolis today for
the firth annual convention OF the
American Society OF Equity. Already
the society has succeeded in greatly
raising the price OF tobacco and 9TH
er minor products. and plans will be
completed at the present meeting 20
extend its influence over all COM
modities raised on the farm and in
the orchard and garden. Great gains
have been made in the last year and
the officers of the organization are
now predicting that within a year
one million active farmers I'm the
central west will be banded togeth-
er in an offensive and defensive war
fare for higher prices.
The time of the convention, which
VIII last four days, will be devoted
largely to transacting the business
OF the organization. Aside from the
annual report OF President j. A.
Everitt, the convention will not
listen 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 ap-
pear before the convention. The
meeting will be strictly a business
one. The members of the American
Society OF Equity are ION the make"
They want plans that will put mon
ey In their pockets-not platitudes.
In his annual address. ]. A. Ever
lit, president and founder of the
society, will recommend the estab-
lishment OF a marketing system for
the society. whereby it's members
may dispose 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
education and organization, and Il is
now said to be in position to install
machine for marketing that will
bring home to members the material
benefits that such a plan promises.
THE present convention will be
the most important and noteworthy
gathering of the agricultural inter-
ests OF the nation ever held" de-
clared President Everitt. 1--WE are
now in a position to bring to the
farmers of the country material BEN
efits that will open the eyes OF all OF
them. BY securing better prices for
the growers Of farm products 1t does
not mean that the consumer will
have to pay advanced prices for his
supplies. On the contrary, 1t is our
intention to eliminate some OF the
toll-gates that now stand between
the producer and the consumer. The
middlemen are now getting more
than they are entitled to. Our so
ciety intends to divide some of the
middlemen's profit in an equitable
manner between the producer and
the consumer"
The plan of the society is to con-
troll the supply of agricultural prod
ucts in the hands of the first owners
and hold it until the price demanded
Is paid. UP to this time the most
aggressive work has been done in
sections OF the country producing
largely of certain crop, as in the
tobacco growing districts OF Ken
tucky, Tennessee and Virginia. There
the society Is in almost absolute con-
troll. and the tobacco trust" is
forced to pay the price asked. The
plan has also been worked success
fully by the Farmers Union OF the
south in controlling 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. Already
the society has established commits
sion houses In st. Louis and Kansas
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