The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1907-06-06
80 60 60
THE OMAHA GATHERING.

~
The first general meeting of the
wheat growers of the northwest open.
ed in Omaha today. 1t is central
izing of the many smaller branches
Of the American Society of Equity
and the Omaha meeting is for the pur-
pose of completing the pooling of the
wheat crop for the present year in
order to advance the price to a point
where the producer would make a
reasonable profit on his investment.
The principles of the American So
ciety of Equity have been discussed
at length in the Evening Times, it
being the first daily paper in the state
to advocate the formation of the So
ciety. But the present meeting of
representatives of the western wheat
growers reaches out beyond the in
f1uence of the local, or even the state,
union.
1t is impossible to tell at this early
date what the meeting will accom-
plish. But the earnestness of the
promoters in the past would indi-
cate that serious efforts will be made
to secure the ends for which the
meeting has been called.
If this is accomplished the condi-
lions of the farmers of the northwest
the wheat growers-will be mate
rally improved. 1t is absurd to ar
que that the only problem for the
man who tills the soil is to make two
blades of grass grow where one grew
before. That is one of the things to
which he should give earnest heed
because by so doing he diminishes
his production expense, gives more
room for another man to live and
prosper, and thus serves in the econ
ony OF mankind. But what boots it
if he makes the two blades grow and
receives for the two only what he
should receive for one? He has
served mankind, but not himself.
What is most needed to elevate the
condition of the tillers of the soil is
to receive such prices for their pro-
ducts that farming will become as
profitable as other callings and avo-
cations which require no more skill
or investment.
1t is a matter of congratulation that
the wheat growers are giving heed
to the imperative call of the times
and are seeking the solution of the
real great problem of the age. If the
Omaha gathering, which has been
called for this identical purpose, is
successful, it will be worthy of a
place in the list of world important
events
The scheme is simple and practical.
For several weeks the local orders in
the wheat growing states have been
organizing the farmers into pooling
scheme which is to withhold the crops
from the consuming market until the
scarcity of the commodity forces the
price up to the point where it is
equitable to the farmer. Now these
interests have met in a representative
body to form mutual allegiance OF
all the wheat growers to accomplish
the same end.
Suppose the crop which is being
grown in the west at this time is
withheld from the market entirely, is
it not evident that the spectators
who now constitute the buying mar
ket will be compelled to pay the
worth of the grain to secure it for
their future deliveries or must pay
the difference in the shape OF margin.
Meantime the price will go up And
as it goes up instead of throwing
every available bushel on the market
and by the oversupply forcing the
price downward, the producers hav-
ing confidence in their organization,
will put oft only so much of supply
as the market can consume without
depressing the price, and by thus pre-
serving the equilibrium between sup
ply and demand, hold the price where
it will he profit making.
The unifying process is all that is
necessary to accomplish the ends out
lined above, and that is the work
which is being undertaken at Omaha.
Its success means the salvation of the
wheat growers of the west.
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