The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1909-03-04
SPEAKS TO GRAIN DEALERS.
Independent Elevator Men, 700 Strong,
Meet at Watertown, S. D.

Independent Mon, fUO StToUS,
Meet at Watertown, S. D.
The second annual convention OF
he Farmers Grain Dealers associa-
lion of South Dakota was held In
Watertown with an attendance ex-
feeding the most sanguine expecta-
lions of it's officers. When President
j. Nj. Bowers of Mount Vernon called
the convention to order he was con-
fronted by an audience Of visitors
numbering nearly 500, which. with ad-
1itional delegates arriving on later
trains, was swelled to nearly 700 to-
day.
The visitors were RECALLED with rru-
sic by the Fourth Regiment band and
by the Peck-Halstead orchestra until
the president raped for order and
called upon Rev. DR.. jenkins for an
invocation, following which Mayor J.
w. Martin formally welcomed the
delegates.
Bowers, who spoke of pending legisla-
ton at the state capitol, which he had
just visited, to further enactments
protecting farmers elevator compa-
MES from absorption by representa-
.tives of the old-line companies.
Secretary L. NJ. Doyle of Letcher
submitted an extemporaneous report,
in which he called attention to the
progress of the association and the
need of more cordial cooperation on
the part of farmers; nevertheless, he
noted that the progress the first year
Of the associations existence has
been very gratifying. There are, he
said, about $50 farmers. elevators In
the state, only fifty-two OF which were
represented in the first annual con
vention. He suggested a closer affili-
alton and advised the employment
of organizers. Above all, he admon-
ished the stockholders to employ none
but experienced help. Cheap en-
ployes, he averred, brought only
cheap resplts.
Treasurer T. o. Elloson Of Vermill-
ion reported the condition of the
treasury. showing a net balance Of
1854.
H. l.. Loucke, the father" of the
old farmers alliance movement in
this state and for many years the
leader of the Populistic party, deliv-
cred an address on the Necessity of
Cooperation" showing his old-time
vim. The central theme of his re-
marks vas organization.
Il do not %denounce the trust mag
Mates" he said; they are but the
outgrowth of economic conditions;
rather let us initiate their methods,
in so far as organization for mutual
interests is concerned. We can beat
them at their game If we but go at
it in the right tanner and stick to
1t, as they have stuck to it.
The manufacturer fixes the prices
OF his products before he sends them
from his factory, that price being
based, theoretically at least, upon the
cost plus reasonable profit. Why not
apply the same principle to the prod
ucts OF the farm? Why not fix the
price-such as affords a reasonable
proht,' and say to the spectators that
not a pound shall they have until
they pay the price we have fixed"
only upon such system. he de-.
clared, is it possible for the farmers
always to get what their produce is
reasonably worth, and only by CO.
operation car they succeed in the I'M
%dertaking.
The evening session proved to he
one of exceptional interest and drew
a large audience. THE Future Citi-
zen' was the topic of an address by
E. D. Dunn of Mason City, Iowa,
s. A. Dalton of Minneapolis was as
signed the theme, How to Organize
and Maintain Successfully a FarmerS'
Elevator Company"
c. G. Messerode, secretary of the
Iowa association, discussed what
the Cooperative Element Means to
the Farmer"