Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1909-06-24
TO PREVENT GAM
BLING in GRAIN
Grain Growers Of American Socie.
ty of Equity Meet in Fargo.

An important convention OF the
grain growers department OF the
American Society Of Equity was held
in Fargo last week with nearly 500
delegates from the two Dakotas and
Minnesota in attendance.
c. o. Drayton, national president, of
Greenville, ILL.,, and other officers were
precent-
The convention was called for the
purpose Of inaugurating a campaign
to stop speculation and gambling In
grain by the farmers preparing to con-
troll the grain until 1t reaches the
millers and other manufacturers.
A cooperative wholesale company
Of England, with six big mills in Eng
land and Scotland guarantee co-opera-
tion in the movement
1t is proposed to pool the sale OF
grain by means of pledges. One COM
munity in North Dakota has pledged
1000 acres.
The attendance is reported to have
been the largest that has ever attend
ed farmers meeting in Northwest
ern state. The cooperative idea ran
through the meeting in strong I'M
dercurrent and it can be utilized in
many ways.
Handicap to Farmers.
The farmers of the spring wheat
states contend they are greatly handi-
capped by the present methods Of
handling their grain at the terminal
markets and by the present system of
grading. 1t is urged that terminal ell
evators be constructed at Minneapo-
lis, Duluth and possibly Buffalo and
Cleveland. The farmers are request
ed to take stock in this big plan in
proportion to the amount of grain
they grow. They are also requested
to pledge so many acres of grain to a
definite shipping and holding plan
through which the market can be con-
4 trolled and the flooding of the big cen
tiers with wheat prevented. The eff
fort is to control only the surplus, as
that is what ultimately determines
the price.
| Disappointment was expressed over
the failure of Senators McCumber and
Johnson of North Dakota to be pres
ent, but they felt they could not leave
Washington during the tariff fight,
especially as McCumber is a member
Of the finance committee.
Mayor Elliott welcomed the hun
dreds Of delegates and the response
was made by o. P. Rognlie. The fore
noon session was devoted largely to
preliminary organization. In the af-
ternoon the principal speakers were
Gov. Burke of North Dakota, Prof Ar
void of the agricultural college, Theo-
dore G. Nelson, head of the grain de-
partment of the American Society of
Equity; Prof. Abbey of the Mayville
normal and Prof. Coulter of the Min
nesota university.
Gov. Burke of North Dakota and
President Nelson Of the grain depart
ment of the American Society of Equi-
ty were the chief speakers at the af-
ternoon session of the district meet
ing Of the big farmers organization.
What Burke Said.
Gov. Burke was literally applauded
and some features of his address were
as follows: "The only power great
enough to grapple with this evil is the
congress of the United States. Con-
gress must amend the constitution,
giving it greater power to control, reg
ulate and penalize this gambling be-
fore it will be wiped out.
II am not one who believes that
there Is not enough genius In Ameri-
can Craftsmanship to solve this great
problem by legislation. Another thing,
if you would stop gambling on the
board Of trade you must stop the prac-
tice yourselves. When you organized
you adopted the name of Equity
This means that you must not only
receive equity but must do equity, in
other words you must follow the old
teachings of the Golden Rule, do
unto others as you would have them
do unto you"
Nelson's Address.
President Nelson spoke on what the
American Society of Equity stands
for. His address was a master effort
and aroused his hearers TO the high
est pitch. After fully explaining the
organizations purpose he entered in
detail into the proposed methods OF
| pledging and pooling grain to prevent
speculation, and convinced many OF
his hearers Of the feasibility of the
plan. He proposed to control merely
surplus wheat and keep 1t directly un'
der the ownership Of the grain grow
ers themselves.
The question Of terminals was also
touched on in an Illuminating manner
President Nelson sprung surprise
in the form Of letter from one of the
largest English milling syndicates
owning four mills in England and two
/ in Scotland, offering cooperation in
/ the equity movement, and asking that
4 arrangements be made for the sale tc
that concern OF much Of the surplus
wheat. especially durum wheat.