Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1909-06-11

zen plOUS anu nave mOTc NcXcUdDleo-
peas, beans, lettuce, cabbage, cucum-
beers, potatoes, tomatoes, etc. On
deed 1t might be worth while to hold
prices up Cor a year or two 70 enceur-
age them to do this in order to assist
them to be more frugal, industrious
and at the same time preserve their
healthy. Then there Is corn bread,
rye bread, the meats, etc. But even
II the consumers submitted, the
farmers would themselves break the
high prices, first, by each c%ultivating
more carefully and producing more
per acre-in order to have more to
sell at the high price; second, by each
extending his wheat fields, reducing
other crops In order to have more to
sell; and third, by new farmers in
other districts all over the country
entering the wheat industry to take
ad vantage OF the prices. 1t Is clear
that the farmers could not, If they
would, land they disclaim any desire),
force prices unduly high for any
length of time. But before they can
determine what prices are reasonable
they must, as noted above, begin to
keep accounts, study cost Of produce
tion and become business men as we'll
as otherwise scientific farmers. This
is desirable also In order that they
may get some fair idea Of how much
they should be forced to pay for the
flour and bread.
But IL the farmers found from
studying cost of production that they
had been selling at too low an aver
age price for many years and saw
that under the present marketing
system there was no chance for relief,
what step would necessarily follow?
The first, in my estimation, would be
to get down their Bibles, read the
last few chapters of Genesis, and take
heed. Joseph stored the surplus corr
crop for seven years because he dis
covered the variableness of nature
some years there we're good crops, fol-
lowed by years with poor ones But
he maintained a uniform supply of
corn to satisfy the uniform demand
of consumers over the fourteen a
described.
Intelligent packing, sorting, grad
ing, storing, separating (cleaning) and
mixing are necessary. Farmers have
been many years getting their farms
into producing condition, getting
them equipped with barns, stock and
machinery, getting homes built,
schools and churches established,
children educated, and roads and
bitches begun. They were poorly
equipped to finance, market, and look
after the storing and distributing Of
their produce. But the time has ar
rived to take some very definite &C
tion. The farmers are now more able
to study the situation. better able to
finance their transactions and bust
nesslike enough to see the Importance
OF concerted and intelligent action.
Knowing the cost of production
and knowing when to sell and
when not to sell, how can they put
their knowledge into effect? By
individually and collectively bending
their best energies during the next
few years to getting enough of their
own storage facilities to visibly affect
the market conditions. Three separ-
ate and distinct phases Of this move
ment should be emphasized. Indi-
vidually the farmers should prepare
home ~granaries of sufficient capacity
to store, for a few months, from one
third to one-half Of their surplus crop.
These granaries SHOULD be located as
regards their other buildings as to be
safe from spreading fire, and so locat-
ed with respect to railroads or rivers
as to be most easily accessible when
delivery Is desirable. They should be
constructed out Of such material as
will be at the same time most durable
and most nearly fire proof. Low in
surance rates and low rates of inter-
est on long time investment in build
ing and small depreciation funds will
be the result. If grain were placed
in these and insured, low rates of in
surance could be secured and money
could be borrowed at lowest possible
rates until delivery could be made on
satisfactory terms. Slight modifca-
tions Of the present credit system is
desirable, probably necessary. The
grain should be shipped equally each
month of the year instead of all in
three or four months as now. Cheap
er freight rates and better car service
would be one result. 1t would be
easier to finance the crop. Grain
could be cleaned at home and the
dockage used on the farm instead OF
shipped to terminals.
The next step calls for concerted
action of a few farmers in each neigh.
borhood. They should erect cooper.
atively-owned elevators, capable of
storing, say 20 per cent. Of their sur
plus crops. Here grain inspection,
weighing, and final cleaning or mix.
ing could be done and money could be
secured as needed by the farmers.
The next Is concerted action by the
board Of directors Of these elevators.
Each local elevator should have from
49, 49, - eH~nlr In rr~no