The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-06-29

The Crosby Bros. Co.
ON THE WHEAT QUESTION.
Motives of j. r. Smith Who Said
'Hold the Wheat Are Questioned.

To the Editor of the State Journals:
l notice in your issue of Saturday
evening, June &c, 1909, on page 5,
article under the heading of What
Wheat Should Bring written by one
J. r. Smith. in which he tenders
farmers advice and not contented
with voluntary advice on this subject
of holding and demanding S1.1O a
bushel, he keeps on pleading for the
justice of his cause. The frequency
with which this and similar articles
are appearing in the papers through
out this state and Nebraska some
times signed by Smith sometimes by
Jones and then again by Black makes
this article. He styles this his
paramount question, How much
wheat will be raised in Kansas Mr..
Smith admits there are two sides to
this question of what wheat should
bring, but he seems to lose sight of
all sides but his own and his article
sounds very much as though he had
other sinister motives which actuate
him than the realization of $1.10 per
bushel for wheat to the farmer.
1t is well known fact that Mr..
Patten, the Chicago board of trade
spectulator, had delivered to him on
May 81 this year, some over 100000
bushels of wheat which he had
bought on contract for which he was
obliged to make settlement at that
sonable for Messrs. Smith and Patten
to get into the public print and adj
wise farmers to hold their wheat,
knowing and realizing as they do. II
farmers commence to sell their wheat
as is usually done from the thrashing
machine the market will decline and
with such decline disappears the
paper profit on their wheat which is
stored away in elevators, public and
private warehouses all over this
Pl
would have US believe that there is no
such thing as a surplus of old wheat
being carried into the new crop year.
Now, Mr. Farmer don't sell bushel
of your wheat under $1.1o because
Smith & Patten have not done un-
loading their 100000 bushels. This
is another method used by these
board of trade sharpers to make the
farmer help them carry out their
mercenary schemes and I'LL their
Golfers at the expense of 95 per cent
of the population of this country and
eventually at the expense of the dear
farmer whose interest they would
have US believe is so close to their
hearts
smith & Patten realize that they are
M against a very serious problem and
that is getting out of their holding of
wheat at the fancy prices which they
have been keeping before the eyes oil
the consuming and laboring classes Of
which has been confronting people of
this country for the last 80 years and
that is how to check the rapaclous
greed of corporations, trusts and com
bines. Smith & Patten have been
leying a tax and extorting the payment |
of the same for the last six months. |
piling on burdens which are too grew |
Gus to be borne and for which as yet |
we do not seem to have any adequate !
but I will have these same
gentlemen understand that there Is
surely a day of reckoning coming and
if conditions do not adjust themselves
we will have the federal government |
take up this matter and handle 1t with |
out gloves as it justly deserves. You
will notice that Mr.. Smith pleads with
the farmer to hold just 80 days, he |
says, Go if necessary, take vaca- |
ton by this he means, at that time
Mr. Patten and he Will have unioaded
their wheat and they will have starved |
the people to the point that they mus
come and pay them $1.10. Then ne |
says. Come back, well rested and take
whatever price you can get" Mr.
Smith refers to farming the farmers,
this is his method. he could have told
us had he so desired TO hold our wheat, |
but that was not his scheme 1t is SO |
now and his reasons are apparent-60i
or go days from now it will be some
thing else. If the farmers will only |
assist him for the aforesaid so days I
they can do as they please forever after
and sell their wheat for 10 cents a
Dushel for this won't concern these
wiley old spectators. Secretary of Ag-
riculture Wilson figured this problem
out to a nicely some two months ago
at which time he let loose some i'm
portant facts which are well worth the
time and attention of anyone who is
In short, he says, THAT the
present prices are nothing more or less
than a holdup.'' If there is such a
of wheat as these gentlemen
would have us believe, what has be-