Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1914-12-23
ORGANIZATION FARMERS HOPE.
The American Society of Equity VIII.
Give the Farmers Relief From
Transportation Companies
and Middlemen.
(Waul,on Standard)

in hand are meeting with good re-
suits. Already some twelve to If
teen locals have been organized will
a membership of more than 200.
When one stops and looks into the
political and civic conditions that
surround the farmers, he can well
ask the question, why shouldn't
the farmers organizer"
Practically every other class Of
people are organized.
The doctors, lawyers and bankers
have their organizations for self pro-
lection. The wholesale, commission
men, manufacturers, middlemen, and
retail merchants all have their organ
izations that they may better pro-
tect their interests. In fact every
class Of professional and business
men are thoroughly organized all
over the country, as are the labor
ing men. That these organizations
are beneficial to those who are con-
Injected with them is self-evident, if
they were not they would not be so
strongly maintained.
The farmer is the mainstay of the
country, without him the balance
of the population could not exist,
and yet he is the football of the big
interests and is kicked about at their
will. He produces the foodstuff for
the world, and yet when he goes to
market his produce, he is not able
to say, Il will take SO much for my
stuff but has to ask the humiliat-
ing question, How much will you
give?" Once every year the farmer
has in his possession everything
which makes life on this planet pos
sible, and yet he lets the vultures
and the thimble-riggers of markets
take it away from him at their own
price.
Then what?
After it passes into their hands
they fix the price for the consumers
and absorb the enormous profits.
Do you wonder at the high cost 81
living?
The present arrangements arc
good for the gamblers and middle
men, but a bad thing for the farmer
and the consumer. They make the
farmer take less than his due, ana
compel the consumer to pay more
than is just.
why shouldn't the farmers or
ganize?'
The object of the American So
ciety OF Equity is to organize the
farmers for self protection, and en-
able them to market their crops a!
profitable prices.
The right to fix price that will
lyie,d fair returns on an investment
and a profit, is conceded and prac
tioed by every class of industry ex-
cept the farmer Why? Because nc
is uncrganized and helpless.
The Society encourages the build
ing and maintenance OF granaries,
elevators, warehouses, and cold-stor-
age houses On the farm, in the prili-
cipal market cities, and in all local..
| ties where necessary, to the end that
| farm products may be marketed to
the best advantage by farmers, and
in the interests of the consuming
public, instead of such products pas
sing into the hands of middlemen,
trusts and monopolies.
To obtain equitable rates of tran
sportation for farm products is az
other admirable object of the Socie-
lty. From a time whence the mem
DRY of man runneth not to contrary
/ the farmer has been Disseminated
against by transportation companies.
The individual former can do moth
ing to secure Just and equitable
rates, but an organization of farm
lers who control the majority of com
modities that are transported, can
iby presenting an organized front, Sc
cure relief from discriminatory and
unjust rates, and by organization
will be placed on par with the Big
Business that is now being favored
by the transportation companies.
These are some Of the strong
points of the Society, but there are
many other worthy objects and aims
such as assisting the farmers in Sc
curing improved and better seeds,
grains, fruits and vegetables from
home and foreign countries; the es-
| Enlistment of Institutions of learn
ing so that farmers and their SONS
and daughters may be educated in
scientific and intensive farming; the
best methods OF marketing and tho
general advancement of agriculture;
to prevent adulteration of foodstuffs
and the marketing of adulterated
food, to promote social intercourse
amongst the members Of the Socie-
ty and to promote their mutual ad