Clearwater Republican. [volume] (Orofino, Idaho) 1912-1922, 1918-08-30
REASON WHY SOME FARM
ERS HAVE JOINED LEAGUE.


and calling them fools and suckers
for joining the Nonpartisan league
why not keep cool and find out why
the farmers are joining? Why not
inquire for the reason that the Lea
que is appealing to the farmers?
There must be some reason or the
farmer would not dig up that SIS.
On this theory the Clearwater
Republican began to interview the
farmers. 1t was some time before
we located member, but we final
ly did. Coming in from Moscow we
ran across c. A. Myers of Fraser.
Republican, and loyal farmer. 1t
was then that the League was be-
ing accused of disloyalty, and Mr..
Myers rather hesitated to admit he
was member. He said ne did not
know about the charges. He did
know that the farmers in his neigh
borhod were loyal, and II develop
ments showed Townley and other
League members guilty or disloyal-
ty the farmers would be the first to
help punish them. Then Mr.. Myers
told us the following story:
Last fall, after harvest. I hauled
my wheat down the Greer grade to
the warehouse. operated by pri-
vate company. That company fixed
the grade of my grain. The profit
they made depended on how little
they paid me. and how much they
could unload to the consumer.
THE Greer agent sent q sample
Of my wheat to Portland to the
higher-ups. 1t had been caught in
the fall rain and was in bad order,
but I was sure 1t could be dried out
and was not materially injured. 1t
came back and was informed, that
my wheat was fourth class chicken
or hog feed, and the price offered
only small part of the market
value the Government had then set
on milling grain. The grain buy
ers could not nx the price. but they
could gouge the producer on grades.
Il decided that II that was all
i my wheat was worth would feed
it myself, and / hauled 1t back UP
that Greer grade to my farm. 1t
was stored till this spring. and was
dry and sound. then sofa 1t to
my neighbors for No. seed, get
ting the Government price for 1t.
Il decided right there to join
anything that stood to GUST the
grain trust, and place the grading
Of grain under government control
Il am only one farmer, but my
case is common. For years the pro-
Queer has been gouged and skinned
on grades by private interests. who
have grown rich gouging both the
farmer and the consumer"
At later date Mr.. Myers related
the following relative to his wool
sold this spring:
II had my clip Of wool, and the
arrangement was that we were to
ship to Mark Means Company OF
Lewiston. The Government had us
farmers ship 1t there, and these lit
tie consignments were gathered and
shipped to the East In carload lots
I am under the impression the gov
eminent allowed the commission
men 2 cents pound for handling.
These commission men estimated
the value of the wool and advanced
us growers 70 per cent. Of the esti-
mated value. And these commits
sion men charged us per cent in
terest on our own money from the
time we sold or consigned to them
till the wool was finally delivered to
the government and graded and ac-
cepted.
i 1T appears strange to me that q
farmer should pay interest on his
own money, and the producer will
seek relief from any source promis-
ing relief"
The Republican is heart and soul
with the farmers for relief from
private profiteering; this paper told
the editors Of north Idaho to go
home as democrats and republicans
and help the farmers get justice,
and that when that came the Nom
partisan League would cease to cut
any figure. II the republicans or
the democrats cannot give this re-
lief then we are frank to say that
the Nonpartisan League will, and
4 1t will deserve to win.
WHAT DEMOCRATIC FREE
TDAnUs ME- NC no "a anon