Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1919-04-18

buslueSS Oh only , lsIUU,OUU ana nau
declared skinny dividend OF seven
per cent, cash. The farmers sorrow
fully walked out Of that temple of
finance and walked to another bank,
wherein, after they had bought
large block of the banks stock, they
were told to take off their hats and
make themselves at home. Since
then many other financial institu-
tons have put the welcome sign on
their doormats for the benefit of
the grain growers.
In 1909 minenwerfer fell into
the producers trenches. The Winni-
peg Exchange, which had once barred
the company out because II did not
charge a commission of one cent a
bushel, now reversed itself and abol-
ished the commission rule. 1t
seemed blow aimed directly at the
farmers, but it was partly a scrap be-
tween the elevator interests and the
COInmlSStUH men.
THE intention of these elevator
companies" declared the producers
organization, lis to handle all grain
for half a cent bushel or for moth
ing, in order to take it away from
the commission men, who have no
elevators, and especially to keep 1t
away from our company. The ele-
yator people can handle farmers
cars for nothing and still not lose
anything. They have several kinds
of profits, including dockage and
storage, to depend upon. We need
the cent a bushel to cover expenses
and leave margin for dividends.
The elevator people are trying to
bride the farmers to send cars away
from us and by keeping grain from
us help to kill us and plant us so
deep we shall never come up again
The elevator companies are asking
the farmers to help at their own
funeral. Are we going to stick to-
gether at this critical time, or betray
ourselves and perish for the sake of
one cent bushel? A referendum
vote of our members will decide
The farmers met the test. OEly
two per cent voted for suicide and
the rest merrily grabbed the sput-
tering meinewerfer and tossed it
back to the Hun trenches.
Charge anything you like to keep
our company going!" shouted the
soldiers of solidarity. And that year
the farmers company handled over
100000 bushels of grain, more
than twice as much as the previous
year.
Meanwhile the official organ OF the
movement, the Grain Growers Guide,
had been established. A first-class
newspaper man. George F. Chapman,
became editor and ls so yet. His big
stunt in the early days was to run
down and unmask tool of the ele-
vator interests who, under the nom
de plume of Mr.. Observer, was filling
Canadian newspapers with subtle
knocks against the producers move
ment. Mr.. Chapman found that Mr..
Observer was hired press agent at a
salary of $4,000 a year, and that the
I.space occupied by his apparently
spontaneous letters to the press was
being paid for at advertising rates,
amounting TO something like $50 a
week.
1T pays to have our own news
paper as we'll as our own bank" said
the farmers. However, since then the
Canadian press in general has emu
lated the banks in putting the well
come sign on its doormat for the
benefit of the grain growers.
Agitation started for government
owned or farmer-owned elevators,
and in the midst of it the farmers
company was almost wrecked, this
time not by an enemy without, but
| by a rash manager within, who tried
to corner the oat market. After this
| the company went into the export
wheat business. They wanted the
large profit that accrues from the
high-seas trade to Europe. 1t was a
laudable ambition, but owing either
to inexperience or physical condi-
tions the result of the first large ven
ture was net loss of something like
$3.50, 1000.
1t was a fine chance to call names
and bust up the entire organization,
Names were called, directors re-
signed and the yowls Of knockers re-
sounded from Lake Of the Woods to
Medicine Hat. A quarter OF a mil
lion dollars taken from the sweat Of
the farmers brow and thrown away!
Cooperation was failure. Men
who co-operated were entitled to