speculator and went into those of another, we would not mind. And there is every reason to fear that a proportionally large sum will be extracted from the pockets of the farmers for the balance of the season. If this should be the case, and should the amount of wheat available for export, equal that which would be intimated by the estimates of some of our prominent men, the loss to the farmers and the gain to the speculators will not be less than $5,888,000. At nineteen bushels an acre, the loss to the farmer would be seven dollars and ninety-eight cents, or nearly eight dollars per acre, and on a farm of one thousand acres, producing such an average crop, the loss would be almost $8,000. It is high time then that farmers should awake to the situation. If taxes of this amount were levied on them, or attempted to be levied, they would rise in open rebellion, and yet they tamely submit to this imposition, or make a few feeble and ineffectual protests, and there the matter ends. It will be seen from our table that the average of freights for the eleven years ending December, 1871, was £2 10s. 8d. only. If the farmers of the State were united on the matter, they could freight ships or build them, and the cost of carrying wheat to Liverpool would not exceed £2 10s. With wheat for export equaling fourteen million centals, they would then save in one season, the sum of $7,560,000, or 54 cents per cental, or $10,260 on every farm of one thousand acres. During the balance of the harvest year, with the vessels which have already loaded cargoes for England, and those on the way now known to be engaged, we have one hundred and seventy-seven vessels. Now, calculating by the average cargoes which have already been loaded, there would, supposing fourteen million centals to be available for exportation, be required four hundred and ten vessels. So that we require arrivals of one hundred and sixty-four more besides those already on the way known to be chartered for wheat in order to carry away the largest possible margin of export. Those at present available will carry away 10,151,658 centals; and there being now on the way to this port altogether one hundred and eighty-seven ships, this ensures us a far more satisfactory prospect for the balance of the year. In this connection we may mention a circumstance that has come under our notice during the last fortnight which shows how completely are the farmers at the mercy of the grain speculators. A merchant in Visalia, whose interests are intimately connected with those of the farmers of his section, desired to assist them in obtaining better prices for their wheat, and in order to do so, he contracted at reasonable rates for a ship with one of our largest shipping houses in this city. The house in question generally bears a good name, but unfortunately the merchant only made a verbal contract with it. He was soon after approached by an agent of Mr. Monopoly or a party in his interest, who endeavored to obtain the ship from him. But the merchant was firm. This agent then says to him, "I suppose you expect to load the ship." The reply was, Yes, certainly I do, I have engaged it, and shall send it." "Whereupon Monopoly's representative rejoined, "Let me tell you, (or mark my words,) you won't send that ship." Within forty-eight hours the PRESIDENT BIDWELL'S VIEWS. 87 merchant received a notification from the house that they could not possibly let him have the ship. We can give the names of the parties to any of our readers who may desire to have them. We have been accused of bringing charges on freight rings and grain rings needlessly, but we think that a perusal of our article, and a knowledge of such means as here shown to be made use of to keep all the available tonnage mainly in the hands of one house, will convince our readers that our denunciation of the unworthy means made use of to rob the farmers of this State, have been both timely and needed. CHAPTER IX. HOW THE CLUBS BECAME GRANGES. MEETING OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS: PRESIDENT BIDWELL'S REMARKS: MAJOR THE history of the Farmers' Union is virtually that of the emancipation of California agriculture from its oppressive burdens. It has been seen that the local clubs were the centers of influence, and the germinal points of enlightened public opinion, while the board of directors were active in perfecting plans for immediate relief. President Bidwell called a meeting of the board, in January, "to devise means by which the cost of moving and marketing the crops of the approaching season might be reduced, thus enabling the farmer to realize a larger percentage of profit. The charges for sacks and freight to a market at home or abroad were so great that the farmer was scarcely remunerated for his labor of production; and this state of things did not so much arise from natural causes as from the exorbitant exactions of those by whom the material for sacking, the money to move produce, and the means of transportation were provided. It was the interest and the duty of the farmers, by combined action, by organization, by financial or political power and influence, to endeavor to protect themselves; to demand, exact and enforce justice and common honesty from those with whom they deal. There is but one way for the farmers to succeed in the accomplishment of these objects, and that is the organization of local clubs, and the steady support of the State Club in its efforts in their behalf. If the farmers in all portions of the State will come together and form local clubs, and put themselves in correspondence and business relations with the State Farmers' Union, in such a manner as to authorize the officers of this association to act for and bind them under necessary moral and financial obligations, in my opinion, the relief which they seek can be obtained, to a great degree at least, and industrial prosperity may become general throughout the State. "But, while the farmer remains aloof from his neighborswhile he continues to act on the selfish individual policy--other classes, such as importers and manufacturers of agricultural tools and implements, importers and manufacturers of sacks, common carriers, grain dealers, commission merchants and money loaners, will unite for the advancement of their own interests and ends, and will take undue and unjust advantages of the farmer; will oppress, prey upon him, and eat out his substance, and continue to keep him poor and dependent. Farmers now, unorganized, are weak and in a great degree helpless, and they have but little courage to make an effort to free themselves or better their condition; but let one hundred thousand farmers of this State unite together, and act as one man, through an honest and reliable organization, demanding only common justice, but exacting this to the last degree, and with a firm and united front, and there is no power in the land that can prevent the attainment of their just demands. The farming interests of the country need some wholesome legislation to place them on an equal footing with other occupations, and to relieve them from the exactions of heartless monopolies; and if farmers will but unite to send the proper men to represent them in our legislative halls, both State and National; will see to it that our judicial and executive offices are filled with honest, efficient and reliable men, it will then be but an easy matter to secure such legislation and such constitution and execution of the laws as their interests and the best interests of the State demand. For the purpose of emphasizing the idea, I repeat," said Gen. Bidwell, "and I wish I could sound it in ACTION OF THE SONOMA CLUB. 89 the ears of every farmer in the State, the only salvation of the agricultural interests, the only safety to the individual interests of the farmer, is in union of interest and union of action." Major J. R. Snyder, of Sonoma, warmly advocated the careful selection of county supervisors, looking toward the improvement of the roads; and also the building of co-operative farmers' warehouses. The taxing of growing crops was declared to be unjust and oppressive; and the Board resolved to call upon the local clubs for a repeal of the law at the next session of the Legislature. Before the Stockton Club, Judge J. H. McCune gave an able address, which was afterwards widely circulated, on the carrying trade, and the subject of fares and freights. The Sonoma Club struck directly for an immediate incorporation. They said: "It is manifest that while the moral benefits of a mere association of farmers are apparent, and much good may be derived therefrom, yet in order to market our crops cheaply, control freights, make successful war on monopolies obnoxious to our interests, we need some more effective machinery than that afforded by a mere social organization. There must be a financial and commercial element in our organization to make our power felt.” To carry out these ideas they made the following specific recommendations, which are interesting to us, at the present time, only as showing the clearness with which remedial measures were already outlined in the minds of the farmers: 1st. We recommend the incorporation of this Club, as provided by section two hundred and eighty-six of the Civil Code of the State, as a corporation "for the encouragement of, or business of agriculture, horticulture and stock-raising;" that we maintain our social character, as it is at present, so that none but those interested in the farmers' progress may be members thereof, and by which we may choose our associates. • 2d. In order that a pecuniary profit may accrue, we recommend the incorporation of a County Farmers' Union," upon the basis of a capital stock of say not less than $100,000, the paid-up capital of which shall be $10,000, and increased as necessity demands. Part of this stock may be taken by the several local or district farmers' clubs, and the remainder by farmers whose operations are large, and whose wants the local clubs could not supply. This County Union could enter the market, buy sacks at reduced rates, secure by the large interest of its operations cheap freight, both by ship and car, build or lease warehouses, accumulate funds for loaning to farmers, secured by storage of crops, and be the farmers' consignee and mid dle-men. The farmers holding stock would thus control both the capital and the crop, and could easily prevent it from being an engine of oppression. It need not necessarily be organized to secure profit and declare dividends; these results would be obtained by cheap freights and increased prices for produce, and the profit would be found in " farming." Each stockholder should be a member of a Farmers' Club. 3d. We also recommend the incorporation of the State Farmers' Union, with a capital of $1,000,000. The benefits to be derived from this organization may be outlined as follows: The several clubs at their meetings can report the prospects of the crops from time to time, to the Union, and the probable amount of the several products; the estimates of the county thus made and forwarded promptly to the officers of the State Union, will enable them to make estimates of the number of sacks required, and the tonnage necessary to convey the crops to foreign markets. The officers of the State Union, by observation of the prospects in foreign countries, and the East, will be enabled early to form an estimate of the value of the several products of export. Thus the farmers, by their agents, will be able to fix the prices of their own products, and by the moneys and credits established by and represented in these exportations, they will be able to maintain the prices they may agree upon. " Thus organized, thus combined for the maintenance of our rights, we will be able to bid defiance to the monopolists who have been preying upon us in the past; and if we cannot entirely dispose of the middle-men," who stand between the producer and consumer, we shall be able at least to induce a more liberal division with us, of the fruits of our toil, to compel them to live less sumptuously, to ride in less elegant carriages, drawn by slower horses. Nor was this all talk, as the liberal subscriptions to the stock of the local and county clubs bore testimony. All farmers, whether members of the clubs or not, were invited to coöperate in obtaining sacks at reduced prices. At the above-mentioned meeting of the Sonoma Club, Mr. Isaac De Turk proposed the establishment of an experimental farm, and supported his views by strong and well considered reasons. The Dixon Club drew up a petition to Congress for the repeal of the duty on grain sacks, which was duly communicated to the other clubs for their signatures. On the 1st of March, there was an immense gathering of farmers at Stockton, to incorporate the San Joaquin Farmers' Union, with a proposed capital stock of $300,000. This indeed looked like a "revolt of the field." "Farmers should combine against monopolists," said Mr. Paulsell; "and to protect their own interests, the association proposed to de |