THE FIRST SHOT IS FIRED
Let us have faith that Right makes Might, and in that faith let us dare
to do our duty as we understand it.--_Abraham Lincoln_.
The eighteenth of December, 1901, was a memorable day in the little
prairie town of Indian Head. Strangers from East and West had begun to
arrive the night before and early in the day the accommodations were
taxed to the limit while the livery stables were overflowing with the
teams of farmers from every direction. All forenoon the trails were
dotted with incoming sleighs and the groups which began to congregate
on Main Street grew rapidly in size and number. The shop-keepers had
stayed up half the night to put the final touches to their holiday
decorations and make their final preparations for the promised rush of
Christmas buying.
Many prominent men would grace the town with their presence before
nightfall. The Premier of the North-West Territories, Hon. F. W. G.
Haultain, would be on hand, as well as Hon. G. H. V. Bulyea and Senator
William D. Perley; coming to meet them here would be Premier R. P.
Roblin and other gentlemen of Manitoba. Certain boundary matters,
involving the addition of a part of Assiniboia to the Province of
Manitoba, were to be discussed at a public meeting in the Town Hall at
night.
Messrs. Motherwell and Dayman had chosen their date well, many farmers
having planned already to be at Indian Head on the 18th. The grain
growers' meeting was announced for the afternoon and so keen was the
interest that when order was called the chairman faced between sixty
and seventy-five farmers, as well as a number of public men, instead of
the dozen-or-so whom W. R. Motherwell had ventured to expect.
Although it was December out of doors, the temperature of that meeting
was about one hundred in the shade! As the discussion expanded feeling
ran high. Farmer after farmer got to his feet and told the facts as he
knew them, his own personal experiences and those of his neighbors.
There was no denying the evidence that it was full time the farmers
bestirred themselves.
W. R. Motherwell and Peter Dayman spoke earnestly in favor of immediate
organization along strong, sane lines. The farmer was always referred
to as the most independent man on earth, and so he was; but it was
individual independence only. He had come lumbering into the country
behind his own oxen with his family and all his worldly goods in his
own wagon; had built a roof over their heads with his own hands. Alone
on the prairie, he had sweated and wrestled with the problem of getting
enough to eat. One of the very first things the pioneer learned was to
stand on his own two feet--to do things by himself. His isolation, the
obstacles he had overcome by his own planning, the hardships he had
endured and survived--these were the excuses for his assertiveness, his
individualism, his hostility to the restrictions of organization. He
was a horse for work; but it was an effort for him to do team work
because he was not used to it.
This was the big barrier which would have to be surmounted in the
beginning if battle were to be waged successfully against present
oppressive conditions. The right kind of organization was the key that
would unlock a happier future. The farmer was as much a producer as
any manufacturer who made finished articles out of raw material; but
his was the only business in which full energies were expended upon
production of goods to sell while the marketing end was left for the
"other fellow" to organize. That was why he was obliged to do as he
was told, take what was given him or haul his wheat home and eat it
himself.
Like all such meetings, it was not without its few pails of cold water.
These were emptied by some who hinted dark things about "political
reasons," and it was easy to make the trite statement that history
repeats itself and to predict that the formation of such a farmers'
association as was proposed would be riding only for the same fall
which had overtaken former attempts. The enthusiasm refused to be
dampened and it broke out in unmistakable accents when without waste of
words Angus McKay nominated W. R. Motherwell as provisional President
of the "Territorial Grain Growers' Association." John Millar as
provisional Secretary and a board of directors[1] were quickly chosen.
When it was all over and Senator William D. Perley rose slowly to his
feet, it was to deliver a parting message of confidence that the
farmers were taking the right step in the right manner. There were few
men who could be listened to with greater respect than the elderly
Senator and as the silence of his audience deepened it was almost as if
the white-haired gentleman's dignified words were prophetic. He had
been familiar with a somewhat similar movement in New Brunswick, he
said, and back there by the Atlantic this movement was still very much
alive and doing good work. Long after those who were present at this
meeting had passed away, it was his prediction that this newborn
organization of prairie farmers would be living still, still expanding
and still performing a useful service to the farmers generally.
The meeting adjourned with the general feeling that at last matters
were advancing beyond mere talk. The sixth of January was set as the
date for a second meeting to draft a constitution and prepare a
definite plan of campaign. Emphasis was laid upon the importance of a
good attendance; but when the date arrived the leaders of the new
movement were disappointed to find that, including themselves, there
were just eleven farmers present. While this did not look very
promising, they proceeded with their plans and it is a tribute to the
careful thought expended at that time that the constitution then framed
has stood the test of many years, even much of the exact phraseology
remaining to-day. The idea of having local associations scattered
throughout the country, each with its own officers, governed by a
central organization with its special officers, was adopted from the
first.
Among those present was C. W. Peterson, Deputy Commissioner of
Agriculture for the North-West Territories. He freely offered his
services in the capacity of secretary; but the offer was turned down so
flat and so quickly that it was breath-taking. The incident reflected
very vividly the jealousy with which the farmers were guarding the new
movement rather than any depreciation of the Deputy Commissioner's
ability; every man of them was on the alert to deflect the thinnest
political wedge, imagined or otherwise, that might come along. They
would trust nobody with an official connection and the appointment of
John Millar, who was one of themselves, was confirmed without loss of
time. There was no salary attached to any office, of course; nobody
thought of salaries. The farmers who knew the feel of spare cash in
those days were seventh sons of seventh sons.
Winter and all as it was, the leaders of the young organization did not
let the snow pack under their feet. No sooner were the preliminaries
over than they set about preparing for the first convention of the
Association by hitching up and travelling the country, organizing local
associations. W. R. Motherwell, John Millar and Matt. Snow, of
Wolseley, tucked the robes around them and jingled away in different
directions. Wherever they went they were listened to eagerly and the
resulting action was instantaneous. The movement took hold of the
farmers like wildfire; so that by February thirty-eight local grain
growers' associations had been formed, each sending enthusiastic
delegates to the first Annual Convention, which was held at Indian Head
in February, 1902.
All that summer, pacing the rapidly growing wheat, the Territorial
Grain Growers' Association spread and took root till by harvest time it
was standing everywhere in the field, a thrifty and full-headed
champion of farmers' rights, lacking only the ripening of experience.
There had been as yet no particular opportunity to demonstrate its
usefulness in dollars and cents; but with the approach of the fall and
market season the whole organization grew tense with expectancy. There
seemed little reason to believe that the railway people would do other
than attempt to continue their old methods of distributing cars where
and when they chose and to disregard, as before, those provisions of
the Grain Act which aimed to protect the farmer in getting his fair
share of cars in which to load direct.
Thus it soon turned out. The officers of the Association at once
warned the Canadian Pacific Railway Company that if they persisted in
such practice the farmers would be compelled to take legal action
against them. It looked so much like the attack of a toddling child
against a man full grown that the big fellow laughed good-naturedly.
Who, pray, were the "Territorial Grain Growers' Association"?
"We represent the farmers of Western Canada," retorted the unabashed
officers of the little organization "and we want what the law allows us
as our right. What's more, we propose to get it!"
That was about the message which W. R. Motherwell and Peter Dayman went
down to Winnipeg to deliver in person to the Canadian Pacific Railway
Company. The official whom they interviewed manipulated the necessary
levers to start the matter on its way through the "proper channels"
towards that "serious consideration" into which all good politicians
and corporation officials take everything that comes unexpectedly
before them. W. R. Motherwell could not wait for the unfolding of this
hardy perennial and left Peter Dayman at Winnipeg to follow up
developments.
When the latter got back home he brought with him a bagful of promises.
The practical improvement in the situation which was to support these
promises, however, evidently got wrapped up in somebody else's order
and delivered to another address. As soon as the Association were
satisfied that relief was not to be forthcoming they promptly filled
out a standard form of information and complaint and notified the
railway that they were going to take legal action at Sintaluta against
the Company's station agent; if no results were forthcoming there, they
assured the Company, they would take action against every railway agent
in the Territories who was guilty of distributing cars contrary to the
provisions of the Grain Act. The complaint went before Mr. C. C.
Castle, the official Warehouse Commissioner; the information was laid
before Magistrate H. O. Partridge at Sintaluta.
All over the country the newspapers began to devote valuable space to
the impending trial. It was talked about in bar-rooms and
barber-shops. Some anti-railroaders declared at once that the farmers
hadn't a minute's chance to win against the C. P. R. The news
percolated eastward, its significance getting lighter till it became
merely: "a bunch of fool hayseeds out West in some kind of trouble with
the C. P. R.--cows run over, or something." At Ottawa, however, were
those who saw handwriting on the wall and they awaited the outcome with
considerable interest. Several public men, especially from Regina,
made ready to be in actual attendance at the preliminary trial.
The farmers were out in force, for they realized the importance of this
test case. It was not the agent at Sintaluta they were fighting, but
the railway itself; it was not this specific instance of unjust car
distribution that would be settled, but all other like infringements
along the line. The very efficacy of the Grain Act itself was
challenged.
Two hours before the Magistrate's Court sat to consider the case, J. A.
M. Aikins (now Sir James Aikins, Lieutenant-Governor of Manitoba), who
was there as the legal representative of the C. P. R., tapped the
President of the farmers' Association on the elbow.
"Let's make a real case of it while we're at it," he smiled, and
proceeded to suggest that instead of laying information against the
railway company on two charges, the Association should charge them also
with violating some five or six other sections of the Act. "Then we'll
have a decision on them, too, you see. For the purpose of this case
the Company will plead guilty to the offences. What do you say?"
"Don't you do it, W. R.! Not on your life, Mister!"
The farmers within earshot crowded about the two. They suspected
trickery in such a last-minute suggestion; either the railway people
were very sure they had the case in their pocket or they were up to
some smooth dodge, you bet!
President Motherwell shook his head dubiously.
"How can we change the information on such short notice?" he objected.
"It would mean risking an adjournment of the court."
"That's what they're after! Stick to him, Motherwell!"
But it did seem very advisable to have the meaning of those other
doubtful sections of the Act cleared up, and as C. P. R. counsel went
more fully into the matter the desirability of it for both sides became
even more apparent.
"Tell you what we'll do, Mr. Aikins," said W. R. Motherwell, finally
turning to him after consulting the others, "if you'll give your
pledged word before this assembled crowd of farmers that you won't take
any technical advantage of the change you've suggested us making in the
information--by raising objections when court opens, I mean--why, we'll
make the change."
"Certainly," agreed Mr. Aikins without hesitation, and in solemn
silence he and the President of the Association shook hands.
This alteration in the information made the issue even more
far-reaching and it was a tense moment for the farmers who packed the
little court room when the Magistrate opened proceedings and on behalf
of the Warehouse Commissioner, Mr. T. Q. Mathers (now Chief Justice
Mathers, of Winnipeg), rose to his feet for argument. After the
evidence was complete and the Magistrate at last handed down his
decision--fifty dollars fine and costs, to be paid by the
defendant--the victorious grain growers were jubilant and especially
were the officers of the young Association proud of the outcome.
The case was carried to the Supreme Court by the Railway Company, which
made every effort to have the decision of the lower court reversed.
When the appeal case came to trial, much to the disgust and chagrin of
the railway authorities and the corresponding elation of the farmers,
the Magistrate's decision was sustained. At once the newspapers all
over the country were full of it. Oracles of bar-room and barber-shop
nodded their heads wisely; hadn't they said that even the C. P. R.
couldn't win against organized farmers, backed up by the law of the
land? Away East the news was magnified till it became: "The farmers
out West have licked the C. P. R. in court and are threatening to tear
up the tracks!" At Ottawa Members of Parliament dug into Hansard to
see if they had said anything when the Manitoba Grain Act was passed.
Empty cars began to roll into Western sidings and they were not all
spotted to suit the elevators but were for farmers who had signified a
desire to load direct. It was unnecessary to carry out the threat of
proceeding against every delinquent railway agent in the Territories;
for the delinquencies were no longer deliberate. The book in which by
turn the orders for cars were listed began to be a more honest record
of precedence in distribution, as all good car-order books should be.
For the railway authorities were men of wide experience and ability,
who knew when they were defeated and how to accept such defeat
gracefully. It meant merely that the time had come to recognize the
fact that there was a man inside the soil-grimed shirt. The farmer had
won his spurs. While the railway people did not like the action of the
Association in hauling them into court, in all fairness they were ready
to admit that they had received full warning before such drastic action
was taken.
If the railway officials began to regard the farmer in a new light, the
latter on his part began to appreciate somewhat more fully the task
which faced these energetic men in successfully handling the giant
organization for which they assumed responsibility. After the tilt,
therefore, instead of the leaders of the grain growers and the railway
looking at each other with less friendly eyes, their relations became
more kindly as each began to entertain for the other a greater respect.
Best of all, applications were beginning to pour in upon the Secretary
of the Territorial Grain Growers' Association--applications from
farmers everywhere for admission to the organization. Skeptics who had
been holding out now enrolled with their local association and, as fast
as they could be handled, new locals were being formed.
And at this very time, over in the hotel at Sintaluta, a grain grower
of great ability and discernment was warning an interested group of
farmers against the dangers of over-confidence.
"At present we are but pygmies attacking giants," declared E. A.
Partridge. "Giants may compete with giants, pygmies with pygmies, but
pygmies with giants, never. We are not denizens of a hamlet but
citizens of a world and we are facing the interlocking financial,
commercial and industrial interests of a thousand million people. If
we are to create a fighting force by co-operation of the workers to
meet the giants created by the commercial co-operation of the owners,
we have scarcely started. If we seek permanent improvement in our
financial position and thereby an increase of comfort, opportunity and
sense of security in our lives and the lives of our families, the fight
will be long and hard.
"And we are going to need every man we can muster."
[1] See Appendix--Par. 1.