FROM THE RED RIVER VALLEY TO THE FOOTHILLS
It ain't the guns or armament nor the funds that they can pay,
But the close co-operation that makes them win the day;
It ain't the individual, nor the army as a whole,
But the everlastin' team-work of every bloomin' soul!
--_Kipling_.
At one of the early grain growers' conventions it had been voiced as an
ideal that there were three things which the farmers' movement
needed--first, a trading company to sell their products (with
ultimately, it might be, the cheaper distribution of farm supplies);
second, a bank in which they could own stock; third, a paper that would
publish the farmers' views. So that if the new Executive of the
Company had done little else than break ground for better financial
arrangements and a farmers' own paper, their record for the year would
have shown progress.
But when the second annual meeting of the Company was held they were
able to show that the volume of farmers' grain handled was almost five
million bushels, double that of the first year, while the net profits
amounted to over thirty thousand dollars. The number of farmer
shareholders had increased to nearly three thousand with applications
on file for another twelve hundred and a steady awakening of interest
among the farmers was to be noticed all over the West. All this in
spite of the general shortage of money, a reduced total crop yield and
the keenest competition from rival grain interests.
It had been apparent to the directors that if the business grew as
conditions seemed to warrant it doing, it would require to be highly
organized. Bit by bit the service to the farmer was being widened.
For instance, the nucleus of a Claims Department had been established
during the year; for under the laws governing the Canadian railway
companies the latter were required to deliver to terminal elevators the
amount of grain a farmer loaded into a car and to leave the car in a
suitable condition to receive grain. The official weights at the
terminal were unquestioned and if a farmer could furnish reasonable
evidence of the quantity of grain he had loaded, any leakage in transit
would furnish a claim case against the railway. During six months the
farmers' company had collected for its shippers nearly two thousand
dollars in such claims, a beginning sufficient to illustrate that the
Company was destined to serve the farmers in many practical ways if
they would only stand behind it.
IF the farmers would stand behind it! But would they? It was a
question which was forever popping up to obscure the future. Many
tongues were busy with inuendo to belittle what the farmers had
accomplished already and to befog their efforts to advance still
farther. At every shipping point in the West industrious little
mallets were knocking away on the Xylophone of Doubt, all playing the
same tune: "Just Kiss Yourself Good-Bye!" No farmers' business
organization ever had been a success in the past and none ever could
be. This new trading venture was going to go off with a loud bang one
of these fine days and every farmer who had shipped grain to it would
stand a first-class chance of losing it. You betcha! The Grain
Growers' Associations mightn't be so bad; yes, they'd done some good.
But this concern in the grain business--run by a few men, wasn't it?
Well, say, does a cat go by a saucer of cream without taking a lick?
"Farmers' company" they called it, eh? Go and tell it to your
grandmother!
The worst of it was that in many localities were farmers who believed
this very suggestion already--that the Company belonged to the men at
the head of its affairs. Discouraged by past failures and without much
respect for the dignity of their occupation, their attitude towards the
Company was almost automatic. That it was a great co-operative
movement of their class, designed to improve economic and social
conditions, was something quite out of their grasp. And upon these
strings, already out of tune, elevator men strummed diligently in an
effort to create discord.
From the first it had been like that. Friends who would speak a good
word for the struggling venture at the time it was most needed were
about as scarce as horns on a horse. On the other hand the organizers
ran across "the knockers" at every turn. A traveller for one of the
milling companies, for instance, happened to get into conversation on
the train with E. A. Partridge one day. The latter was a stranger to
him and he naturally supposed he was talking to "just a farmer." The
subject of conversation was the grain trade and this traveller began to
make a few remarks about the "little grain company" that had started up.
"What about that company?" asked Partridge with visible interest.
"I've heard a lot about it."
"Oh, it's just a little dinky affair," laughed the traveller. "They've
got a little office about ten feet square and they actually have a
typewriter! They get a car or two a month. Don't amount to anything."
For a full hour he kept the chutes open and filled his interested
auditor with all the latest brands of misrepresentation and ridicule.
He explained why it was that the farmers' effort was nothing but a joke
and how foolish it would be for any farmer to send business to it. He
was a good salesman, this traveller, and he was sure he had "sold" this
rather intelligent hayseed when he got to the end of his talk and his
station was called.
"I've really enjoyed this," assured Partridge gratefully. "As a farmer
I'm naturally interested in that sort of thing, you know, and I've got
a particular interest in that little grain company. My name is
Partridge and I only want to say----"
But the traveller had grabbed his club bag and was off down the aisle
as fast as he could go. Salesmanship is punctuated by "psychological
moments" and good salesmen always know when to leave. He did not look
around. His ears were very red.
It was funny. No, it wasn't, either! Lies about the Company, thought
the then President, would travel a thousand miles before the Truth
could get its boots on! It was not a matter for amusement at all.
As the "little dinky affair" became a competitor of increasing strength
in the grain trade the efforts of a section of the grain men,
particularly the elevator interests, to discredit it among the farmers
became more and more marked. While the farmers' company was not openly
attacked, influences nevertheless were constantly at work to undermine
in roundabout ways. The elevator men were in a strong position to
fight hard and they pressed every advantage. At practically every
shipping point they had agents whose business it was to secure
shipments of grain in car lots as well as buying on street. Many of
these men were very popular locally and as individuals were good
fellows, well liked by their farmer friends. A rebate on the charges
for loading grain through an elevator or the mere fact that letting the
elevator have it saved the bother of writing a letter--these were
excellent inducements to the unthinking farmer, and when added to this
was the element of personal acquaintance with the buyer, it was hard to
refuse.
For your farmer is a man of simple code. He is not versed in
subterfuge and diplomacy. He takes words at their face value, unless
he distrusts you, just as he hands them out himself. He lives a clean,
honest life and earns his money. If in some cases his viewpoint is
narrowed by treading much in the same furrows, it is at least an honest
viewpoint in which he really believes. And one of the things in which
the average farmer prides himself is that he will "never go back on a
friend." Even a red Indian would not do that!
In selling to the elevator these same farmers probably had no intention
of unfriendliness to the farmers' trading company. They hoped to see
it succeed but did not appreciate their individual responsibility in
the matter or realize that while their own personal defection
represented a loss to the Company of just one shipment, the loss became
vital when multiplied many times all along the line. And the Company
had no agent on the ground to argue this out, face to face.
Although many requests for the appointment of such local agents reached
the office, the directors decided that it would be poor policy as it
would mean appointing agents everywhere and abuses might develop. It
would be easy under such a system for an impression to get abroad that
favoritism was being shown in appointments; jealousies and
disappointments might be the result. On the other hand, one of the
greatest sources of strength which the Company could foster would be a
sense of individual responsibility among its farmer shareholders--each
shareholder an agent for his own grain and that of his non-member
neighbors, each doing his part to keep down the handling cost of his
grain and build up his own company. In the meantime it were better to
lose some grain than run the risk of disrupting the whole movement--to
let the elevators enjoy their advantage until it became a nullity by
education of the farmer himself.
Such educational work was already a regular part of the routine.
Pamphlets and circulars were issued from time to time, dealing with
prevailing conditions, advocating amendments to the Grain Act, etc.,
and explaining the need for government ownership of elevators. The
feeling that the Provincial governments should acquire and operate all
storage facilities in the way of elevators and warehouses was spreading
rapidly among farmers and business men.
In the second year the Grain Growers' Grain Company began to export
several small shipments, more for the sake of the experience than
anything else. A very extensive line of credit was necessary to go
into the export business and, until the arrangement with the Home Bank
developed this, their hands were tied in the matter of exporting for
themselves. Their third year in business, though, found their
financial relations so improved that they were able to do a
considerable and profitable business in the exporting of grain, thereby
advancing definitely towards one objective which the farmers had had
from the first. Most of the grain which the Company handled in this
way was sold to exporters in the Eastern States and in Eastern Canada,
this method being found more satisfactory than selling direct to buyers
in the Old Country at this time.
In spite of everything, therefore, things were swinging the farmers'
way. The whole Farmers' Movement was expanding, solidifying,
particularly in Alberta, which for so long had been primarily a cattle
country. Grain production was now increasing rapidly in this Province
of the Foothills and Chinooks and the future shipment of Alberta grain
to the Pacific Coast and thence via the new Panama Canal route was a
live topic. Owing to special conditions prevailing in the farthest
west of the three Prairie Provinces the Grain Growers' movement there
did not solidify until 1909 into its final cohesion under the name,
"United Farmers of Alberta."
Prior to this the farmers of Alberta had been organized into two
groups--the Canadian Society of Equity and the Alberta Farmers'
Association. The first had its beginnings among some farmers from the
United States--mostly from Nebraska and Dakota--who settled near
Edmonton and who in their former home had been members of the American
Society of Equity. These farmers in 1904-5 organized some branches of
the American Society after arrival in the new land and, becoming
ambitious, formed the Canadian Society of Equity with the idea of
owning and controlling their own flour and lumber mills and what not.
For this Purpose they got together a concern called "The Canadian
Society of Equity, Limited," and bought a timber limit, so called.
They secured shareholders in all parts of Alberta and the concern went
to smash in 1907, this unfortunate failure making doubly shy those
farmers who had been bitten.
Meanwhile, in 1905, the members of the local branch of the American
Society of equity which had been established at Clover Bar had reached
the conclusion that the work of the Society did not meet the
requirements of conditions in Alberta and that it was not desirable to
have the farmers of the province organized into two camps--the Society
of Equity on one hand and the Alberta branches of the Territorial Grain
Growers' Association on the other. Especially now that the Territories
were to be established into the Provinces of Saskatchewan and Alberta,
it was desirable that reorganization and a change of name take place.
Accordingly the Clover Bar branch of the American Society of Equity and
the Strathcona branch of the Territorial Grain Growers' Association got
their heads together on a proposal to amalgamate into one farmers'
organization under the name, Alberta Farmers' Association.
Under the impression that this was a veiled scheme of the Grain Growers
to swallow their organization whole, the Society of Equity turned down
the idea of amalgamation. The Clover Bar farmers withdrew from the
Society and joined the Strathcona Grain Growers in forming the nucleus
of a provincial farmers' association as planned.
Owing to the mixed nature of Alberta's agricultural population and to
the general distrust of farmers' organizations the new Alberta Farmers'
Association faced a difficult situation. But the principles laid down
by their leaders were so fair, so sane and broad-minded, that in two
years the Association became an influence in almost every line of trade
in the province. They organized a very successful seed fair, a feature
of which was a meeting to discuss improvement of the market for live
stock, especially hogs; this resulted in the appointment of a Pork
Commission. At their convention in 1906 the Association took stand on
such important matters as the special grading of Alberta Hard Winter
Wheat, the establishment of a terminal elevator at the Pacific Coast,
of a pork-packing and beef-chilling plant by the Provincial Government,
etc. In the discussion of everything affecting the welfare of the
farmers the Association played an important part and it was at their
request that the Provincial Government sent an agent to investigate the
markets of British Columbia with the idea of closer relations.
A second attempt to amalgamate with the Canadian Society of Equity,
which had succeeded the American Society, had fallen through and there
were still two farmers' organizations in the Province of Alberta.
However, with the progress being made with the Provincial Government in
connection with the pork-packing and beef-chilling plant and with the
Dominion Government in regard to government ownership of terminal
elevators, the farmers as a whole began to see the need of closer
union. Such wide measures as a system of government-owned internal
elevators were bringing the farmers of all three Western provinces into
closer conference and in 1908 the feeling in favor of amalgamation of
all Alberta farmers into one organization began to crystallize.
Finally in September a conference was held between representatives of
the Alberta Farmers' Association and the Canadian Society of Equity.
The constitution drafted at this conference was submitted to the annual
conventions of both bodies at Edmonton on January 13th, 1909. The
following morning the delegates of the Canadian Society of Equity
marched from their hall to the convention of the Alberta Farmers'
Association and amid great cheers the two became one under the name,
United Farmers of Alberta, with "Equity" as their motto, and with a
strong coalition directorate.[1]
Until now each of the organizations had had its separate official
organ; but on amalgamation these were dropped and the _Grain Growers'
Guide_ adopted as the official organ for Alberta. First published
under the auspices of the Manitoba Grain Growers' Association, the
_Guide_ now represented the farmers' movement in all three provinces.
The wisdom of its establishment was being proved steadily. Its
circulation was gathering momentum with every issue. It was now coming
out as a weekly and its pages were filled with valuable information for
the farmer on every subject dealing with the marketing of his produce.
Also it was proving a wonderful educator on such large questions as
government ownership of elevators, the tariff, control of public
service corporations and so forth. The farmer was getting information
which he had never been able to obtain before and he was getting it
without distortion, uncolored by convenient imagination, plain as Fact
itself.
An up-to-date printing plant had been installed to print the _Guide_
and do a general job-printing business, and this was organized as a
separate company under the name of the "Public Press, Limited."
In addition to all the difficulties which usually attend the building
of a publishing enterprise to success, the farmers' own journal had to
face many more which were due to the special nature of its policies.
Manufacturers who disapproved of its attitude on the tariff, for
instance, refused for a long while to use its advertising columns.
Each year as the _Guide's_ struggle went on there was an annual deficit
and had it not been for the grants with which the Grain Growers' Grain
Company came to its rescue, the paper must have gone under. For this
financial assistance the farmers' trading company got no return except
the satisfaction of knowing that the money could not be spent to better
advantage in the interests of Western farmers.
With the rapid developments in Alberta and the probable future shipment
of Alberta grain via the Panama Canal route, branch offices were being
opened at Calgary by Winnipeg grain dealers. Not to be behind in the
matter of service, the farmers' company followed suit. A Seed Branch
Department to supply good seed grain was another improvement in service
and the farmers by this time were taking a keen interest in their
trading organization.
When the third annual meeting came around, there was no longer any
doubt that a farmers' business organization _could_ succeed--that this
venture of the Grain Growers was _not_ going to go off with a loud
bang--at least, not yet.
But, as the President remarked, it seemed that they had no more than
touched the fringe of what remained to be accomplished. One of the
immediate questions pressing for solution, he considered, was
government ownership of elevators.
"Our Company's experience has demonstrated completely," he said, "that
our grain marketing conditions can never reach a proper basis as long
as the elevators necessary for that marketing are allowed to remain in
private hands for private gain. The Grain Growers' Associations are
the one thing above everything else that stands between the farmer and
the power of merciless corporations. They have undoubtedly been the
greatest shield this Company has had since its organization; they have
helped the Company to prove, far beyond any question of doubt, the
advantages of co-operation."
And what had the elevator men to say about all this? Surely these
farmers were becoming a menace! At the present rate of speed another
three years would see them in control of the grain business and was
that good for the grain business? Was it good for the farmer? The
elevator men did not think so.
Strangely enough, they were not worrying greatly about government
ownership. They were more interested in the fact that the volume of
grain which had flowed so faithfully all these years was being split up
by all these commission men--these hangers-on who invested little or no
capital but necked right up to the profits of the trade as if they
owned the whole business!
Trouble was brewing on the Winnipeg Grain Exchange--had been for some
time.
Then one day word reached the office of the Grain Growers' Grain
Company that by a majority vote the Grain Exchange had suspended, for a
period of one year, the Commission Rule under which grain was handled.
Thus did things come to a showdown.
[1] See Appendix--Par. 10.