THE WIDTH OF THE FIELD
Our times are in His hand
Who saith, "A whole I planned,
Youth shows but half; trust
God; see all, nor be afraid."
--_Robert Browning._
The Grain Growers' Movement in Western Canada now had attained
potential proportions. In Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Alberta the
Provincial Associations with their many Locals were in a flourishing
condition. Each province was headquarters for a powerful farmers'
trading organization to market grain and provide co-operative supplies.
Unlike the Saskatchewan Co-Operative Elevator Company and the Alberta
Farmers' Co-Operative Elevator Company, however, the pioneer business
organization of the Grain Growers--the Grain Growers' Grain
Company--was not provincial in scope but had a large number of
shareholders in each of the three Prairie Provinces, in British
Columbia and Ontario. Altogether, in 1916 the farmers owned and
operated over 500 country elevators as well as terminal elevators to a
capacity of three million bushels. The farmer shareholders in the
three business concerns numbered more than 45,000. During 1916 the
farmers handled over ninety million bushels of their own grain.
With this remarkable growth the danger of rivalries and jealousies
developing between their business organizations was a possibility upon
which the farmers were keeping an eye. A certain amount of friendly
competition was unavoidable. For some time, therefore, the necessity
of closer union of their various organizations had been a serious topic
among the leaders of the Grain Growers in all three provinces. It was
the logical preparation for future achievements.
At its regular meetings in 1915 the Canadian Council of
Agriculture--comprising officials representing the whole Grain Growers'
Movement--had agreed that definite action would be desirable. A
meeting of representatives from the respective Associations and
companies interested accordingly was held in the offices of the
Saskatchewan Co-Operative Elevator Company at Regina. The plan
discussed was the formation of one large business concern, similar in a
general way to the Wholesale Co-Operative Societies in the Old Country.
The idea was that this wholesale company should market and export
grain, control terminal elevators and any manufacturing that might be
done later on as well as importing supplies when necessary. This would
leave each provincial company with its own organization to look after
collection and distribution of supplies and to operate along the lines
already existing in Saskatchewan and Alberta. The provincial companies
would be in absolute control of the central or wholesale company.
A difference of opinion arose in regard to the method of selling grain.
The representatives from the United Farmers of Alberta, the Alberta
Farmers' Co-Operative Elevator Company, the Manitoba Grain Growers'
Association and the Grain Growers' Grain Company were unanimous in
agreeing that it would be unwise to divide the marketing strength of
the farmers into three parts instead of concentrating for fullest
buying and selling power in the interest of the farmers in all three
provinces. With the individual organizations each having a voice in
the control of the central company there did not seem to them to be
justification for carrying provincial divisions into the marketing
machinery, thereby weakening it. With this view the Saskatchewan
representatives could not agree, holding out for a separate selling
channel for Saskatchewan grain.
A committee was appointed to try to work out some other solution to the
problem of federating all three farmers' companies and a new proposal
was submitted at a meeting of the Canadian Council of Agriculture, held
in Winnipeg in July, 1916. This second attempt to get together was
along the line of joint ownership of subsidiary concerns which would
look after certain phases of the work--an export company, a terminal
elevator company, the Public Press, Limited, and so on. However, the
plan did not work out satisfactorily.
The feeling of the Alberta officials after the Regina meeting was that
even if Saskatchewan were not ready at the present time to consider
federation on a basis acceptable to the other provinces, this should
not overthrow all idea of federation. In short, the Alberta directors
were strongly of the opinion that, failing complete affiliation of the
farmers' business organizations at this time, the organization in
Alberta and the Grain Growers' Grain Company should get together
nevertheless, and this suggestion they presented at the meeting of the
Canadian Council of Agriculture in Winnipeg.
As this was approved by the Grain Growers' Grain Company and the
Manitoba Association officials steps were taken to go into the matter
in detail, the Saskatchewan organization having signified its intention
of withdrawing from present action. President C. Rice-Jones, of the
Alberta Farmers' Co-Operative Elevator Company, and President T. A.
Crerar, of the Grain Growers' Grain Company, were asked to give the
matter careful thought and make their recommendations to their
respective boards of directors.
There followed a joint meeting of all those interested. It was held at
Winnipeg and the result was a recommendation that the Alberta Farmers'
Co-Operative Elevator Company and the Grain Growers' Grain Company be
amalgamated under the name "United Grain Growers, Limited." [1] When
the matter finally came before the farmers concerned--at their annual
meetings in 1916--it was decided unanimously to go ahead with the
amalgamation of these two farmers' business organizations.
Accordingly application was made for necessary changes in the charter
of the Grain Growers' Grain Company and these changes were granted by
Act of the Dominion Parliament in June, 1917. The authorized capital
stock of United Grain Growers is five million dollars. Its annual
meetings are to be held in the different provinces alternately. The
shareholders are formed into local groups, each represented by
delegates at annual meetings, these delegates alone doing the voting.
Proxy voting is not allowed. The charter is designed, in brief, to
introduce the system of internal government that has been in practice
by the Alberta Farmers' Co-Operative Elevator Company and the
Saskatchewan Co-Operative Elevator Company and has proved so
satisfactory in every way.
This "merger" is unique in that the objections to a monopoly cannot be
urged against it. There is no watered stock. With proxy voting
eliminated no group of men can gain control of the company's affairs.
Stock holdings by individuals is limited to $2,000 on a capitalization
of five million and no man can grow rich by speculation with assets.
Instead of exploiting the public the aim is service--reduction of
prices instead of inflation.
United Grain Growers, Limited, have begun their first year's business
as an amalgamated farmers' concern, all the final details having been
settled to the entire satisfaction of the farmers interested.
The fact that the Saskatchewan Grain Growers' executives did not decide
to amalgamate their co-operative marketing machinery with that of the
others just now must not be misconstrued as a lack of harmony among the
leaders of these powerful institutions. For they are meeting
constantly in their inter-provincial relations, for mutual business
advantages and in the broader educational aspects of the entire
Movement.
It will be seen that with such complete and solid business resources
established in the three Prairie Provinces the organized farmers have
been in a position to widen their field of influence and to carry on
much propaganda work. The Movement has spread steadily until it
embraces organization in other than prairie provinces. There seems to
be a tendency among the entire agricultural population of Canada to
organize and co-operate; so that it is not impossible for Canadian
farmers in time to have a unity of organization in every province of
the Dominion.
In Ontario for many years there have been various farmers clubs,
associations or granges. Until 1914 these were merely disorganized
units. At the annual meeting of the Dominion Grange, however--December
17th and 18th, 1913--the advisability of consolidating for greater
co-operation was discussed at some length. Representatives from the
Western Grain Growers were present and told the story of what the
Western farmer had accomplished. A committee[2] was appointed and,
after investigating rural conditions in Ontario, this committee called
a convention for March 19th and 20th, 1914, at Toronto. Farmers and
fruit growers turned out in strength, old-time organization was cast
aside and there came into being the "United Farmers of Ontario," [2]
and the "United Farmers' Co-Operative Company, Limited," [3] with aims
and organization similar to those of the Grain Growers.
Although practically born during the war--although conditions have been
far from normal, the United Farmers of Ontario have progressed steadily
and naturally, with the co-operative activities setting the pace and
with efficient service as the watchword. By 1915 there were 126 local
associations with a total membership of 5,000. In the face of bad
climatic conditions and war disturbances 1916 found the young
organization being looked upon by the Ontario agriculturists with
interest instead of suspicion. It continued to grow of its own accord.
By that is meant that no advertising or other energetic campaign was
undertaken; yet the membership increased during the year to 8,000 with
200 Locals organized throughout the province. To-day there is a total
membership in excess of twenty thousand throughout the Province. Local
conventions, addressed by Western leaders and other qualified speakers,
have become a feature of the development.
The first month in business for the United Farmers' Co-Operative
Company was September, 1914, when $827 was taken in. The next month
the sales increased to $6,250, and in November to $8,214. The December
sales jumped to $17,970. The sales for 1915 approximated $226,000. In
1916 this amount was nearly doubled and during the first five months of
1917 the business done reached a total of $513,000. All this on
paid-up capital of only $5,000. The Ontario Company has secured a new
charter, increasing its authorized capital from $10,000 to $250,000.
This expansion has been very satisfactory in view of the special
conditions which necessarily make the progress of the Movement in the
East slower than in the West. Ontario crops varying widely in
different districts, the same unity of interest which has made possible
the large grain companies of the West does not obtain. The Ontario
farmers have had to confine their efforts to commercial lines.
Co-operative sale of livestock, cheese, etc., may develop in time.
Also the farm population in Ontario is in the minority and there are
few electoral divisions where the urban vote does not control,
resulting in mixed issues unknown on the prairies. Powerful influences
have been brought to bear to handicap the Farmers' Movement in Ontario;
but nevertheless it is spreading so rapidly that with the proper
educational campaign great possibilities lie ahead of the Ontario
farmers.
The United Farmers of Ontario now have become affiliated with the
Canadian Council of Agriculture,[4] the inter-provincial body of the
organized farmers of Canada. The farmers of Nova Scotia, Prince Edward
Island and Quebec are showing much interest and have sought to have the
Movement extended. Meetings have been held and no doubt in due course
the Eastern farmers will be prepared for unity of action in every
province.
What about British Columbia? On February 16th, 1917, the "United
Farmers of British Columbia" was a development in the Pacific Coast
Province. Prior to this there had been quite a number of individual
farmers' organizations scattered throughout the agricultural sections
of British Columbia. The initiative for closer unity was taken by the
Cowichan Creamery Association, which called a meeting of the farmers in
the Cowichan district to discuss the cost of production and serious
labor conditions which were threatening complete failure of agriculture
in British Columbia. At this meeting what was called temporarily the
"Vancouver Island Farmers' Union" was formed with over one hundred
members. Representatives from other districts were on hand to assure
the expansion of the movement and a provisional organization
committee[5] was appointed to carry on the missionary work.
This Provisional Committee--called into existence by a mass meeting of
farmers held at Duncan, B.C., on November 4th, 1916--at once prepared a
strong circular, setting forth the case of the farmers and the need for
organization. This was sent out to the secretaries of all Farmers'
Institutes and suggested that a special meeting of delegates should be
held at Victoria when the usual farmers' conventions were in session a
few months later. Thus came about the final large organization meeting
of February 16th, 1917, which resulted in the "United Farmers of
British Columbia," with strong membership under the guidance of
enthusiastic officers.[6]
Representatives of the Grain Growers, from Alberta and Manitoba, were
present to lend the encouragement of their experience. Among them was
Roderick McKenzie, then Secretary[7] of the Canadian Council of
Agriculture. When the farmers commenced organization in Manitoba, he
said, it was possible to find many old-fashioned farmers who could see
no reason for organization. Had not their fathers been successful
farmers? Had they not raised a family of eight or ten or a dozen or
more without belonging to any organization?--educated them, too? These
old-time farmers forgot that the world was making progress as the years
went by and they were not living in the same age as their fathers
before them.
"Fifty years ago, when I was a boy," Mr. McKenzie continued, "there was
no such thing as a joint stock company. We would not hear a word about
combines or trusts or transportation organizations or financial
institutions. At that time the business was carried on by individuals.
Then it grew into partnerships. From partnerships it developed into
joint stock corporations and now we have these forming into trusts and
combines and holding companies. It is simply co-operation of the few
in the interests of the few. It created a force in public affairs and
this must be met by another force--the organization of the common
people, led by the farmers.
"Where would the British Army be as a disorganized army confronting the
Germans? Nowhere! Place a body of disorganized farmers in front of
organized industrial interests and you see where you are at! There is
no form of industry, no form of labor, no form of finance, banking
associations, loan associations, insurance compensation associations,
transportation associations, that are not organized. In Winnipeg we
have a Bootblack's Association and each of the little fellows
contributes five dollars a year to the support of their organization
and five dollars represents fifty pairs of boots to blacken at a dime
the pair.
"In our Grain Growers' associations the organization is simple and
coherent. There is no pass-word. There is no grip. There is no
riding of the goat. We don't ask a farmer whether he is a Grit or a
Tory; we don't ask him anything about his nationality or his relations
or where he comes from or anything else. One of the main aims of the
organization is to make good Canadians of the different nationalities
we have in this Western country. We are getting the Galicians and
other nationalities gradually brought in--getting them together for the
development of Canadianism and the community spirit.
"The one thing we have steered clear of is letting party politics enter
into our organization. The thing we are trying to do is to co-operate
with our legislators by helping them to find out the things that need
enacting into law and that have not been enacted into law or to find
what laws already on the statute books are weak and ask that these
weaknesses be corrected--not in a dominating spirit but in a spirit of
equity."
Public opinion is rallying to the leadership of the farmers. Their
policy is progressive. Probably the first body in Canada to give Woman
her proper place in its activities and councils was the Saskatchewan
Grain Growers' Association. To-day the farm women of the West are
organized with the Grain Growers in all three Prairie Provinces,
working side by side. Their aims are to solve the many problems
directly bearing upon home life, educational facilities, health and all
things which affect the farm woman's life and they have been of great
assistance in many ways, particularly in Red Cross and other patriotic
endeavors. To do justice to the noble efforts of Western Canada's farm
women would require a separate volume.
Still another development with far-reaching possibilities is the
tendency of the Grain Growers and the Church to get together. It first
revealed itself in Alberta under the conscientious encouragement of
President H. W. Wood, of the United Farmers of Alberta, when in 1916 he
inaugurated "U.F.A. Sunday"--one Sunday in each year to be set aside as
the Farmers' own particular day, with special sermons and services. It
was born of a realization that something is fundamentally wrong with
our social institutions and that "the Church will have to take broader
responsibilities than it is now doing."
"Is Christ to develop the individuals and Carl Marx mobilize and lead
them?" asked Mr. Wood. "Is Christ to hew the stones and Henry George
build them into the finished edifice? If Christ cannot mobilize His
forces and build true civilization His name will be forgotten in the
earth. The solution of the economic problems must be spiritual rather
than intellectual. This is the work of the Church and the Church must
take the responsibility for it."
Not only did the idea of a special Sunday meet with hearty response
from the churches and farmers in Alberta, but it was taken up in
Manitoba and Saskatchewan. In 1917 "Grain Growers' Sunday" was
observed all over the West and led to many inspiring addresses. One of
the most significant of these was delivered by President J. A. Maharg,
of the Saskatchewan Grain Growers' Association, at a mass meeting in
Moose Jaw on Sunday, May 27th.
"There has been a strong agitation against church union," said Mr.
Maharg. "We hope to bring the churches together. The establishment of
community churches is not altogether an impossibility. That groups of
churches will be brought together for the holding of community services
is not altogether impossible, and a farmers' organization is not an
organization that is farthest away from doing this."
In these days of revolutionary thought who shall set the length and
width of the Farmers' field of influence, therefore? A string of
co-related provincial organizations of farmers, stretching right across
the Dominion, working harmoniously through the Canadian Council of
Agriculture, will create a national force which in itself will
represent Public Opinion--which cannot be denied the upward trend to
wider and better citizenship for all classes in Canada.
For Public Opinion governs legislation as legislation governs the
country.
[1] See Appendix--Par. 17.
[2] See Appendix--Par. 14.
[3] See Appendix--Par. 15.
[4] See Appendix--Par. 11.
[5] See Appendix--Par. 16.
[6] See Appendix--Par. 16.
[7] See Appendix--Par. 18.