A FIGHT FOR LIFE 101 



Exchange members that any of them found dealing 

 with the farmers' company would be penalized them- 

 selves. 



Expelled from trading ^Hvilpge^ Practically boy- 

 cofted! It was a straight punch on the nose that 

 threatened to put the young organization out of busi- 

 ness for the final count. Membership in the Exchange 

 was absolutely imperative if the farmers were to be in 

 a position to sell grain to exporters; they were not 

 strong enough yet to export direct to Old Country 

 markets and all the exporters through whom they were 

 compelled to deal were members of the Exchange. 



" The whole thing's just a pretext !" cried Partridge 

 vehemently. " We haven't got any by-law regarding 

 distribution of profits co-operatively; the only thing 

 they've got to go on is that circular. They're beginning 

 to get scared of us and they see a chance to put us out 

 of business." 



If this were the object, it looked as if it might be 

 achieved in short order. The grain was pouring in 

 steadily by the carload and with no buyer daring to 

 deal with them in face of the mandate from the 

 Exchange, of which they were all members, the new 

 company was in a quandary to dispose of the incoming 

 grain on a falling market. The only thing they could 

 do was to wait until they had sufficient of any .grade. to 

 make a shipment of from 8,000 tol6,000 bushels of that 

 grade and try to place it somewhere in the East. The 

 Manager was sent east hurriedly to see what connec- 

 tions he could establish while his office assistant mailed 

 letter after letter to eastern points in an endeavor to 

 work several contracts. 



The farmers who shipped their grain to the new com- 

 pany were expecting to receive seventy-five per cent, of 



