THE SHOWDOWN 155 



reports of Grain Exchange proceedings, interviews 

 with commission men and elevator men, pronounce- 

 ments of Grain Exchange officials and comment upon 

 pamphlets circulated amongst the farmers by the 

 North-West Grain Dealers' Association, etc. Every- 

 thing having a bearing upon the situation was brought 

 to light and analyzed. Letters from farmers through- 

 out the country were published as fast as they reached 

 the editor's desk, and they were coming pretty fast, 

 about as fast as the mail could bring them. 



They were reaching the office of the farmers' trading 

 company by the bagful. The Company had asked three 

 definite questions of the farmers in connection with the 

 commission to be charged on grain shipped to the 

 Company whether or not the old rate should be main- 

 tained in spite of the action of the Exchange ; whether 

 the commission should be reduced ; whether the whole 

 matter should be left to the discretion of the directors. 

 The letters poured in by the thousand and only two 

 per cent, of the farmers recommended any reduction 14 

 the rates; of the remainder, seventy per cent, were ii 

 favor of the Company maintaining the one cent conn 

 mission and the other twenty-eight per cent. were\ 

 willing to abide by the decision of the directors. 



The comments contained in some of these letters 

 revealed strong feeling. ]\any farmers were ready to^ 

 paytwo cents commissionper ousnei if necessary^ 

 ttT"the monopolies." 



" I will pledge myself to ship every bushel of grain I 

 grow to the Farmers' Company," wrote one, " even 

 though the directors found it necessary to charge me 

 five cents per bushel, coin." 



" No, they canna draw the blinds ower the daylights 

 o' a Scotchman," assured one old son of the heather. 



