166 DEEP FURROWS 



According to the story which he told the editor of 

 the Guide, it had been the original intention to have 

 these " letters to the press " signed by leading elevator 

 men themselves; but when it was decided to hire an 

 expert press agent to mould public opinion in such a 

 way as to offset the " onesidedness " of the farmers' 

 movement, none of thjg elevator men cared to assume the 

 publicity. The name, "Observer," would do just as well. 

 A committee was organized to direct and supervise the 

 work of the press agent and the chairman of this 

 committee conducted the negotiations with the news- 

 paper man who was to undertake the preparation of 

 the " letters " and other material* 



By the terms of his contract the press agent was to 

 be paid in equal monthly instalments at the rate of 

 14,000 per year, with a contract for two years. For 

 this he was to write letters which would turn public 

 opinion against this Grain Growers' Grain Company, 

 which was getting so much of the farmers' grain, and 

 minimize the growth of sentiment in favor of govern- 

 ment ownership of internal and terminal elevators. 

 These communications he was to have published in the 

 various papers of Winnipeg and the West. Such was 

 the story. 



The better to conceal the wires beneath this publicity 

 campaign and the identity of the writer, Mr. "Observer" 

 opened his office as a Financial Agency and became a 

 subscriber to the Grain Growers' Guide one paper, of 

 course, which could not be approached for the purpose 

 in view. It was necessary, nevertheless, to clip and file 

 the Guide very carefully for reference; hence the 

 subscription. 



The space used by the " correspondence " was paid 

 for at regular advertising rates. The advertising bill 



