ACTION OF THE SONOMA CLUB. 89 



the ears of every farmer in the State, the only salvation of the 

 agricultural interests^ the only safety to the individual interests 

 of the farmer^ is in union of interest, ftpfl ^nion of action.&quot; 



Major J. E. Snyder, iOf Sonoma, warmly advocated the care 

 ful selection of county supervisors, looking toward the improve 

 ment of the roads; and also the building of co-operative farm 

 ers warehouses. The taxing of growing crops was declared to 

 be unjust and oppressive; and the Board resolved to call upon 

 the local clubs for a repeal of the law at the next session of the 

 Legislature. 



Before the Stockton Club, Judge J. H. McCune gave an able 

 address, which was afterwards widely circulated, on the carry 

 ing trade, and the subject of fares and freights. The Sonoma 

 Club struck directly for an immediate incorporation. They 

 said: 



&quot;It is manifest that while the moral benefits of a mere associa 

 tion of farmers are apparent, and much good may be derived there 

 from, yet in order to market our crops cheaply, control freights, 

 make successful war on monopolies obnoxious to our interests, we 

 need some more effective machinery than that afforded by a mere 

 social organization. There must be a financial and commercial ele 

 ment in our organization to make our power felt.&quot; 



To carry out these ideas they made the following specific 

 recommendations, which are interesting to us, at the present 

 time, only as showing the clearness with which remedial meas 

 ures were already outlined in the minds of the farmers : 



1st. We recommend the incorporation of this Club, as provided 

 by section two hundred and eighty-six of the Civil Code of the State, 

 as a corporation &quot; for the encouragement of, or business of agricult 

 ure, horticulture and stock-raising;&quot; that we maintain our social 

 character, as it is at present, so that none but those interested in the 

 farmers progress may be members thereof, and by which we may 

 choose our associates. 



2d. In order that a pecuniary profit may accrue, we recommend 

 the incorporation of a &quot; County Farmers Union,&quot; upon the basis of 

 a capital stock of say not less than $100,000, the paid-up capital of 

 which shall be $10,000, and increased as necessity demands. Part 

 of this stock may be taken by the several local or district farmers 

 clubs, and the remainder by farmers whose operations are large, and 

 whose wants the local clubs could not supply. This County Union 

 could enter the market, buy sacks at reduced rates, secure by the 

 large interest of its operations cheap freight, both by ship and car, 

 build or lease warehouses, accumulate funds for loaning to farmers, 

 secured by storage of crops, and be the farmers consignee and mid- 



