308 HISTORY 07 THE GRANGE MOVEMENT; OR, 



factoriness of his position and the injustice with which 

 his labors are repaid. We should find scores of 

 honest, industrious, and deserving men toiling early 

 and late, enduring hardships and privations, only to 

 see their just reward taken from them to enrich the 

 middle-man. Is it a wonder that they regard the grain 

 dealer as their worst enemy ? 



The farmer is not a capitalist. He has very little 

 ready money as a rule, and his need for cash is very 

 great. Often when the harvest has been gathered 

 in, and the crop is ready for the market, there are 

 numerous expenses devolving upon the farmer which 

 must be met in cash. There is but one way to 

 obtain ready money, and that is to sell a portion of 

 the grain that has been harvested to the local grain 

 dealer, numbers of whom abound in every agricul- 

 tural district. The farmer cannot wait for the slow 

 process of sending his crop to a distant market, and 

 awaiting the remittances of his commission merchant ; 

 and he often argues -that the grain will bring him but 

 little more after the expenses of transportation, sell- 

 ing, etc., are paid. His need of money is urgent, 

 and a portion of his crop goes to the nearest local 

 grain merchant; and when once sales of this kind 

 have begun, the entire crop is usually disposed of in 

 the same manner. 



The local dealer is perfectly acquainted with the 

 necessities of the farmer. IJe knows that nothing but 

 the need of money has driven him to sell his crop in 

 such a manner, and his offers are governed by this 

 knowledge. He takes advantage of the farmer's neces- 

 sity to offer him a price below the actual value of his 

 grain, and the latter is obliged, or feels himself obliged, 



