ne 



THE FARMERS' PUBLISHING CO. 105 



negotiations with the proprietors of the Sun 

 were resumed, and, in April of the new year that 

 established and faithful paper became the 

 property of the Farmers' Publishing Company. 



At this point it seems appropriate to give a 

 brief sketch of the history of the paper which 

 under various names has continued to champion 

 the cause of the farmers ever since it was 

 founded. 



The Weekly Sun owed its origin to the late 

 George Wrigley and the Patrons of Industry. 

 When the Patron Organization had attained 

 some proportions, the need of a medium through 

 which the leaders could reach the rank and file, 

 and by means of which the members could 

 communicate with one another was keenly felt, 

 and out of this need the Canada Farmers' Sun 

 was born, and became the official organ of the 

 Patrons. 



At the beginning, the Canada Farmers' Sun 

 was published in London, but as Toronto was 

 nearer the centre of the province and became 

 the meeting place of the Central Organization, it 

 was soon found desirable to change the place of 

 publication to Toronto. Just at this period the 

 Patron Movement was at its height and the Sun 

 enjoyed a circulation of well over twenty 

 thousand. But with the rapid decline of the 

 Patrons, the circulation of their paper fell 



