60 HISTORY OF THE WHEEL AND ALLIANCE. 



This is a question asked by monopolists with evident 

 pride, if farmers give us a mortgage the right to dictate 

 prices goes with it. The answer is, to secure the debt, 

 and the fact that they are willing to make the merchant 

 safe and pay an additional per cent. ; yea! double the law- 

 ful interest on money, besides granting them the privilege 

 of weighing, measuring and pricing both goods and pro- 

 duce, would seem to be inducement enough to make even 

 the dishonest act justly, but such is not the case, or found 

 to be true in dealing with the average middle-man, who in 

 actions, says : Sir, you are obliging enough not only to pat- 

 ronize my house but to mortgage, and for this kindness I 

 am mean enough to take every advantage; yea, every piece 

 of bread out of the mouths of your children, and then let 

 you ( root hog or die. ' ' ' 



The above incidences, described by Mr. Tedford, illus- 

 trates the condition of the farmer in Arkansas, where the 

 Wheel originated. 



The first Wheel was organized on the i5th of Feb- 

 ruary, 1882, in an old log school-house, eight miles south- 

 west of the town of Des Arc, in Prairie county, Arkansas. 

 On the 1 2th of that month a meeting had been arranged 

 by W. A. Suit and W. T. McBee. A general invitation 

 was given to the farmers in the neighborhood to meet at the 

 McBee School-house on the evening of the i5th. 



When the time for meeting came, the following per- 

 sons were present: W. A. Suit, W. T. McBee, J. W. 

 McBee, H. B. Lokey, J. T. Thrasher, J. W. Walls and 

 W. W. Tedford, who took part in the meeting. W. W. 

 Burns and John McBee, of Lonoke county, were also 

 present but took no part in the proceedings. 



A committee was appointed to draft a Constitution and 

 By-Laws. W. T. McBee, John W. McBee and W. W. 

 Tedford constituted the committee. One week afterwards, 



