levator Trust and we
have confidence enough in them to believe that they will not be bought
over by them now. The Commission Men and Track Buyers certainly owe
nothing to this trust either. They have helped in the past to carry
the suspicion and sin arising from its methods and it commences to look
as if they were getting tired of carrying the load."

Column after column of such plain talk was given place in the _Guide_
week after week, together with reports of Grain Exchange proceedings,
interviews with commission men and elevator men, pronouncements of
Grain Exchange officials and comment upon pamphlets circulated amongst
the farmers by the North-West Grain Dealers' Association, etc.
Everything having a bearing upon the situation was brought to light and
analyzed. Letters from farmers throughout the country were published
as fast as they reached the editor's desk, and they were coming pretty
fast, about as fast as the mail could bring them.

They were reaching the office of the farmers' trading company by the
bagful. The Company had asked three definite questions of the farmers
in connection with the commission to be charged on grain shipped to the
Company--whether or not the old rate should be maintained in spite of
the action of the Exchange; whether the commission should be reduced;
whether the whole matter should be left to the discretion of the
directors. The letters poured in by the thousand and only two per
cent. of the farmers recommended any reduction in the rates; of the
remainder, seventy per cent. were in favor of the Company maintaining
the one cent commission and the other twenty-eight per cent. were
willing to abide by the decision of the directors.

The comments contained in some of these letters revealed strong
feeling. Many farmers were ready to pay two cents commission per
bushel if necessary, rather than sell to "the monopolies."

"I will pledge myself to ship every bushel of grain I grow to the
Farmers' Company," wrote one, "even though the directors found it
necessary to charge me five cents per bushel, coin."

"No, they cauna draw the blinds ower the daylights o' a Scotchman,"
assured one old son of the heather. "I am verra pleased to leave the
hale concern in your hands as I do believe you are thoroughly plumb and
always square."

With this encouragement the directors announced that they would
continue to charge a commission of one cent per bushel on wheat shipped
to them, just as