OREGON CITY COURIER, MAY 2, 1913
OREGON EQUITY
UNITED WE LIVE
DIVIDED WE STARVE
PROFITABLE PRICES
FOR FARM PRODUCTS
Vol. 1
Official Representative of the Farmers Society of Equity
No 14
OREGON EQUITY NEWS
Published every Friday in conjunc
tion with the "Courier" in the interest
of the "Farmers' Society of Equity."
ADVERTISING
rates given upon application.
CLACKAMAS COUNTY OFFICERS
President S. L. Casto, Oregon
City, R. No. 3.
Secretary F. G. Buchanan, Oregon
City.
PUBLICITY COMMITTEE
M. J. Lazelle, Oregon City; R. C.
Brodie, Canby: E. Ochlschloeger,
Clackamas, R. No. 1.
SUBSCRIPTION
Special Low
who Farms.
discount to Any Man
ADDRESS
all communications to M. J. Lazelle,
Manager, Oregon - City, Oregon. Call
on Saturdays to see Editor.
OUR NEW MANAGER
To Equity Members:
With this issue of our official
county paper we are being introduced
to our new editor, Mr. M. J. Lazelle,
who, in accepting the chairmanship of
our Publicity Committee, becomes the
editor of the Equity page, Mr. Mere
dith having resigned on account of
the press of work on his farm, and
prospects of becoming State Organ
izer. Mr. Lazelle is a young man born
and raised on a farm near Oregon
City. He is a man with system, and
has had considerable experience along
1: tt; i .I
newspaper lines, ne is aiso an entnus
iastic Equity member and has some
fine ideas as regards Equity work
and the emancipation of the farmer.
We will have undoubtedly, if we get
behind him with our pens and push,
a sheet that will still be a credit and
help to the Society m Clackamas Co.
To Mr. Meredith I want to say: We
owe much of our present success on
account of the manner and determina
tion in which he has conducted our
sheet during the past four months. He
has been very self-sacrificing in de
voting about two days per week to
this work and not demanding one
cent of compensation. These are the
kind of men that will carry our prop
osition to a successful end.
S. L. CASTO
President Co. Union
EDITORIAL
With this issue, we wish to an
nounce the change of management of
the official publication of the Farm
ers' Society of Equity of Clackamas
county. We intend to publish a sheet
of interest to the members that will
promote the organization of the farm
ing class of people. While we are
publishing articles and editorials per
taining to the Equity Society as our
major feature, at the same time we
will insert in each number a few it
ems of interest to farmers in a gen
eral way and we not only invite cor-
respondence trom our readers upon
Equity matters, but also upon other
problems that confront the farmer.
We ask your co-operation and support
and trust that you will help make this
paper a general information bureau.
We request that the officers of the
various locals will make prompt re
ports as to their progress, crop con
ditions and offer suggestions of any
kind to promote the tarmers welfare
financially and otherwise.
It is not our place to offer apologies
for the very severe criticism that has
heretofore been published regarding
our state college and experiment sta
tion, but simply announce that in the
future that said institution will be
gives credit to the writer and more
giving the farmers of Oregon, and it
is very probable that we will ask their
assistance in certain lines of organiza
tion as they are in a position to be of
material aid.
lication of some letters detrimental to
its welfare. It is requested that the
letters be correctly signed, as this
gives due. credit to the writer and
more satisfaction to the reader.
I suffered habitually from consti
pation. Doan's Regulets relieved and
strengthened the bowels saJdjey have
been regular ever since." E. Davis,
Grocer, Sulphur Springs, Texas.
The mention of the Farmers Society
of Equity causes suspicion and mys
tery to arise in the minds of some of
our more cautious farmers but such
should not be the case. Such a com
mon thing as ORGANIZATION
should not be looked upon with doubt.
Why, everybody is doing it; even the
farmers are getting into line but it
seems that they would not line up
though until they were driven to the
last ditch. Why should not the farm
ers have an Equity Society as well as
the carpenters a union and the mer
chants an association. They should
have their interests protected and the
Farmers Society of Equity is the so
lution of the problem of the way to
bring the farmers together, it you
Regular Meeting at Maple Lane.
A very enthusiastic meeting was
held at Maple Lane on last Wednes
day evening. As this section has a
large acreage of strawberries, the
consideration of the coming crop was
the main question. Several of the
larger growers from the Mt. Pleasant
local were present.
Strawberry Contracts
John F. Stark of Maple Lane,' R.
Holcomb and R. P. Grady of Clacka
mas are the committee in charge of
the strawberry proposition for the
Equity Society. They are estimating
the number of crates that can be sup
plied per day and will arrange to con
tract the entire output. The greater
part of the strawberry acreage is rep
resented in the Mt. Pleasant, Maple
Lane, Clackamas and bunny Side Loc
als. -
WHERE'S YOUR HAT?
Auto Truck Freighter,
It was suggested at the last meet
ing of the delegates at the county
convention that an auto truck could
be used to good advantage in hauling
produce to Portland. J. he plan was
approved of by the strawberry grow
ers and it is very probable that the
berries from the Mt. Pleasant and
Maple Lane locals will be transported
in this way as the rate will be prac
tically the same and the berries will
reach the market sooner and at the
proper time.
One Hundred Eighty Dollars,
Eleven thousand pounds of butter
and one patron receiving a cream
check of one hundred and eighty
dollars are some of the things that
the Clear Creek Co-operative Cream
ery is doing. This is an example of
what can be done by the farmers if
they will only line up and hang to
gether. It must be admitted that
Clear Creek had hard sledding at first
but there were a few heroes of
"dairydom" that stayed with the
i.vc ... . vm umN u, ima o iuwu, ; f the most successful C0-0perative
do not hesitate about becoming a concerns in the state of Oregon,
member; if you live in a community ,
without a local, address the county
secretary at once and ask for an or
ganizer. The benefits begin as soon
as the local is organized.
A department is maintained in this
paper that will be headed "Personal
Opinion," and is for the exclusive use
of our members and others who wish
to express themselves in the form of
a letter. We assure you that we will
be pleased to receive these letters and
many valuable suggestions will be the
result. Of course we will retain the
right to reject any communication
that we believe should not be publish
ed and the copy will be returned. We
are working for the advancement of
the Society of Equity and it is pos
sible that we would consider the pub-
Notice to Secretaries.
The reports of your meetings should
be sent in as often as possible as
this will keep the members informed
as to our progress and will be of great
help. If you do not care to prepare
your report in detail, just send the
facts and the same will be correctly
arranged.
Notice the list of officers that is
published elsewhere in this paper and
if there are any corrections to be
made, notify this paper at once.
When in Oregon City, call at the
Courier office and meet the editor of
Oregon Equity News. You will be
sure to know something about your
community- that he wishes to know
and then to accomplish results, the
members should be acquainted.
Will You Toss it In the Ring and See
the Fight Thru?
To the Equity Editor:
I beg leave for a little space to pre
sent a few thoughts that have recent
ly come to my mind. On last Satur
day at our County Convention at Car
us, a proposition was made that each
member be assessed the sum of 50c
per quarter. The motion was laid on
the table.
To my mind this was a very es
sential proposition in view of the fact
that our treasury is always very near
ly depleted. We need funds for txten-
tion ana organization wonc. uur puo
licity committee should have funds in
order to properly carry on our official
paper. Someone has said that it could
not be collected, remaps it couldn t.
There are, no doubt, those who can
not pay this amount, and there are
others who can, but won t, because
some other person won't.
1 think we make a mistake when
we say to a prospective member
"Come into the society, pay your
$2.00 and your ills are cured without
further expense. We should say:
"Come in, put your shoulder to the
wheel and lets stick it out until we ac-
complish the complete emancipation
or the iarmer. .
Suppose it costs us $10 a year. Its
cheap at that. Just think of the great
waste of money to the farmer under
the present system of distribution un
the present system of distribution and
marketing.
Those who are willing to give the
$2.00 are, no doubt, in the minority,
but Haven't you heard of the minority
by self sacrifice and determination.
oft-times bringing about conditions
for the betterment of the majority?
I believe it is up to the minority of
the F. S. E. members to put this
thing over. Here's a call for volun
teers. Someone state the place, draw
the circle and here goes my old hat,
with the $2.00 into the middle.
o. L. CASTO
Carus Local
The Carus Local, which has one of
the largest memberships in the county
is doing good work and the members
are very enthusiastic over the results.
One of their more recent successes is
in the establishment of a market day.
This "is held every Thursday and is
presided over by the local secretary,
who acts as receiver and book keeper,
giving each a receipt for hs consign
ment. One of their most important
products is eggs. They pack the cas
es at the market place ana have con
tracts in Portland where they sell the
entire output of the bociey in the egg
line. Every case of eggs they have
sold has provedto their entire satis
faction that it pays to co-operate.
President Casto suggests that other
local inaugurate the market day plan
as a means of receiving higher prices
for eggs.
Fell languid, weak, run down?
Headache? Stomach "off?" A good
remedy is Burdock Blood Bitters. Ask
your druggist. Price $1.00
PERSONAL OPINION
A GREAT WORK
Equity Society has Splendid Future
if All Will Unite
The Farmers' Society of Equity has
a great work before it if only each
member could be made to understand
that he is directly responsible for the
development of the Society. There
are some members who have joined
and have never attended a meeting
since. How much good do they get
from it and what would become of the
society if all the members were like
that? Only for the faithfullness of a
few who have the good of the Society
at heart that has made it as strong as
it is. They never miss a meeting.
In Portland there is an. organization
consisting of 51 restaurants and these
restaurants want to buy directly
from the farmer all of their eggs, ve
getables and fruits.
JNow it the tarmers had some place
to ship their produce, guaranteed to
be first class, to sell to the restau
rants and all others that want strictly
first class products, they would clear
about 50 per cent more than they are
now, on the produce they sell be
sides much that is for sale now
cannot be sold except for such a low
price that it does not pay to handle
it while- the consumer is paying an
enormous price for the same produce,
or rather for something like it and
very likely not as good.
Some of the fcquity people have
met with representatives of the Con
sumers' Leaeue of Portland to see
what could be done about selling pro
duce directly from producer to the
consumer, but of what use are these
conferences if the farmer has no
where to ship his produce?
True, a movement has been started
to establish an Equity warehouse in
Portland, but the stock has sold very
slowly. Granted that the farmer needs
to be suspicious of anyone that tries
to get his hard earned money as so
many confidence men consider him
easy prey, but the state is now or
ganized and this matter of the estab
lishment of a warehouse is in the
hands of a few capable men and con
sequently ought to boom.
What all Equity members should
do now is to boost the thing, boost
hard, and keep on boosting.
MRS. F. G. BUCHANON
The millionaires have ruined Mexi
co by their greed. U. S.. had better
watch out.
it.
The government might stop the
railroads from collecting dividends on
watered stock that we producers and
consumers have to pay.
The Hotel men and Restaurant As
s'n. will he reariv tn hnv Hirot tmm
the farmer before he is organized and
ieauy 10 oo Business u ne aoesn t get
his produce and salesmen systemat
ica pretty quiCK.
The flhifAfrn PArlapatinn rf TaKn
and the Woman's Trade Union Leag
ue are pninp tn hnv thmV anvOtr va(m.
tables and fruits direct from the far
mers ot Texas.
Thirtv TeYHS fnrmora etartaA thin
" "-w J ... w V g.l...;U
and did not want to wait to see what
the other locals did. We have locals
all over Clackamas County and nearly
all arA hnsv nnrl nra Aninrr a rrnA
ueui jur tnemseives.
Fourth of July
It has been suggested that the So
ciety of Equity make plans for a
Fourth of July celebration and get
together as one big family in some
centrally located grove in the county.
The suggestion has real merit and
should be considered by the members
individually or in the local meeting.
Send in your opinions as to whether
you favor the plan or not, the place of
having the celebration, suggestions as
to speakers, amusements, etc., and
perhaps this will be carried through
and be the biggest boost the Equity
Society could have.
Texas has sued the Standard Oil
Co. for $100,000,000. We predict that
the Standard oil wins, no matter how
me suit enus.
The Bankers' Ass'n at Woodward.
uKianoma nas encouraged the farm
ers to cut down the acreage of broom-
corn and if the price is not right at
harvest time to store it. And the
bankers will assist in the holding.
The Oklahoma bankers are on the
right track and they did not learn
their lesson from any Agricultural
College either. Now brother Young
ana narris, go alter them.
A Farmers' Congress met n Chi
cago recently and were lucky enough
to nave a lew organized hayseeds
among the four hundred delegates.
Peter Radford, president of the
tarmers' Union of Texas, was there,
also Mr. Waters, of the Kansas Agri
cultural College, and they say the
trouble lies in the unorganized con
dition of the farmer faulty marketing
systems and lack of an effective
credit plan.
It all depends on the organization
of the farmers.
. .With all the improved machinery
we now have for the production of
crops it is not necessary for a farmer
to work sixteen hours every day and
make slaves of himself and family
and know so little about how his crop
is handled and sold so as to put all
the profit in the middleman's pocket.
Some of our agricultural colleges
seem to be working for the consumers
and against the producers. Raise only
what the market can stand at a good
price and market it right.
B. F. Yoakum, president of the
Frisco railroad system, said: "The
government must take a hand in aid
ing the establishing of a system of
economical food distribution." He may
be correct but we organized farmers
could establish the system and make
the consumers pay us big for doing
The Equity ran an Equity truck
from Gresham Into Portland last sum
mer and some days made two trips.
It was a success and the Electric line
reduced its freight rate. Now theie is
one running from Mt. Pleasant into
Portland, and by strawberry season
there may be another put on the road.
These trucks haul back supplies to our
stores and to our unions. The busi
ness of the country is going through
an entire change.
The Equity is not opposed to mid
dlemen, as we cannot get along with
out them. We must have middlemen
but they must work for us at a fair
price or we will be our own middle
men. The banks are charging us 8
and ten per cent for the same money
they get from our postal bank at two
and a half percent. Why can't we
borrow from the Postal Bank and cut
out one big commission ?
Equity Warehouse Company Organ
ized
A meeting of the incorporators of
the Equity Warehouse Company was
held in Portland last Saturday and the
corporation was completed and the di
rectors were authorized to take imme
diate steps to establish a business
headquarters. Of course this will
require some time as they must feel
their way and start the business right
but very shortly the Equity people
will have a clearing house in Portland,
and will enjoy privileges and assur
ance that they have never experienced.
The following directors were elect
ed: William Grisenwaite, Oregon City,
President Harper, Yamhill, William
Schulmerick, Forest Grove; A. R. Lv-
man, Gresham and Mr. Kroll of Wash
ington county.
Trial Date Changed
In the case of the Co-operative
Supply House vs. H. P. and F. E. Mel
lien, has been postponed from May 2
to May 7th.
For the Weak and Nervous
Tired-out, weak, nervous men and
women would feel ambitious, ener
getic, full of life, and always have a
good appetite, if they would do the
sensible thing for health take Elec
tric Bitters. Nothing better for the
stomach, liver or kidneys. Thousands
say they owe their lives to this won
derful home remedy. Mrs. O. Rhine
vault, of Vestal Center, N. Y., says:
"I regard Electric Bitters as one of
the greatest gifts. 1 can never forget
what it has done for me." Get a bottle
yourself and see what a difference it
will make in your health. Onlv 50c
and $1.00 Recommended by Huntley
Bros.
STOCK
ALE
One of our floors, loaded down with seasonable merchandise,
to do this quick we have made great reductions and give
must he vacated, as it will he used for other purposes. In order
you following a list of some of the articles that will have to go:
14 Upholstered Folding QQr
Cots at each
2 ChildsCribs,
each . . .
1 Upholstered easy
Chair, walnut frame
1 large German Cup
board, reg. $15 value
Class Doors
1 fancy hardwood fold
ing Bed, $18 value .
1 Kitchen Safe, a little
paint will make it look
Better
1 Oak Book Case and
Writing Desk combined
1 Cast Iron Coal
Heater
10 Hardwood Poarch Settees
at each
$3.37
$2.50
$7.50
$9.00
$1.50
$7.00
900 rods 40-inch Field Fence
per rod
1700 rods 4S.mch Field Fence
Per Rod
$1.50
95c
33c
35c
t? . . , J;U i.k, iiniiiinin m
m
hi
i.l T J V.,
Looks Like Hard Wood Costs
Less Wears As Long
No cracks or crevices where dust can
accumulate, no inlays or boards to work
loose, warmer and more elastic to the tread
than hardwood
RIXDORFER
Parkett Floor Covering
IT COMES IN ROLLS)
is the best and most sanitary floor covering
for bedrooms, nurseries, dining rooms, libra
ries, billiard rooms, and all good rooms
in the house.
In rolls, 78 inches wide, in beautiful in
laid, natural wood designs; economical,
practically "unwearoutable." Easier to
clean than carpets or hardwood floors the
idal floor covering.
Positively the greatest thin,? ever pro
duced for hotels, clubs, hospitals, t.chools
every kind of big building where hard wear
would put anything else literally "put of
business." Great saving as well.
We have many remnants of all kind of Linoleum, If you will bring ui the
space you wish to cover, there is no doubt that you can save moaey In
picking up a bargain.
L FURNITURE AND HARDWARE
ELEVENTH AND MAIN STS., OREGON CITY
FRANK
BUSCH
CARPETS, RUGS LINOLEUM
ELEVENTH AND MAIN STS., OREGON CITY
fiJI