VOL. LIX.
INDIANAPOLIS, APRIL 2, 1904.
NO 14.
Why Prices Vary So Much,
Edltcrs Indiana Fanner:
I notice in the Farmer of March 12th,
that the Editor can't see why there is
such a great difference in the price of
apples on the farms in the east and tlie
price at Indianapolis. I think the reason
of that great difference, is about the same
as the reason for other great differences
in price of products after leaving the
farm. Here is another case. In January
1 baled 15 tons of Xo. 1 mixed clover hay.
I was offered ,$6.70 per ton for this hay,
placed on track at Delphi. The shipper
told me that was the best he could do,
that the price of that class of hay would
be $10.75 in Cincinnati; a difference of
,-?4.05 in prices. It is the samie way with
hogs, cattle, sheep, grain, butter, eggs, or
anything produced on the farm. After
it leaves the farmer's hands, and is again
placed up on the market, the values of
some articles are doubled (I mean the
prices). I remember one spring, a few
years ago, I uncovered some apples I had
buried; sorted out the nicest ones and
took a bushel of them to Delphi, 75 c-.'nts
was what I expected for them, so when
the grocerman told me CO cents was all
he could afford to pay me, I thought perhaps that was all they were worth. But
_tfter I had received my money, and was
, _>yet inhisstore, a pood widow woman came
Mn and asked the price of his apples. The
grocer sold her a peck of them for 00
cents, not over 10 minutes after paying
me 00 cents per bushel for them.
How the business men of Indianapolis
do. I do not know, but in the smaller
towns, where Saturday is market day for
the farmers, the business men meet every
Friday night and make prices for Satnrday. These prices rule until the next
- Friday night, all paying the same price,
unless some new firm lias just started,
which will pay a few cents more until
a fair trade is obtained. The time is past
that supply and demand make prices on
farm products. It is the combinations
and trusts that make small prices for the
producer, and big prices for the consumer.
I would like to say something about
our laws and the saloon question, but
will write you again. I wish to state though
that the little town of Flora has gotten
tired of a saloon. They remonstrated and
the county commissioners refused license
to a man because they did not think he
had a good moral character. Did anyone
ever see a saloon keeper that did have a
good moral character? If he had he
would not run a saloon. 0. P.
Delphi.
A Sketch ofthe Early History of the Horse-
Thief Detective Associations
of Indiana.
Ejlitors Indiana Fanner:
In giving this brief sketch of the early
history of the organization, I have aimed
to state facts so far as possibe, relying
upon information obtained from many
sources. This organization dates back to
an early period in the history of Indiana,
when horse stealing was prevalent to an
extent not dreamed of in these times.
In 1W0, horses and money were about
equally scarce; a good team of horses
meaning about as much then as a good
farm does now. Hence the theft of a
horse almost invariably resulted in a lynching if the culprit happened to be caught.
When a horse was missed there was no
telegraph nor telephone to head off the
thief before he could dispose of his booty,
which he could always do in any town of
reasonable size. The purchaser never
asked    questions  but    hurried  the horse
away to some remote place for sale.
Every stable was kept locked, but a stolen
horse was always good for a fair price iu
cash. Escape was not difficult, and as
a consequence, thieves were plentiful
everywhere. Farmers were often unable
to cultivate tlieir crops because of those
depradations, and it was not uncommon
to see cows harnessed to the plow. The
trade of horse stealing became so lucrative that the thieves establiseh a regular organization, with spies, agents and
stations. Many farmers being in league
with them and it was in many communities a grave question as to who were
thieves and who were honest men. It
was impossible legally to convict a horse
thief, although he might be captured with
tiie stolen property.    Dozens of supposed
when the annual meeting held at Greenville,(-..created a new office, that of grand
organizer, and elected Mr. Gray to this
position for iife. At this meeting Hon.
James A. Mount, ex-Governor of Indiana,
was elected to the presidency, who served in this capacity for a period of eight
years. Governor Mount was highly re-
spec-ted and esteemed by every member
of the order. His unswerving devotion to
the principles of the order, added much
to the prestige and wide reputation it
now sustains. The name of the order
was again changed at this meeting to the
"'National Horse Thief Detective Association," by which it is still known, a name
that adds terror to thieves and all evil
doers. S. D. Anglin,
Warsaw. Grand Organizer.
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Mines and Metallurgy Building, at World's Fair, St. Louis.
respectable citizens would rise up and
prove an alibi for any one accused. Thus
it came to pass that any suspected thief
captured, stood poor show for mercy at
his captor's hands. Kine out of ten ar-
lested were promptly lynched without
judge or jury. Finally matters came to
such a pass that it became necessary to
meet organization with organization, nnd
from this stern n>?cessity was born the
"Wabash General Horse Hhief Detective
Association." In  the year  1S41  J.  S.
Gray called a meeting in Waynetown, to
perfect an organization. He with two
others, Simeon Osborn: and Thomas Hal!,
there organized for self protection. These
men quietly but rapidly established quarters of the new association at Shawnee
..lound, Wesley and numerous other points
in the most severely afflicted sections of
the State. They were known, far and
wide, for their wealth and honesty alike, ■
and all their charters were given to men,
of like standing and character. |
The  first  general   convention  was  held
in 1.S47. when the society had grown fa-1
mons for its swift and effectice work and
at this convention the secret was first in-!
troduced and adopted.    After this genera!
meeting  the    growth  of  the    order was |
rapid, and its power came to be felt ami
feared as well as respected.    In 1850 the
order extended itself to Ohio and Illinois,
and  at this  meeting Thomas  McKibben, i
of  Danville,   III.,    a  fearless    man  with]
energy  and  pluck  was  elected  president,'
with  John  S   Gray,   vice-president.      At
this meeting the name of the order was*
changed to "The Wabash Horse Thief Detective  Association."    Threo  years  later
John S. Gray succeeded to the presidency
and  served  for  38  years,  or  until   1891,
The Grange and its Purpose.
Editors   Indiana   Fanae_:
We mutually resolve to labor for the good
of our order, our country and mankind;
we endeavor to advance our cause by laboring to accomplish the following objects:
To develop a better and mgher manhood
among ourselves, to enhance the comfort
and attractions of our homes and strengthen the attractions to our pursuits. To
.iiiiintnin our laws and to emulate each
other in labor to hasten the good time
coming; to reduce our expenses by buying
less and producing more; to systematize
our work and calculate itelligently on pro-
liabilities; to discountenance the credit
system, the morgage system, the fashion
system and every other system tending
to weaken our independence. We avoid
litigation as much as possible, by arbitration in the grange. We constantly
strive to secure entire harmony, good will
and vital brotherhood among ouraelves
and to make our order perpetual. We
earnestly endeavor to suppress personal,
local, sectional and national prejudices,
all unhealthy rivalry and all selfish mental, moral, social and material advancement.
For our business interests we desire to
bring the producer and consumers, farmers and manufacturers, merchants nnd
mechanics into the most direct and friendly relations possible We wage no warfare
with any other interest whatever on the
contrary all our acts, all efforts so far as
business is concerned, tend to bring these
parties into speedy and economical contact with each other. We are not opposed
to any corporation that will advance our
industrial interests, nor to any laboring
classes. AVe are opposed to such management of any corporation or   enterprise
is   tends   to   oppress   the   people   and   rob
tnem of their profits.    We are not enemies
to capital,  but  we oppose the tyranny of
monopolies.      We  long to  see  the  antag-
jinism between capital and  labor removed
b.v common consent and by an enlightened
statesmanship worthy of this nation.    We
are  opposed     to excessive    salaries,  high
rates   interest   and   exhorbitant   per   cent
profits  in trade.    They  increase  our burdens and do not bear a proper proportion
to the profits of the producer. The grange,
naional, state of subordinate, is not a political   or   party   organization,   m.   grange
if true to its obligations -can discuss partisan or sectarian questions, nor call political conventions, nor nominate candidate*-,
nor ever discuss their merits in its meetings.    The principles we teach underlie all
true politics,  all  true  statesmanship,   and
if   properly   carried   out   will   purify   the
whole political atmosphere.    We seek  the
greatest gooil to all.    Xo one by becoming a  patron of husbandry gives  up  that
riirlit   and   duty   which   belongs   to   every
American citizen to take a proper inter^t
in the politics of his country.    It is right
for every member to do  all  in his power
to put down bribery, corruption ami trickery; to see that none but competent, faithful and hoii-st men, who will unflinchingly
stand by cur  interests are  nominated  for
all   positions "of   trust.     We   aokno.wl edge
ihe broad     principle  that     differences  of
of opinion.       Last, but not least, we progress toward truth is made b.v difforene?s
of opinion.     Last  but  not  least,   we  proclaim  it among our purposes  to inculca..
a  proper appreciation of tbe abilities and
sphere   of   woman,   as   indicated   by   admitting her to  full  membership and  position in our order. ' W. J. Banks,
Lecturer Indiana  State Grange.
Experience With Rape.
Editors Indiana Fanner:
I have noticed several items in the
Farmer on growing rape as a forage for
stock, and I will give my experience with
it. Last year I sowed broadcast live
pounds of Dwarf Essex rape seed on
throe-fourths of an acre of poor clay land,
about the middle of July. At six weeks;
old it was 10 or 12 inches high. I th n
turned 18 fattening hogs on it, and
stopped feeding bran and shorts and foil
corn alone, and the way they did fatten,
get slick and curl their tails, was a sight.
If there tails can be kept curled once or
twice there need not be any worry about
the health of the hog. I keep salt, ashes,
lime and slack coal where they have free
access to it all the time. My hogs weighed nearly 100 pounds when I tvirned them
on the rape Sept. 1st, ami they gained
nearly two pounds a day for five weeks
when I sold them. They hadn't eaten
the rape off more than one-half the field.
I!ape is cheaper and better by several
dollars to balance the ration than mill
feed is my experience. E. A. N.
Parke Co.
  m . _.	
Hay and Haying.
Editors Indiana Farmer:
I have -'00 acres meadow from which
I cut 400 tons of hay last year, nice level
land, clear of stumps, large fields. I
want to ask you and some hay farmers of
'experience if I can use a hay loader to
load on wagon cut of the winrow, or
jnst as the mower leaves it?
Spencer  Co. J.  H.  Parker.
—Yes, the hay loader will load the wagon from the winrow very well.
The .Seven Star Inn at Manchester,
England, boasts of having been licensed
for 550 years.