the way down to Neepawa the rumor spread
ahead of the meetings; so that the speakers were asked many pertinent
and impertinent questions, J. W. Robson, a Swan River farmer who was at
that time a Conservative Member of the Manitoba Legislature, was giving
his services free as a speaker on behalf of the proposed company; John
Kennedy was known to be a political supporter of J. W. Robson. One and
one make two; two and two sometimes make a fairly large-sized political
rumor. But Mr. Robson was a ready and convincing speaker who was known
to be a farmer first and last and Mr. Kennedy attributes the practical
results obtained as due largely to Mr. Robson's logic and sincerity.

Along in June Kennedy received a telegram from Winnipeg that startled
him. It contained the first intimation that difficulties were arising
at Ottawa to prevent the proposed farmers' company from getting their
charter. Taking the first train, he found on his arrival at Winnipeg
that Francis Graham and W. A. Robinson, the two committeemen who met
him, had not yet notified E. A. Partridge. A wire was despatched at
once to Sintaluta and the Chairman joined them by first train. For two
days the Board wrestled with this unexpected difficulty which
threatened to annihilate the company before it got started.

The application of the Organization Committee for a charter was refused
on the ground that the shares of a company with a capital of $250,000
could not be less than $100 each. Their solicitor tried in vain to
induce the Department to change its views, all canvassing to sell stock
being discontinued by the Committee in the meantime.

"Well, let 'em keep their charter if they want to," said Kennedy
finally. "This discussion's not getting us anywhere and if we can't
get a Dominion charter, why we can't get it."

"Guess you're right, John. We might as well quit and go on home."

"Who said anything about quitting?" Kennedy brought down his big fist
on the table with a thump. "We'll get a Manitoba charter. That's what
I mean."

The others shook their heads. A Provincial charter would be useless
for what they were proposing to do, they contended. Kennedy disagreed
so emphatically that he refused to stop arguing about it till at last
he and John Spencer were delegated to see the Manitoba authorities. In
the course of a few days the arrangements for a Provincial charter were
complete, and the Committee turned its attention to selling enough
s