The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1876-02-10

the storage and transportation charges.
The system of doing the business in
these elevators is the same as ii they
were all under one roof, and as if run by
one agent, and as if the thirty elevators
simply thirty different bins in the same
building. The grades are intended to
be just the same. and the operations OF
any one elevator are the duplicate Of ev
cry other, so that it makes no difference
where the wheat IS, so long as it IS in
railroad elevators, Anyone dealing in
the wheat must commence by bringing
the farmers tickets" and then 20 on Ia
regular order under and with some class
OF elevator paper as | have herein rect
ed.
Everybody stands Oh the same loot.
ing who deals VITA ihese elevators. the
Elevator Company. or the Railroad
Company. Free Trade and Equal
Rights is the motto.
l have gone to this length OF details
to show the advantage OF general sys-
tenn in operating line OF elevators or
any given railroad. The system as now
in operation on the Main and Branch
lines OF the St. Paul d Pacific Railroad
has raised the price OF wheat during the
past season to an average OF everything
else being equaD seven and one-half
cents per Dushei. And this Is to /. very
great extent owing to the entire absence
vi all rings or chances tor a ring to ex
ls5 under the presen. management OF
these elevators.
Two-thirds OF the elevators and grain
houses in the State of Minnesota are
private houses, without any .connec-
tons interested only in their own To-
cality. the owners buying and selling
wheat, as well as storing the same, aud
IN most cases when receiving it for stor-
age do SO with the understanding that
they have first privilege OF buying, when
the farmer is ready to sell, and so some
day the farmer gets caught with de-
cision, Ike that OF Judge Dillon in the
case OF Atkinson L. Kellogg, OF Lake
City, tried in the United States Court at
ST. Paul.
The grea: point now desired in my
opinion to perfect and complete this sys-
TEN and to make it work to the benefit
OF all concerned is the matter OF grades
and grading. We have the standard
grades, No. /, No, and No. 3. Extra
nard and good wheat, as well as re-
jected, are specially. or should be, and
the price will always oe special accord
ing 10 that extra quality, good or bad
1t don't matter how wheat is graded, so
that The grade is uniform through a sea-
son, ana at all points on a line OF rail
road. The buyers OF wheat will Tx the
price rs soon as the grades are fixed, SO
they know what they are going to ge: as
No. !, = or ). Ii the grades are OF a
superior character at any given elevator
or warehouse on any given line OF rail
road, the wheat will soon find buyers
alter it, willing and ready to pay SUI
perior price, and Uict versa. You may
call 1t No. /, and pass a law leealizing
the call, but you Will not find any buy
ers tina: would give you ten cents a
bushei for it, unless the actual quality
justified ii.
am OF the opinion that a state law
shoald DC passed regulating the inspec-
ton and weighing OF wheat, law, not
ter the benefit OF any particular locality
Or set OF men, but a law that viii iuure
to the benefit OF all who are doing an
honest business, that is transacted in
daylight, and open Tor inspection, from
the farmers sack down or up. through
all stages to the consumer.
What kind OF law shall it be. so that
its provisions and penalties are plain
and easily understood by al, concerned
and 50 it can be operated at the leas,
expense to the wheat, for in all cases the
wheat, or what is the same thing, the
producer, pays the bill. unless he i:
fortunate enough to catch the .'go-be
tweeaH on Il short turn and get from him
more than the wheat is worth or can pe
sold Tor again without loss.
As am not prepared myself 10 say
what Kind OF grah-iuspectlon law |
would have even ii had the making o
it, 1 will hold up and think it over
am certain | don't like the way We do i
now, although nine tenths OF ,ne farm
ers will swear that we elevator and rail
road men have got it ali our OWE wa
and jus. 10 suit ourselves. How to bet
tel II IS the main question.
Yours respectfully.
F. r. DELANo.