Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-10-15
Who Would be Free, Themselves Must
Strike the Blow.
LET YOUR wATCHwoRD BE
Down With Washburn and the Swind
ling Brass Kettles.
Especial Correspondence of the Globe.

NORRIS, Stevens Co., October 10, 1878.
4 am now fully convinced that there exists
gigantic and INSCRIPTIONS wheat ring, in
volving the Millers association in Minneap-
oils, and that this combination is fast running
the farmers in the section Of the country on
which these conspirators prey. All along
the line of the st. Paul & Pacific road there
is one continuous howl of indignation, espe-
cially on the part Of the honest tillers of the
soil. Every farmer have met assures me
that at the present price of wheat, and the
rascally manner in which it is graded, it will
be impossible for him to pay his summer
expenses, and that now, after several years
of desolation by the grasshoppers, he is con-
fronted by even worse enemy, whose pur-
pose is total ruin to the farming interests.
The farmers all know this-all see it, but
how to break this ring, is, with them, the
great question.
At Dassel, below this town, the mer-
chants do not seem to be alarmed
particularly, but here it is different,
for wheat is leaving the place and
seeking other channels, and the effect upon
their trade is very perceptible. I am
pleased to be able to say that at Dassel,
while the farmers do not Justify the grading
Or the weight of wheat, yet all speak we'll of
Mr.. H. P. Breed, the agent at this point. In
several cases he has told the farmers that,
q1aader has instructions, he could not grade
his wheat at more than No. 8, yet if the
20 L
mill, he might make it reach No. 2. With
the farmers consent he has done so, and the
wheat has been lifted one grade, that is to
No. 9. Some wheat has been hauled sixteen
miles, and then back again to Mr.. Breed,
simply because he exhibited a disposition to
not only explain to the farmer why these
things are so, but because he is reasonable in
his demands AS this is an exception to the
general rule, am happy to put it in print.
At Dassel, while talking with group of
farmers, one of their number interposed an
objection to the statement that the ring was
robbing them of their wheat, and began to
defend the Millers' association, when hot
shots from the crowd somewhat covered
him; and subsequently I learned he was a
stool-pigeon for the thieves, and had injected
himself between them and the
farmers, in the garb of an
honest mantle farmers habiiments
in order to break the force of the CONVEX
sation which had occurred, and thereby let
the ring down easy. 1t is by these means
that these men--of which Washburn is a
party-expect to succeed.
At tnis point, ever since the first load of
wheat was brought in, there has been trouble
Mr.. L. B. Perkins. keeper of the hotel here
informs me that his son, living nine miles
out, brought in some wheat to the elevator
which on being graded weighed ST. pounds
just one-half pound less than So, the grade
of No. 1, and in consequence of the lack OF
this one-half pound, it was sent down tc
grade No. 2, valued at 55 cents, while grade
No. was II cents, difference of 16 cents
per bushel, just because of the deficiency OF
half pound on bushel Mr.. Perkins
took away this grain; had it ground into
flour; sold the flour for $3.50 per hundred
and thus made out of his seventeen bushels
u Wuodl ONCi duo aDCNo HIttb A6 WOulu uaVt
made if left in the elevator, $5.42! Mr.. Pa
opinion is, that both the elevator and Millers
association are to blame. Now it should b,
remembered that flour made out of No.
wheat is as good as No. 2, and while TIL
farmer sells his wheat at grade No. 3, tina
wheat is made into No. 2 grade -four, OF
which the Millers' association make thei
profit. When the wheat is once il
the hopper it is great troubl
for the farmer to get it out
and knowing this fact, the agent of the Mil
lers take the advantage, and the poor farme
goes away minus fifteen cents on bushel.
met Mr.. Ole N. Urness, an honest MOI
wegian, who had brought his wheat eightee
miles to the elevator at this point who O
learning that it graded No. She would hay
let it go at No. 2, although he is sure it wa
No. 1-hitched up his team, and with hi
wheat, drove home again, making thirty-si
miles in his journey, and nothing for b
crop.
Messrs. Wolf, Wells q Stone, large me-
chants here, denounce the method by whic
SO much difference is made between tt
grades of wheat. They think it is altogeth,
too much, and the effect upon their trade
vorv ,,oroant;hla Thew inclina tn think II