Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-11-04
A REPUBLICAN PAPER SAYS
Washburn a Shameless Tr;ckster, Who
Bought His Nomination.
AND STILL THE CRY RINGS OUT
Down With Wasllburn and the Swim
ding Brass Kettles.
Out iI. the District.

Especial Correspondence of the Globe.
DETROIT, Oct. 81, 187S.-Even up in this
only prosperous portion Of Minnesota, have
yet seen, find the people considerably exer-
cised over the use Of that little brass kettle
and at this point the indignation became so
great few days sinca that the farmers in
sisted that it should not be used. This is
somewhat remarkable, as there are Compel
ing buyers, and the price of wheat is far
above that now paid by the grasshopper mil
lers of Minneapolis. Why? Here are buy
e1s from Red Wing; here are buyers from
Duluth; here are buyers from Buffalo, New
York, and other points, and these buyers are
wiling to, and do, pay good prices. What
is the result? The farmers have been gen
orally satisfied, but as soon as the fact be-
came known thatths little devilish joker was
being used, just that minute it was dis COW
cred that hitherto No. l What began to
grade No. 2. All! there you lave it. The
the Independent yeomanry Of this section,
and then tie farmers came TO the rescue,
ard put their feet upon its little head, and
up here it is lifeless-dead All along the
line of this road there is a degree of pros
pcrity have not witnessed in any other por-
lion of my travels. A fair price is paid for
wheat; it is mostly graded No. 1; the farmers
satisfied and happy; tie merchant is doing
well; the towns are thriving; new houses,
Few stores; new fe1 ces are visible every
Where, while on tie main and branch lines Of
The st. Paul & Pacific road, all is dark and
desolate. Why is this SO on these two lines?
Because this is tie country under the do
minion Of the grasshopper millers of Min
nearolIs, where there is a systematic steal;
where but che buyer confronts the farmer:
where there is no coalp clifton; where the
swindling brass kettle grades the wheat to
No and under, and where instructions ere
given the agents to deliberately swindle the
farmer out OF fifteen and twenty cents per
bushel. Even up here I am con-
strained to believe that the
farmers are cheated in tie weight of
wheat, and this will become evident wherever
the brass kettle is used, (for in some points
along the line Of tie road it is used,) but SO
their wheat grades No. l, and they get a
good price for it, they are careless in e1amin-
ing tho mode by which their weight is OBJ
tanned. Still, public opinisn is fully aroused
on the question, and never will be settled
until the brass kettle is abolished, and the
good old half bushel is substituted. 1t will
be the great topic in the next Legislature,
4,,o 4t,oL
farming interest of this State shall not be
ruined by a selfish, heartless, souless, un-
scrupulous wheat ring. Never! Why is ii
that the merchants do not combine? All
along the line of this road meet dozens OF
runners-men who sell goods for merchants
in St. Paul, Milwaukee, and Chicago. Now,
it is quito q common occurrence to see four
or five of those men Offering their goods tc
the merchants, and invariably the man who
sells at the BEST figures gets the order. Why
don't the merchants of the great cities form
ring, and send out one man, and force
the country merchants to buy of him
only? 1t would be SO much better fol-
the merchant! and great deal more pleasant
and profitable to the ring. Why allow hun
dreds Of men travelling about the country
selling boots and shoes, and groceries, hard
ware, dry goods, and then force the farmer
to deal only with one man, and he under
bonds and instructions to cheat him out o
the profits of his hard earned toll? Why
Let Bill Washburn and his clew answer!
gentleman from Canada informed nj
that the only combination among the mer
chants there is that they will not go furthe
than two blocks from their stores to NEE
farmers to bid upon their wheat or to ALLOW
more than three in the firm to bid agaius
each other in the purchase of the wheat, an
this combination is quite satisfactory to al
parties He says he has seen half dozel
men bidding for wheat mile out of towr
anu q dozen men bidding for wheat in tow1
What is the result? Most of the farmers {
Canada are we'll to do-in a prosperous cor
dition. He AYERS that a combination sue
as exists in Minneapolis would create reve
luton in Canada. Why, at Morris
on the main line Of the Sain
Paul & Pacific railroad, a farmer, fe
days ago, publicly made the statement tn;
he would thousand times prefer to marc
against and fight the grasshopper millers Q
Minneapolis than the rebels; and, he added
I could follow good leader.
The prairies are on fire; the farmers al
aroused; the people are moving; Donnel
will go to Congress. At Moorehead a lare
audience greeted the champion of the peopl
and leading Republicans say he will car
Clay county. Yesterday Mr.. Donnelly al
dressed large audience at Park Lake, al