Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1881-01-09

the board in September, to prepare re-
port for submission to the legislature.
There were present all the members of
the board save two, as follows:
John Byers, President George Giles,
secretary; and Messrs. Lorenzo Hoyt, Z.
B. Page, Ole Peterson, j. NJ. Bowler,
Thos. Purcell, Lyman Loring and j. ID.
Schofield
Called to order by resident Byers, the
committee consisting of President Byers,
Secretary Giles and Messrs Bowler and
Page, submitted their report through the
secretary as follows:
ORGANIZATION.
To the Honorable, the Legislature of the
State of Minnesota: In compliance with the
law creating the Farmers Board of Trade of
the State of Minnesota we herewith present
our first biennial report giving brief resume
of its operation since its organization; and we
have deemed it not inappropriate TO offer some
suggestions and statistics as Ill our judgment
may be necessary to induce legislation for the
protection and welfare Of our agricultural in
terest. The first annual meeting of the board
was held at the capitol ons Tuesday, Sept. 2,
1879 and organized as follows:
John Byers, representing the First Judicial
district.
Lorenzo Hoyt, (president) representing the
Second judicial district.
J. T. Price, representing the Third judicial
district.
Vim. Webb, representing the Sixth judicial
district.
Ole Peterson, representing the Seventh jul
dicial district
Geo. Giles, representing the Eighth judicial
district.
J. VI. Bowler, representing the Ninth jul
dical district
Thomas Purcell, representing the Tenth ju-
dicial district.
E. Evanson, representing the Twelfth judicial
district
G. B. Page, Lyman Loring, and W. j. Aber-
nathy, secretary.
Every judicial district being represented ex-
cept the Fourth.
At their second annual meeting John Byers
was chosen president and Geo. Giles as sec
rotary.
WHEAT GRADING.
In conformity with the act on wheat grad
ing we have adopted the following as the
various grades, and the same were continued,
at the last animal meeting, to be in force for
the next year.
The question of determining the grade
seemed one of much importance, and after
many tests and trials we adopted the ''Stacy
atoms in all marketable wheat, while the open
tester was susceptible of variations sufficient
TO change the grade.
Having thus referred to the organization of
this board, we desire to report for your consid-
Grafton the particular matters which have at
tracted the attention Of this board, and to
which, in our opinion, legislative enactments
can be beneticially applied. 1t will BE- appar-
ent, in the absence of statistics, few of which
will be appended to this report, that the great
industry, and certainly the greatest agricultur-
al interest of this State, is the raising of wheat
for which both our soil and climate seem to
be specially adapted, and to which industry
the attention of the agricultural classes has
been and will undoubtedly in the future be
largely devoted.
When it is recollected that all wheat is sold
by grade, that the margin at which it is solids
invariably close one, and that
the customs surrounding its purchase
and sale have become almost specu-
lative, closely resembling the dealings
in stock, it will not be necessary to argue at
length that it is of vital importance TO that
industry that the grades of wheat which gov
ern the market price and of sale and disposal
among both the producer and dealer should be
fixed and established SO that they may be GER
tain and within the knowledge of both the pro-
Queer and purchaser.
The duty of establishing such q grade de-
volved upon this board, and such grades were
established; but the absence OF legislative en-
actments to enforce the observance of such
grades, and of penalties for its nonobservance,
have practically destroyed the usefulness of the
grades established by us, and their nonobserv-
ance has become the rule and their observance
merely the exception.
If, then, it is necessary to establish the
grades of wheat in this State, and that without
regard to eastern and foreign markets,
such grades should be estab-
a@l,n hNr f1n
legislature itself and proper penalties enacted
for the observance of such grades. As we
have said, the necessity is very apparent, the
producer of wheat in q majority of instances
is isolated from the actual markets where the
price is established; his means of communica-
ton with that market are few and difficult; his
opportunities for receiving telegraphic reports
are infrequent, and he practically must depend
upon the rate which is established by the local
buyer.
As the fluctuations in the price of wheat are
constant, and the margin to which it is sold is
always a small one, particularly to the pro-
Queer, it follows that the want of knowledge
upon his part of the price of the different
grades of which at the time he actually brings
the same into market may result, and indeed
in most instances does result, in loss to him,
which could be avoided were the grade estab-
ished so that the price could be ascertained by
reference to the grade of wheat-the position
Oh prouucer ana purchaser would De then
equaliZed and the constant losses to the agri-
cultural classes arising from the want of
knowledge, and information as to the condi-
ton of the wheat market and the price which
that commodity is actually worth would be
obviated; and they would be thus enabled to
obtain for their grain the fair market price
which It's actually worth at the time they I'M
dertook to dispose of it.
We therefore suggest that your honorable
body devise such enactments in this behalf as
will establish throughout this State the
different requisite grades of wheat, and pro-
hibit the dealing in or sale of wheat except by
the grades SO established, the prices of which
will regulate themselves.
STATE INSPECTOR.
And as necessary part of any law establish
ing such grade, some provision for the Off
cial inspection of grain will be absolutely
necessary, for it is of equal Importance in es-
tablishing the proper grades that the producer
should have some certain means by which his
grain can be tested and its true grade, accord
ing to law, ascertained. 1t is the
opinion of the board that this can
best be done by the appointment of an official
inspector of grain and the establishment of
weights and measures by which the grade can
be determined. We therefore suggest in this
behalf the propriety of yOur honorable hody