Morris tribune., 1883-08-08
STop1io Sui6uuc.
DULUTH A COMPETING WHEAT
MARKET.

The Minneapolis Tribune takes the
Duluth Times to task because the
Times copied approvingly the senti-
ments contained in an article from our
last weeks issue under the above head
the article being ours, we defend it,
giving our reasons more at length for
it's foundation. 1t is well known
and conceded fact that large fortunes
have been made in Minneapolis upon
the difference in the price paid for
wheat and it's actual value in the mar
ket; and as those fortunes have been
made, extreme poverty has CORE
spondingly been OH the increase
among the farmers; and so notorious
has this become, the farm that has an
oppressive mortgage upon it is unable
to find any capital to do it the sacred
honor
The Millers' Association having had
no competition of any strenth that
could withstand it's low ingenuity for
getting wheat cheap, by first running
up the price when other buyers at
tempted to come in, then dropping
down to nothing when the little oppo-
sition went out, have obtained the
wheat on the general average for
less than it was worth, and for much
less than others would have paid if
they could have had favorable oppor-
tunity. Now to help the farmer lift
the mortgage, which is eating out his
entire substance, there must be good
competing wheat market built up and
the place for it, is supposed to be at
Duluth, where eastern purchasers can
reach it with cheap water navigation,
for as the Minneapolis Tribune says:
buffalo millers must have some ofthe
hard spring grain or goout ofbusiness."
That paper then tauntingly adds;
'theywill prove themselves both plucky
and capacious if they get enough to
impair the supply required by the mills
of Minneapolis" Here again is the
threat of choking off competition,
which has been so much encouraged
by our present railroad systems but
as the admission is made, that it Twill
go to to the buyers who offer the
highest prices for it, that part of the
question will soon be settled, as in the
language of the Tribune; "a good
deal of hard wheat will continue to go
east via Duluth" And why go east
via Duluth,-because the little market
which has tn far been made for it
Immediately abSorbs it for the
use of our eastern, and the foreign
markets, even to England across the
ocean.
AS matters now are, the mills in
Minneapolis can at the low price they
are getting wheat for without this
competition, which cOmre,s them to
pay what it is worth, to a great extent
control the eastern market. They get
wheat so nearly for nothing, that they
can sell flour abroad very cheap, and
still coin money, or sell it for a high
price after they have driven all eastern
men out of the market. By establish
ing large and powerful competing |
market, as we have said, at the head |
of lake navigation in Duluth, the Mil
lers Association will be forced to raise |
their prices, and the farmer is at once |
released from his bondage. We do |
not care who gets the wheat, but it |
must bring all it is worth, and what is
more, all good competing market |
can make it bring. This will help the |
merchant, mechanic and commerce in
general; and if this time does not come
soon the farmer will. and must aban-
dom wheat raising entirely. Then
scrape out the Duluth harbor, let in all
the large boats, run railroads to Du-
luth, and let wheat go where it will
bring the most money. And we will
say III answer to the comments of the
Duluth Tribune upon our farmer ar
ticle on this subject, that we do not
crave the friendship of Minneapolis or
the Millers Association either in this
matter, as their conduct has in the
past been one long unmitigated steal
from the farmers, and robbing the
country merchants, and the enmity of
that powor is more preferable to us,
than their love under the circum-
stances. We care not, how much one
place may lose, or the other gains in
this struggle, but we think the signs
of the times indicate, that the time is
not far off, when the Millers of Mime
apolis must to great extent, close
out; for they have done all in their
power to close out the farmers, and
now the farmers will return the COM
pliment.