The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1884-12-12
Ing Of this waterway to the markets 6f Europe
ID a matter Of reatimportancs to North Dsto.
IA, as 1t will give US competition in transpor.
tatlon rates, and enable us to escape from the
plratical tolls Of the Minneapolis millers.
Tho Dakota wheat Question

ment inaugurated by Col. Steele IL taxing A.
lect and mass meetings are being held By the
FARMERS 1or the purpose of deciding upon ap-
propriate legislation to urge upon the members
elect. Col. steele's plan contemplates Joint
Dill to be passed both by the Dakota and Min
nesota legislature to ''regulate' railroads. ele-
vators and grades. At Valley City some Of the
hot-headed ones propose the utter abolisbment
Of all grades, and to compel the railroads to
furnish cars in any quantity, at any time and
place, to any shipper. Mr.. B. W, Benson
member OF tho last legislature, thought the
farmers were being robbed, but feared that
wise legislation might net prevail, and that
the remedy to be applied might be carried to
extremes. Major Edwards, Of Fargo, said the
present system Of grading, etc., where the e,e-
vasor agent becomes responsible for the grade
holding good until the wheat reaches the mar
kst, looks fair, but it is not Without intend.
ing to do 50, and almost unconsciously. tho
elevator men are robbing the farmers. know
one elevator whose income this year 10 s1OO. .OOO
Ihlnk OF 1t. 1t came from tho farmers. and
yet 1t is the system and the agents rather than
lJs
is that joint legislation by Minnesota il not
necessary. Dakota No. hard has an intrinsic
value the same as gold. What We want ia n
gram commission, composed of mon who have
character and stability and honor that they
prize. These men should he We'll paid, and
have nothing else to do except to attend to their
duties a. arbitrators between the farmer, the
elevator and the railroad. A farmer bringing
his wheat to an elevator and finding fault with
the grade given it, should be allowed to sum-
mon tho grain commission, or send them a
sealed sample, and the commission should
thereupon hx the true grade of the grain, and.
II the grievance is just one, compel the ele-
vator to grade tho wheat according to their
Just verdict. To do this would, Of course, me-
csssitate giving the commission power to bring
suit III the name Of the territory and at the
terrltory's expense, to compel the elevator
company to pay damages. Then il the farmer
is not satisfied with the price offered or the
grade ~ determined by the commission. he
should still be allowed redress by bringing suit
Ill his own name and at his own expense. We
should be mindful of tho railroad interests, re-
membering, however, that without tho farmer
the railroad would DO almost worthless and
useless. All that s needed is power to estab-
lish grade in Dakota, and maintain the grade
In tho market. We don't need to guard The
wheat all the way to Duluth or Minneapolis,
Let Fargo be the clearing house. II We estab.
llsh the grade and maintain it, David Dows
and Alexander Mitchell and Diamond 10 and
others, will some to Dakota and buy all we
can raise. Assure the purchaser that the grade
on delivery will he the same az on purchase,
and No. hard will find as ready market at
the farmers doors as at the lake port"
In illustration, Major Edwards cited the case
OF Scotchman who invested 100000 in land
near Ayr, OAK. His first crop of $4,000 bushels
OF wheat was shipped In cars to Duluth, each
Cur being especially guarded in transit. Spec
ial bins were procured, and by keeping mon con-
stsntly on guard, at great expense, the grain
finally reached Scotland without being DOCTOR
3D. Asa result he sold his crop Oh the open
market at shillings per quarter more than
was paid for tho same grade of the so-called
same wheat, which had been subjected to the
manipulations Of the elevator men and transit
agents.