Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1885-01-16

property thus Disseminated against While
it ls unquestionably true that an open mar
ket, with free competition at primary receiv-
ing points, would prove a remedy for many
of the worst evils now existing, yet fixed
standard of Inspection that shall secure to
the small shipper at remote stations an i'm
partial grading of his property in any mar
ket Of the state where it may be consigned
for sale, is demanded by the simplest funda-
mental principles attaching to the rights of
property This question is not involved in
such complications that it should prove
difficult of solution Probably the simpler
the system adopted, if it comprehends the
principles requisite to make it effective, the
cal operation. You have the experience Of
other states to aid you in the application of
practical remedies for recognized and adj
mitted grievance. Your are specially charged
by your constituents with the duty of pro-
yiding relief from the further imposition of
abuses that have become intolerable, and I
venture to remind you that 1t should be
among the first acts Of your body to address
yourself to it's fearless and contentious dis
charge.
It ia the conviction Of some whose rela-
tions to this subject have been OF char
acter to induce thoughtful investigation.
that our people should take an advanced
position upon this question, ana bring the
highest and most practical intelligence into
service in determining grades and values of
our grain It must be conceded that the
cereal productions Of the Northwest have
intrinsic merits not possessed by those
grown in countries where the best elements
of the soil have been eliminated by many
years OF continuous cultivation. J. is we'll
known fact that our wheat OF it's product is
largely used in mixing PROCESSES, whereby it
is made to contribute essential qualities TO
the inferior wheats grown In other climates.
Some of the most practical and scientific
$50 r.prr INV rio
e..st by analysis all grain used by them, and
through The combination of certain elements
secure the best possible results In their
prY,,iuct A system of inspection that would
IT. IKE manner bring to it's aid the knowledge
: ~: as may be usefuly employed,
cal ANALYSIS of our cereal pro
auctions as would demonstrate their
sunerioritv, would doubtless result in estab-
Listing high standard of grades for our
grain. It may be said that such grades are
not known in the great markets OF the coun-
try, and would not be recognized by their
commercial bodies. Let it become known
that Minnesota has a aystem of inspection by
which her wheat is classified according to it's
milling value and bread producing qualities.
and the direct cCnSuInptlve demand for
those grades that contain the elements of
sbody and siren 9Th" would absorb her prod
uct Independent Of all other markets. The
State OF New York has an experimental sta
ton" where fucilres are afforded TO test the
culture of the various productions OF the
hllsbandman, from whence reports are fire.
Qucntly issued for pubic information Upon
q similar basis the department. OF agriculture
Of our state university could provide the ia
cilites for such scientific experiments as the
system in contemplation would require or
suggest, and provide the means by which in
spectors could receive the instruction re-
quired to qualify them for their duties. 1t
,oI, <l,pr
every load OF wheat shall be subjected to
scientific tests, but that the system shall be
controlled and directed by an intelligence
that shall secure to the farmer offering
for sale the best qualities of grain such
advantage as superior husbandry should
always command
RAILROADS.
Nothing will engage your attention of such
vital import to a very large part of our pop
ulation as questions Of railroad legisla-
ton. Many reasons for action seemed to
exist at the last session, but although the
subject was considered in committee, so
persuasive were the assurances that the rail-
road companies would voluntarily remove
every just cause Of complaint that nothing
was done. In less than twelvemonth after
wards, under the intensified pressure OF the
same and some newly developed practices,
many mum erOusly signed petitions CAME up
from widely extended agricultural SECTIONS,
asking that an extra session OF the Legislature
be called to adopt measures of relief against
ment There were controlling reasons
against reconvening that body; but
as I called their attention earnestly
to the subject 50 I give it to you as one
which, in my Judgment, cannot lightly be
passed over. Whatever reasons for COM
plant OF Discrimination or extortion there
were two years ago are believed to exist to-
day; while the evil Of certain other practices
and rules of management his disclosed its
enormity. The assurances Of the representa-
tives OF the companies to your predecessors
that the interests Of the farmers might safely
be left to their discretion has proved delu-
sive AS might be expected, those who man
age the great railroads are intent, first and
chiefly, upon subscribing the interests of their
stockholders. They seek economy, profit
and convenience in operating their lines.
Profit and certainly convenience, some OF
them think, will be secured as to freights, by
large, frequent and easily regulated ship
ments under contracts with small n number
of shippers, and therefore their management
AIMS to encourage such. II this tends to
build up a monopoly at every station, or one
monopoly existing along their whole line,
and making itself cruelty felt at every sta
ton, that result is not, they say, a part of
oppressive, and hope it will not always be
so, and call you to witness that, at the very
worst, their road is great blessing to the
farmers They tell you that wholesalers are
accorded an advantage in rates and facilities
the world over, citing the examples OF in
dividu3ls who have received nothing from
the public and are under no obligations to
the public, as a precedent for company
created by the coumonw ealth to serve the
common veal, and bound by law, as well as
the logic of its creation, not to discriminate,
not to deal unequally not to restrict it's OBJ
II n m, IN D.iQsr
TRANSIT EVILS.
Beside the practices above limited at, which
tend to establish nonopolies by giving some
shippers advantages over Others another
exists upon some lines. in accordance with
which an owner of wheat who wishes to send
it to any point on the line must pay the
charges for carrying it over tine whole road
chooses, and sell his transit, or remaining
freight right, fol- what he can get. This is
defended on the ground that the wheat, or
it's product. must go by some transportation
line to that terminal point. Chicago or Mil
waukee, and that the company which first
has it is entitled to devise any possible plan
to keep it, without having, at any interme-
date point to compete for it's further car
rage with other rival lines Every argu-
men5 to justify the demand for payment for
carrying grain to Chicago, when the shipper
only wants it carried to some intermediate
point, would justify the exaction of transit
Rates to the seaboard instead of Chicago, il
the company could possess itself Of the con-
troll of continuous line thither Another
rule by which producers have griev-
ously suffered, is that adopted by some roads
to receive no wheat upon it's cars except
from elevators of given minimum capaci-
ty The managers allege that regulation
Of that kind Is necessary to the proper per-
Torrance of their obligation to carry the
freight which may be offered them for
transportation with due dispatch; that ele-
vators OF at least the capacity prescribed arc
necessary for the expeditions handling and