The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1885-01-15

to large extent of those practices and
abuses so generally complained of. and that
legal restraint While every one must rec
ogni1e the fact that the memorable law Of
supply and demand az rule governs values
OF all food products In the great markets Of
the world, yet the question of inspection and
grading has much to do in adjusting and de-
means reduction in price. Atictitious depre-
citation of quality by an arbitrary inspection
results In serious loss to the owner of the
property thus Disseminated against While
It Is unquestonably true that an open mar
ket with free competition at primary receiv
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
more satisfactory 1t will prove IN its practl-
cal operation You have the experience Of
other states to aid you in the application of
practical remedies for a recognized and adj
1nitted grievance. Your are specially charged
by your constituents with the duty OF pro
viding relief from tho further imposition of
abuses that have become lntolerable, and
venture to remind you that it should be
among the first acts OF your body to address
yourself to It's fearless and contentious dis
charge.
1t is the conviction of some whose rela-
lions to this subject have been of a char
acter to induce thoughtful investigation,
that our people should take an advanced
position upon this question, and bring the
highest and most practical intelligence into
service in determining grades and values of
our grain. 1t 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. is q well
known fact that our wheat or it's product is
largely used In mixing processes, whereby it
is made TO contribute essential qualities to
the interior Wheats grown in other climates.
Some of the most practical and scientific
manufacturers of flour employ experts to
test by analysis all grain used by them, and
through the combination OF certain elements
secure the best possible results in their
product system Of inspection that would
in like manner bring to its aid the knowledge
so far as may be usefully employed,
gained dn,, by such h. mechanical or chemt
auctions as would demonstrate their
superiority, would doubtless result in estab-
fishing high standard of grades for our
grain. 1t 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 system of inspection by
which her wheat is classified according to it's
milling value and bread producing qualities.
and the direct consumptive demand for
those grades that contain the elements Of
~body and strength" would absorb her prod
uct independent of all other markets The
State of New York has an experimental sta
ton" where facilities are afforded TO test the
culture of the various productions of the
husbandman, from whence reports are fire.
quently issied for public information. Upon
similar basis the department Of agriculture
OF our state university could provide the ia
cilities 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 It
is not contemplated by such q system that
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
Nothing will engage your attention of such
vital import to very large part of our pop
ulatiOn as questions of railroad legisla-
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 q twelvemOnth after
same and some newly developed practices,
many numerously signed petitions came up
from widely extended agricultural sections,
asking that an extra session Of the legislature
the oppression of railroad manage
ment There were controlling reasons
against reconvening that body; but
as I called their attention earnestly
to the subject, so I give it to you as one
which, in my Judgment, cnnnot 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
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 number
OF shippers, and therefore their management
aims to encourage such II this tends to
build up 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, part OF
oppressive, and hope it will not always b.
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 facilitie:
the world over, citing the examples of in.
dividuols who have received nothing from
the public and are under no obligations tc
the public as q precedent for company
created by the commonwealth to serve the
common veal, and hound by law, as we'll az
the logic of its creation, not to discriminate
not to deal unequally. not to restrict it's OBJ
legation Of common carriage
TRANSIT EVILS
Beside the practices above limited at which
tend to establish monopolies by giving some
shippers advantages over others, another
exists upon some lines, in accordance witt
which an owner of wheat who wishes to senl
1t to any point on the line must pay thu
charges for carrying it over the whole road
He may then stop his wheat where hi
freight right for what he can get. This il
defended on the ground that the wheat, o.
its product. must 20 by some Transportation
line to that terminal point, Chicago or Nil
waukee, and that the company which frs
has it is entitled to devise any possible pla1
to keep it, without having, at any uterine
date point, to compete for it's further car
riage with other rival lines Every argu
ment to Justify the demand for payment TO
carrying grain to Chicago when the shippe
only wants it carried to some lntermediat
point, would justify the exaction Of transi
Rates to the seaboard instead of Chicago, i
the company could possess itself Of the con
troll of a continuous line thither. Anothe
rule by which producers have griev
ously suffered, is that adopted by some road
to receive no wheat upon its cars excep
from elevators of given minimum capaci
ty The managers allege that a regulation
Of that kind Is necessary to the proper per
!. Torrance of their obligation to carry the
! freight which may be offered them TO
transportation with due dispatch; that ele
vators of at least the capacity prescribed ar,
necessary for the expeditions handling an,
loading Of the grain; that the demand TO
cars when great crop is to be moved, cal
scarcely be supplied even when they are &C
cupied the least time In loading; and that b!
any other manner of handling the grail
thoro xUou11 no uront loco in tho corviro oh