St. Paul daily globe., 1885-05-27

a profit Of $4,000 to $1O0, 600 a year by
mixing these grains 1t would save
much money to the producer if this
mixing be done at home and the
grade prepared in the county where the
wheat is raised for the market Five hum
dred men at $500 a year salary scattered
over Minnesota to thus prepare grades
would save money, to be divided with the
producer at his own door. He then advO-
Gated the No northern grade as the most
profitable to Minnesota for export, and
showed that for a steady supply to Eastern
and foreign millers it stood far ahead Of
No. 1 hard. 1t is grade the Eastern mill
ers can get all the year round, and they
have refused to take No. 1 hard wheat in
it's place to fill out their orders for Northern,
in one instance when the amount was TO-
600 bushels.
CHICAGO GRADES.
Mr.. Yerxa said of samples of grades No.
1, 2 and 3 grade sent from Duluth to Min
neapolis by inspectors of different crops,
and several times no inspector in the latter
place could designate them. The grades of
Chicago No. 1 hard and Chicago No. 2 was
of good milling quality, and Chicago No. 8
gives best weight at fifty three pounds. The
New York inspector, to his, knowledge used
weights.
Maj Donaldson said that No. 1 North
ern wonld help the Minnesota farmer to
sell his crops for future delivery. He cited
an instance where this grade sold for 95
cents and then fell to 70, which would give
the farmer fine work to buy back what
he had sold. At this point Mr..
Murdock made the statement that there
were two Chicago grades No. 2; that the
second grade was special No. 2, and
marked minnesota" and that this latter
was nearly all sold to millers in Illinois.
This showed that Minnesota wheat in Illi-
nois was gilt-edged, and was taken for
home consumption.
Mr. Steele of Dakota believed in few
grades. He thought the specific pounds to
the buShel in grades should be done away
with, as often slight variation in weight
entails much loss to the producer. He be-
lieved that all wheat should be thoroughly
cleaned on the farm or at the country ele-
vator. He believed that when
the farmers wheat went clean to
market it was to his pecuniary benefit
largely. Then again if wheat was thor
oughly cleaned at home it would insure
clean seed, which would keep the wheat
fields clean also. He believed in offering a
premium on good farming, and had cleaned
much wheat for his neighbors at less than
cost for this purpose. Maj. Donaldson in
this connection said he had bought extra
cookie mills for his neighbors, one-half OF
whom used them, and the other half were
too lazy and slovenly to do SO.
In the afternoon session Mr.. HodsOn said
that after grading wheat three weeks he
came to the conclusion he knew nothing
f4,,,% fbo Oh ! hot
nobody else did. People pretended to be
good judges of tobacco, but could be sold
three kinds of the same brand if separated
and different prices put upon it, and think
the highest priced was first class. He came
here to represent the poorer classes of far
mers, who could not ship their own grain,
wanted no grades, but to sell their grain on
open market, and to sell their wheat for
cash. They wanted more grades or the
grades as they now stood for their benefit.
In regard to dockage or dirt in wheat he
thought the farmers could fight this matter
out at home if they had an open cOmpeti-
ton market and were not in the power OF
an elevator or few men.
Mr. Baker then informed Mr.. Hodson
that the tendency of the present law was to
restore
A FREE OPEN MARKET,
and that it's results would be that merchants
and others beside elevator owners would be
wheat buyers, as they could all obtain cars
for shipment to market. This would re-
store the interior towns to the competitive
markets enjoyed always by the river towns,
and inspire the springing up of crop of
these competitive buyers in every town in
the state. 1t was the object of the
law to create this competition, and the COM
missioners would give it voice in every
manner. The Northern Pacific and Mani
toba elevator rate of the past had been the
most despetic ever inflicted on any country,
and the connection of an elevator system of
this kind had depressed the stock in both
and been suicidal to them as well as the
farmer
Mr. Dalrymple said that this conference
had looked the whole situation over. Every
section of our country had its speciality, and
wheat was ours in Minnesota and our trade
mark. We wish for protection against
Chicago, where they throw everything
we raise they can get hold of into one pile
and call it No. Chicago wheat. The
farmer drives now to the elevator where the
inspector fixes the price, grade and weight
which has been established for his wheat
and he can get no appeal, and all elevators
serve him alike. Some farmer gets car
and ships load of wheat to Duluth, or
Milwaukee, where it is made subject to cut
rates of 2 or cents bushel. He is told
there that
HIS WHEAT MUST BE CLEANED
and is also docked from three to thirty
bushels car on the ground of dirt, which
is arbitrary. His wheat goes into the ele-
vators at low standard and
when it comes out men stand
ready.to buy low grade wheat and take re-
ceipt for higher grade delivered in Montreal
and New York. This must be redressed or
Minnesota has failed in her special peaceful
legislation to protect her highest CONNER
cial interests. There should be a uniform
system of grading, an equal weight to ship
ment and a complete divorce of railroads
from dealing in wheat. 1t is safer for pro-
ducers to trust to weights than inspectors,
for weight is the best test, and
is always used in the markets
of the world. The number of grades should
be as simple as possible. Soft wheat of the
state must be protected, for the intrinsic
worth of this wheat grown in the North is
10 cents more bushel than that grown in
Illinois and Iowa. Nos. l and 2 hard are
suitable grades, and in No. 1 Northern
there is no risk.
IN THE MATTER OF DoCKAGE.
Educate the farmers to prepare their
product well before it is thrown on the mar
ket, for it is their interest. Every wheat
raiser should have good tanning mill.
Offera premium for clean wheat, and let the
farmer for his profit feed the refuse to his
swine. The best market is an open market
like those of the river towns. Equal rights
of shipment for an elevator system gives ex-
elusive rights to owners, and when owned
by railroads depreciates their stock. Ten
years ago these railroads were in the hands
of receivers and the wheat product growing
from nothing has made them what they are,
has built up Minneapolis and ST. Paul, and