The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1885-01-18
AoIrA 7oS IN 1Hs WHEAT coux1RH.
The eerugsss sftbe Farmers % Regulate the
Charges OF the Railroads.

BIT. THOMAS, Mimi. Jan. 14-At this mo-
mont the farmers engaged In wheat production
throughout Minnesota and Dakota are in Q
high state OF expectation and excitement. The
Legislatures have Just assembled ut Bismarck
and at st. Paul and . determined effort Is be-
ing made to curtail the power OF tho railroads
engaged In grain TRANSPORTATION. and to reduos
their freight ratee to figure which will permit
tho farmer to live. At the same time the mo-
nopoly 80 long enjoyed BIZ the Millers' AssociA-
ton OF Minneapolis will. II possible. be broken.
This body has thus fnr each year bought the
entire wheat crop Of the Northwest at rrao-
tically its own figures. and. by excluding rival
Eastern buyers. has absorbed with the rail.
70 ads the entire profits.
This year wheat has boon raised throughout
this entire region at a heavy loss. and this In
face OF u nne crop. Prices have sunk to point
apparently far lower than the increase In the
produced In this port6ern country and which
when mixed with inferior southern sorts 10
used 10 manufacture tho best grades Of Mn.
variety This s rated 81 the Y Misna s NIL.
ihan 'hs 10 Shsa, Ssossa At P' chsssS TSi:
or so scsssi ifS sr.ss " y i esn
psar busLel for their erop, Willie The
The only pro,sxt for .maSins this great differ.
cnce WAS the heavy freight charge OF 10 cents
por bushel. ana that some VI the grain was
slightly bleached in harvesting. ExDorts claim
that the injury thus done to the wheat was rnp-
resented Mt the most by a loss in value Of one
or two cents per bushel In fact. tho only year
since tho opening up Of this country wherein
the producers received handsome price was
1881. when buyers from Chicago aud ~. Louis
endsavored to capture portion Of the crop.
but were driven away in utter rout by the Min
nespG II MILAN Who bid anns' them to near
During all this time the railroads have
steadily refused cars to private shippers and to
elevators and warehouses with a capacity OF
less than 10000 bushels. The farmer has bsen
left at the mercy OF elevator agents along tho
line OF tho railways. acting upon their own re-
sponsibilfty In grading the wheat, and ms .
rule underpaid men OF narrow Intelligence and
privilege been given to the farmer to ship to
agents In Minneapolis In car load lots. but then
only through the elevators upon payment OF
heavy dues for labor that he could have per-
formed himself. Frequently grain much In
to his heavy loss. and he was unable to prove
that he had been robbed without heavy Ok
pense and trouble which none undertook.
To remedy oil this. bills OF the most radical
nature nre being presented Tor the con5idera-
party to make the refusal by the railroad COM
punies to furnish cars to private shippers q
criminal offence. Freight rates are to 10 lin
tied. possibly to three quarters Of II cent peR
been above described are practised upon .
community. 1t is readily seen that the whole Of
tho story has not been told. II L. proposed 70
take hold OF the entire freight list Of the rail-
road companies and revise and reduce them
Use. in fact OF a high OLD time, and the proceed
ings OF these two Legislative bodies can well b
watched with interest.